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Senior Environment & Sustainability Advisor

Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture • United Kingdom • Added on Jun 26, 2026
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As a Senior Advisor for this major infrastructure project, you will take lead responsibility for environmental management across the London Tunnels section. Your daily focus centers on overseeing environmental compliance, identifying site-specific risks, and ensuring that complex engineering works align with both statutory requirements and innovative sustainability targets. You will be the technical pivot, translating high-level environmental standards into actionable site practices.

This role is critical because HS2 is one of Europe’s largest infrastructure projects, aiming to set new benchmarks for low-carbon construction and biodiversity protection in urban environments. Working within a high-profile joint venture, your efforts directly mitigate the ecological impact of massive tunneling operations, ensuring that world-class engineering does not come at the expense of local environmental integrity or social responsibility.

This suits someone who possesses deep experience in civil engineering environments and thrives on navigating the regulatory complexities of 24/7 construction sites while maintaining a strategic view of long-term sustainability goals.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary mission is to oversee the environmental management system for the London Tunnels project, ensuring all site activities comply with HS2's strict Environmental Minimum Requirements and UK legislation. You will be responsible for identifying environmental risks, conducting site audits, and developing mitigation strategies for issues such as noise, waste, and carbon emissions. Beyond monitoring, you will lead the implementation of sustainability initiatives aimed at resource efficiency and social value. This involves translating complex technical requirements into guidance for site teams and subcontractors, ensuring that every phase of the construction follows the project's sustainability roadmap.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Working on a project of this scale offers unparalleled exposure to cutting-edge tunneling technology and low-carbon construction methods. You will gain deep expertise in managing environmental impact within a high-density urban environment, learning how to balance logistics, community impact, and ecological preservation on one of Europe's most monitored construction sites. Additionally, you will have the chance to interface with three major international construction firms, gaining insights into different corporate sustainability cultures and diverse engineering standards. This provides a unique environment for learning best practices in stakeholder management and regulatory liaison at a national level.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate should have significant experience in a senior environmental role within the civil engineering or infrastructure sector. You must demonstrate a robust understanding of UK environmental legislation and have a track record of successfully managing environmental requirements on large-scale, complex sites. Technically, you should be adept at environmental reporting and risk assessment. Soft skills are equally vital; you need the persuasive communication ability to drive culture change among site teams and the analytical mindset to solve unforeseen environmental challenges during 24/7 operations.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, move beyond general sustainability knowledge and demonstrate specific technical competence in construction environmental management. Highlight your past successes in navigating Section 61 consents, managing waste streams on major projects, or implementing carbon reduction initiatives in heavy industry settings. Given this is a joint venture, show that you are an integrated team player who can operate effectively across various organizational cultures. Tailor your application to show how you have previously dealt with the unique challenges of multi-stakeholder infrastructure projects in urban centers like London.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The role focuses heavily on operational environmental compliance and the reduction of construction-related impacts. This includes managing the carbon footprint of tunneling activities, optimizing material use, and ensuring that biodiversity and local ecosystems are protected throughout the construction phase. There is also a significant focus on governance and reporting. You will be ensuring the project meets the high ESG standards set by HS2 Ltd, which includes meticulous tracking of environmental performance data to drive continuous improvement in sustainability outcomes across the joint venture.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the chief challenges is the sheer scale and pace of the tunneling operations. Maintaining strict environmental standards in a fast-moving, 24/7 construction environment requires constant vigilance and the ability to pivot quickly when site conditions change. Managing the cumulative impacts on local communities in London, such as noise, vibration, and air quality, remains a persistent challenge. You will need to expertly balance the operational needs of the engineering teams with the stringent requirements of environmental permits and the expectations of local stakeholders.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with a site walk to inspect environmental controls and monitor active work zones. You would likely then meet with project engineers to discuss upcoming works and ensure all environmental risks are accounted for in their method statements. In the afternoon, you might shift to data analysis and regulatory reporting, ensuring all monitoring metrics are documented for the client. The day often involves troubleshooting immediate environmental concerns on-site while participating in strategic meetings to plan the sustainability trajectory of future project phases.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

This role offers high visibility within three world-leading construction companies, providing a bridge to senior leadership positions in sustainability or project management. Success here proves your ability to handle the most complex environmental mandates in the industry. There are also opportunities to specialize further in areas like circular economy or carbon management within infrastructure. Participation in industry-leading joint ventures often leads to invitations to contribute to national-level sustainability standard-setting and thought leadership groups.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact daily with site managers and engineers to ensure compliance at the workface. You will also communicate regularly with the environment teams of the individual JV partners (Skanska, Costain, STRABAG) and the client, HS2 Ltd. External stakeholders include local authorities, environmental regulators, and community groups. Your role is to act as a technical expert and liaison, ensuring that all parties are informed of environmental progress and that the project remains a good neighbor to the communities it serves.

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