Sustainability Advisor

The primary mission in this position is to embed sustainability standards into large-scale water and wastewater capital delivery projects. You will review project design and procurement documents, advise engineering teams on decarbonization and circular economy measures, and ensure compliance with environmental frameworks across the project lifecycle. Day-to-day responsibilities include carrying out sustainability audits and on-site inspections across Sydney Water facilities. You will collect and examine metrics relating to contractor greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, and sustainable material choices, providing actionable feedback to site managers and partner organizations. In addition, you will prepare regular reporting summaries and performance dashboards. These reports feed into corporate ESG accounts and risk reviews, helping identify operational risks early and setting corrective actions to keep multi-million capital works aligned with target outcomes.

Working inside an organization of this scale provides exposure to complex infrastructure delivery models, including alliance contracts and public-private partnerships. You will deepen your understanding of how broad sustainability ambitions translate into contract specifications, tenders, and construction methodologies. Candidates will gain valuable experience in capital project carbon accounting and embodied carbon estimation, assessing materials such as concrete, steel, and piping. There will also be direct exposure to infrastructure sustainability rating frameworks, notably the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) guidelines commonly used in Australian public works. Furthermore, the advisor will develop advanced stakeholder negotiation skills, learning how to present technical environmental targets to construction managers, commercial specialists, and external engineering partners who balance tight construction schedules with sustainability goals.

The ideal candidate brings proven experience in environmental management or sustainability advisory roles within civil infrastructure, engineering, or major construction projects. Direct experience working on active construction sites and engaging with commercial contractors is essential. Candidates should possess a solid grounding in greenhouse gas accounting principles, waste classification, and local New South Wales environmental legislation. Practical familiarity with circular procurement and infrastructure sustainability assessment frameworks will be an asset. A collaborative approach combined with clear communication is critical. The professional must be capable of resolving operational friction constructively, translating sustainability targets into concrete field practices, and managing competing priorities across multiple active project sites.

Focus your application on concrete examples where your input on an infrastructure or engineering project led to measurable environmental improvements. Highlight instances where you contributed to reduced carbon emissions, increased resource recovery, or solved non-compliance challenges on site. Demonstrate familiarity with Australian infrastructure standards and NSW environmental guidelines. Detail your experience reviewing contractor documentation and auditing on-site works, illustrating how you built productive relationships with project managers rather than merely issuing compliance notices. Ensure that you clearly state your Australian Citizenship or Permanent Residency status, as this is a strict requirement for Sydney Water roles. Address how you manage the operational balance between office-based analytical reporting and active site visits across greater Sydney.

The role centers primarily on the environmental performance of infrastructure development and asset renewals. Core priorities include tracking and reducing embodied carbon in materials, integrating low-carbon concrete or circular alternatives, and minimizing construction waste sent to landfill. Another significant focus area is climate resilience and water security. As Sydney Water responds to regional population growth and extreme weather patterns, infrastructure projects must be designed to withstand severe weather events while minimizing negative impacts on local aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity. Social sustainability and sustainable procurement also represent growing elements of the scope. This includes encouraging local business engagement, supporting First Nations inclusion, and confirming that tier-one contractors adhere to Sydney Water's responsible sourcing policies.

A primary challenge will be balancing rigorous sustainability standards against demanding project deadlines and capital cost constraints. Construction teams often face commercial pressures that make conventional build practices seem faster, requiring the advisor to present convincing operational cases for greener alternatives. Managing data quality and accountability across numerous external contractors can also be complex. Gathering reliable, timely metrics on fuel consumption, waste receipts, and material origins demands clear communication, methodical systems, and persistent on-site follow-ups. Additionally, the geographical spread of works across Sydney, Illawarra, and the Blue Mountains entails significant site travel and adaptation to varied project contexts, from urban pipe networks to regional treatment plants.

A typical morning could start at the Redfern office or from home, reviewing emissions and material usage submissions from infrastructure delivery partners. You might analyze data flags regarding unexpected waste outputs or prepare a dashboard briefing for an upcoming project steering group meeting. By mid-morning, you might travel to a capital project site for an environmental and sustainability audit. Here, you would walk the site with the contractor's project manager, inspect waste segregation yards, evaluate erosion controls, and review material storage practices against technical guidelines. The afternoon could involve meeting with design engineers to discuss circular economy alternatives for upcoming asset replacements, followed by compiling site inspection reports and drafting recommendations to mitigate identified risks.

Given the scale of Sydney Water's ten-year capital investment program, successful advisors can advance into Senior Sustainability Advisor or Program Lead positions, directing environmental strategy for entire portfolios of work. Internal progression paths also exist toward broader roles in corporate strategy, ESG risk, or climate transition planning, as well as operational asset management and capital procurement leadership. Additionally, the experience gained managing large-scale public utility infrastructure provides market-wide recognition, opening pathways to senior sustainability consultancy, government policy, or infrastructure development leadership across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Internal stakeholders include project managers, project directors, design engineers, and commercial teams delivering capital works. You will also collaborate with corporate environment, risk, and communications teams to ensure alignment with public sustainability targets. External interactions will focus heavily on construction contractors, subcontractors, and design consultants responsible for physical delivery on site. Building trust and setting transparent expectations with these delivery partners is vital for achieving operational goals. Occasional contact may also occur with environmental regulators, local council representatives, and industry bodies such as the Infrastructure Sustainability Council during project reviews and verification processes.