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Sustainability Specialist - Nature and Biodiversity

ScottishPower • United Kingdom • Added on Aug 18, 2026
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This role involves driving the nature and biodiversity agenda for a major electricity transmission network. You will support the implementation of environmental strategies, ensuring that large-scale infrastructure projects align with natural capital ambitions. Your daily focus will be on monitoring progress, identifying operational gaps, and providing technical expertise to ensure large investment programs meet their ecological commitments.

At a time when the energy transition is accelerating, this position bridges the gap between massive infrastructure expansion and environmental preservation. You will oversee a significant £150 million biodiversity enhancement scheme, ensuring that the shift to renewable energy does not come at the cost of local ecosystems. This is a chance to apply nature-based solutions to climate resilience on a national scale.

This suits someone who possesses a strong technical background in ecology or environmental management and thrives in a complex, regulated corporate environment. You should be comfortable influencing senior stakeholders and translating technical data into actionable business plans.

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What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The core mission is to support the development and management of the Environmental and Sustainability Strategy for the transmission business. You will be responsible for ensuring that massive capital expenditure programs, including the RIIO-T2 and T3 frameworks, meet their specific nature and biodiversity targets. Day-to-day responsibilities include monitoring nature strategy delivery, identifying risks or slippage in project timelines, and proposing remedial actions. You will also lead the verification of Regulatory Reporting Returns to ensure all environmental data provided to authorities is accurate and robust.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates can expect significant exposure to the RIIO regulatory framework, which governs how utility companies operate and invest in the UK. This provides a deep understanding of the intersection between national policy, finance, and ecology. Furthermore, you will gain hands-on experience in managing large-scale natural capital accounts and biodiversity net gain initiatives. Working within the Iberdrola group offers a global perspective on sustainability practices, potentially allowing for knowledge exchange with international experts in renewable energy and conservation.

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

The ideal candidate holds a degree in an environmental or sustainability discipline and has a proven track record of working in specialist teams within a corporate or industrial setting. You should have in-depth knowledge of biodiversity net gain, nature-based solutions, and carbon offsetting. Beyond technical expertise, strong influencing and negotiation skills are essential. You must be able to communicate complex ecological requirements to senior management and operational teams who may not have a background in sustainability.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, emphasize your experience with large-scale infrastructure or utility projects. Showcasing an understanding of the specific challenges faced by electricity network operators—such as balancing land use for grid expansion with conservation—will demonstrate immediate value. Tailor your application to highlight instances where you have successfully embedded a sustainability culture in a non-technical workforce. Providing concrete examples of how you translated environmental data into a business case for senior stakeholders will be highly beneficial.

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

The role is heavily focused on the 'Environmental' pillar of ESG, specifically regarding ecosystem services and land management. As the company expands the grid to facilitate renewables, your focus will be on ensuring these projects achieve a net-positive impact on the local flora and fauna. There is also a strong link to climate change resilience. You will explore how enhancing natural habitats can protect infrastructure from extreme weather events, effectively using nature as a defensive asset for the energy network.

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

One of the primary challenges is the scale and pace of the investment programs. With billions of pounds being deployed, ensuring that biodiversity is not sidelined by engineering deadlines requires constant vigilance and strong advocacy. You may also face challenges in stakeholder alignment. Balancing the competing interests of regulatory bodies, local communities, and internal project managers requires a high degree of diplomacy and technical credibility.

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

A typical day might start with a review of project data to identify any gaps in biodiversity enhancement schemes. You would likely spend time in meetings with investment managers to discuss the environmental impact of upcoming grid reinforcements. In the afternoon, you might lead a working group on a specific sustainability topic, such as sustainable design or waste management, followed by the technical review of regulatory reports to ensure compliance with Ofgem requirements.

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

Given ScottishPower’s part in the Iberdrola Group, there are significant paths for lateral moves or promotions into global sustainability roles. The high visibility of the RIIO-T3 investment program means successful delivery can lead to senior management opportunities. There is also a clear path toward becoming a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in specialized areas like natural capital or sustainable procurement, which are increasingly critical across the entire utility sector.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact frequently with the SPT Sustainability Manager and senior directors within the transmission business. External stakeholders include environmental regulators, planning authorities, and sustainability interest groups. Internally, you will also act as a consultant to operational and investment managers, coaching them on how to integrate responsible business practices into their daily site activities and project planning.

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