Environment Advisor
COLASJobsCloseBy Editorial Insights
Colas Rail UK is seeking an Environment & Sustainability Advisor to support Rail Services in Rugby, delivering the EMS and Sustainability plans, audits, training and risk management across maintenance and operations with travel and occasional night shifts. You’ll translate policy into practical improvements, monitor KPIs, and drive continual development in a values led culture built on Respect, Commitment, Pioneering and Sharing. Essential qualifications include a professional background in environment or sustainability, heavy industry experience, EMS knowledge, and strong training and Office skills. Desirable: NEBOSH Env Mgmt, ISO 14001 auditor, IEMA member, rail sector exposure. If you don’t meet every requirement, apply anyway with examples of impact. We value diversity and offer flexible options plus a guaranteed interview for Disability Confidence Scheme applicants.
Make your mark with Colas Rail UK
At Colas Rail, differences matter. Join a team where being your authentic self is respected, encouraged, and vital to our success. At Colas Rail you'll be at home. You'll be welcomed into an inclusive team where there's a role for every talent and a close-knit, familial culture. You will also get the opportunity to help us transform transportation, set new standards, and dare to be different.
This is true because...
- We value everyone as part of the same team.
- We treat everyone as equals - and everyone is approachable, from the CEO down.
- We put you in control of your career to lead and grow in any way you want.
- We have a culture of care, from safe working environments to diversity and inclusion.
- We're renowned for innovation, adopting new ideas, and daring to be different.
- We are building a more sustainable future and our projects impact infrastructure for generations.
About Us
Step into the world of Colas Rail, where a century of expertise merges with a daring spirit to shape the future of rail infrastructure.
At Colas Rail, we deliver transport solutions for sustainable mobility. We are a leading rail infrastructure business with on track plant and freight capabilities. As a subsidiary of the Colas Group, we are part of over a hundred years' experience in delivering major innovations across our sector. Every day, thousands of trains run on tracks built, designed, or maintained by Colas Rail.
Leading by our Values
Our values, Respect, Commitment, Pioneering and Sharing are at the heart of everything we do. These values feed into our main strategies and accompany us daily in realising our ambitions.
We Respect our employees, celebrate diversity and foster a culture of safety, care and respect for everyone we interact with. We care about our employee’s wellbeing and create an environment of inclusivity and support.
We Commit by showing up wholeheartedly. When we commit together, we invest in everyone’s success. We invest in our customers, our teams and our colleagues, and we lead with safety, integrity, passion, purpose, ethics and transparency.
We Share as we all hold knowledge that could and should be shared, enabling us to grow and making us a strong collective. We have a passion for excellence, celebrating achievements and nurturing talent.
We Pioneer to push boundaries, imagine what does not yet exist and dare to do what others do not. We innovate with ambition, and we find solutions.
Even if you don't meet every requirement, please don't rule yourself out, we still encourage you to apply if your skills, values, and experience align to the role.
Purpose of the Role
The role of the Environment & Sustainability Advisor (ESA) is to provide professional assistance for all departments within Rail Services division of Colas Rail. The post-holder will implement suitable assurance and engagement programs to ensure the division comply fully with Colas Rail EMS, Sustainability Management Systems, and any contract specific client requirements. The ESA will work proactively with maintenance and operations delivery teams and provide professional advice to meet client and industry expectations. The ESA will identify environment & sustainability risks and opportunities and deliver relevant initiatives to achieve beyond compliance. The role is primarily based at Rugby with requirement to carry out site visits/travel, including occasional night shift with operational teams.
Person Specification
Essential
- Professional Qualifications in environment / sustainability.
- Wide construction industry experience in an environmental / sustainability role with evidence of successful delivery
- Experience of working with Environmental Management Systems, including understanding of legislation, issues, policies, procedures and practicalities within heavy
- plant/machinery or construction industry.
- Competent in development and delivering training and workshops for all levels of staff.
- Highly proficient in use of Office applications: Excel, Word, Visio and PowerPoint.
- Good collaborative and interpersonal working skills, good communication at all levels.
Desirable
- NEBOSH Environmental Management Certificate or assessed equivalent
- Environmental / Engineering degree (MSc level preferred)
- Environmental Incident Investigator
- Competent ISO 14001 Auditor
- Member of an appropriate professional institute, e.g. IEMA holder.
- Experience of the industry, in particular Light Rail, Railway or multi-disciplinary delivery.
- Strong experience of working in a customer led environment.
Key Responsibilities
This role will support the Rail Services Safety & Sustainability department in achieving its QHSE objectives. Responsibilities shall include:
Oversee Environment & Sustainability activities on behalf of the Head of HSQE to ensure Rail Services comply with all Environment & Sustainability policy and legal requirements.
- Produce the Services EMS and Sustainability Plans ensuring that objectives and targets are implemented and integrated to raise the profile of Environment & Sustainability.
- Provide professional advice & guidance on Environment & Sustainability management system to ensure continual improvement, including use of best practice solutions.
- Monitor Environment & Sustainability performance through audits, inspections, etc., ensuring that audit plans & targets are achieved, and the business remains compliant with all management guidance, rules, and regulations.
- Ensure that all accidents, incidents and significant close-calls and near misses are reported, investigated and that all lessons learnt from investigations, surveillance and data analysis are disseminated, understood, and embedded.
- Report progress against agreed Environment & Sustainability KPI.
- Assist in developing, communicating, and implementing Environment & Sustainability strategies & incident prevention initiatives.
- Develop tools to improve the quality of environment and sustainability management and support the maintenance of accurate data from monitoring systems.
- Develop, deliver or coordinate delivery of Environment & Sustainability Training to staff as required.
- Promote awareness and learning through bulletins, briefings, and workshops to improve staff & contractors’ engagement and awareness.
- Attend internal and external environment & sustainability meetings to discuss initiatives, issues etc.
- Conduct risk assessments, including Environment & Sustainability, Health, Safety & Wellbeing assessments as required.
- Contribute to the development of systems and procedures, and assurance activities as part of a whole team approach in meeting performance targets.
- Any other reasonable duties as required from time to time.
What We Offer
- Competitive Salary
- 26 days Annual Leave
- Industry leading Life Assurance
- Healthcare Cash Plan
- Wellbeing Employee
- Assistant Programme Pension Scheme
- Eye Care Vouchers
- Long Service Award Season
- Ticket Loan
- Occupational Health Service
We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that diversity drives innovation and creativity, and we actively seek to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, heard, valued and respected. Regardless of background, disability, age, race, religion, or gender, everyone is welcome at Colas Rail.
We strive to promote equity and eliminate discrimination, actively seeking to create a workforce reflective of communities we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, offering flexible and inclusive adjustments to the interview process.
As part of a positive action drive to address under-representation we encourage applications from women, ethnically diverse individuals and people with disabilities, along with all candidates who identify with protected characteristic groups under the Equality Act 2010.
We are proudly part of the Disability Confidence Scheme, and as such we operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme if you meet the minimum requirements.
On joining Colas Rail you’ll have access to our growing Employee Network Groups including Railbow (representing the LGBTQ+ community), BeyonDisability (representing those with disabilities) and Cross Culture (representing people from ethnic backgrounds). Everyone is welcome to join our network groups whether you are part of the community or an ally.
Work life balance is important to us; flexible working options are available where feasible and dependant on the role. Please discuss this during the interview process.
Join us in making a positive impact! Apply and be part of a team that values diversity and embraces unique perspectives.