1. JOB PURPOSE

1.1 Support the area environmental assessment work (including associated assessments) developed for the hybrid Bill for Phase Two in accordance with organisational, sponsor and parliamentary requirements.

 

2. ACCOUNTABILITIES

2.1 Support the Area Team’s environmental assessment requirements and deliverables, working in close association with the rest of the Area Team, the other Phase Two Area Teams (particularly adjacent areas), HS2 Ltd’s Technical Directorate and the Phase Two Central Environment Team. Ensure all client requirements are met for the hybrid Bill (and in particular the Area Environmental Report).

2.2 As part of the Area Team, provide advice to support the development of environmental design solutions and ensure that environmental sustainability issues continue to be embedded as an integral part of the project design in accordance with the HS2 Sustainability Policy and Sustainability Approach Document.

2.3 Work collaboratively with other technical specialists including engineers, construction experts, architects, property advisors, environmental and sustainability specialists to achieve high quality integrated designs and develop appropriate and cost balanced mitigation strategies and solutions.

2.4 Work closely with the consultants appointed to undertake area environmental assessment (including transport and equalities impact assessment) and design in order to input on the environmental and sustainability aspects and ensure compliance with HS2 Ltd assumptions in relation to design, construction and operation.

2.5 As part of HS2 Ltd’s assurance process, support the review and appraisal of all area environmental deliverables produced by consultants to ensure compliance with the organisation’s technical and sponsor requirements to enable them to be confidently defended before Select Committee.

2.6 Support area technical stakeholder engagement (working closely with the Central Environment Team and Stakeholder Team) via various different forums to obtain information to inform the development of the area (and, where necessary, route‐wide) assessment and design and to ensure the stakeholder’s environmental and sustainability requirements are understood and managed so as to minimise petition risk and to support the development of a world class railway.

2.7 Working closely with the Environment Manager, provide area environmental support to the hybrid Bill team and preparation of petition responses and reports to Select Committee.

2.8 Working closely with the Environment Manager, draft responses to general internal and external enquiries (including FOI, EIR and PQ requests) on area environmental (including EIA, TA and EqIA) matters to ensure timely, consistent, robust and assured responses.

2.9 Support the Area Senior Environment Manager and Environment Manager on internal and external reporting of environmental matters.

2.10 Ensure full audit trail of key decisions and compliant data management to enable effective petition management, efficient handling of enquiries (including FOI and EIR) and to ensure that statutory requirements are met.

2.11 Working closely with the Area Senior Environment Manager and Environment Manager, provide area environmental support into relevant HS2 Ltd reports and briefings to Ministers to enable robust decision making.

 

3. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE:

3.1 Bachelor degree (or equivalent) in a relevant environmental/ built environmental discipline.

3.2 Working towards membership of a relevant environmental/ built environmental organisation.

3.3 Experience of environmental assessment (EIA) on large scale projects.

3.4 Knowledge of environmental legislation and current best practice guidance.

3.5 Proven ability to work across multidisciplinary teams.

3.6 Strong numeracy, written and verbal communication skills and the aptitude to engage with a range of stakeholders on sensitive environmental issues.

3.7 Strong IT skills and proven working ability to use Office based software, including Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, coupled with an aptitude towards learning and utilising new software in the office environment (training is provided in the use of the internal document management systems). A good understanding of GIS, SharePoint and eB is also desirable.

3.8 Experience of preparing/ reviewing material for and attending public consultations.

3.9 Experience of working under tight deadlines.

 

4. DECISION MAKING

4.1 This role is part of the client team supporting the management of area environmental products (including EIA, TA and EqIA) developed by consultants and subsequently defended through Parliament. You are responsible for supporting the Area Environment Team ensure that client requirements are met in the development of the EIA (including TA) and EqIA and be responsible for ensuring that issues/ risks are escalated to the Senior Environment Manager and Environment Manager. You engage with other Environment Advisors across Area Teams and the Central Environment Team to achieve consistent, high quality products. You work closely with other Environment colleagues from Technical Directorate, Phase One and Phase 2A. You ensure that the Area Team builds on work already undertaken on Phase Two, whilst remaining consistent with Phase One and Phase 2A and avoiding difficult precedent for any subsequent phases of HS2 under the guidance of the Senior Environment Manager, Environment Manager and the Central Environment Team. You support the hybrid Bill process and Principle and Expert Witnesses in the defence of the scheme before Select Committee.

 

5. FACTS AND FIGURES:

5.1 No line management or budgetary responsibilities.

 

6. OTHER CONTEXTUAL:

6.1 This role is the Environment Advisor for a geographic section of the Phase Two route.

6.2 The role reports to the Environment Manager and interfaces with other Environment Advisors across Area Teams and with the Central Environment Team.

6.3 This role works alongside a team of other specialists and consultants engaged on the project and liaise with a range of technical stakeholders, including statutory bodies to develop appropriate and cost balanced mitigation strategies and solutions and play an integral role in reducing the detrimental impact of the developing scheme on people and the environment. They also work closely with the supply chain and with Technical Directorate. Ensuring consistency with, and avoiding difficult precedent for, other parts of the HS2 project is also be a key requirement. They achieve this by working closely with the Environmental Interfaces Manager in the Central Environment Team.