Environmental manager

Environmental managers oversee the performance of private, public and voluntary sector organisations, making sure environmental standards and legislation are met

As an environmental manager or sustainability manager, you'll ensure that an organisation is operating in accordance with environmental guidelines and targets. Your role will involve examining corporate activities to determine where improvements can be made and ensuring compliance with environmental legislation across the organisation.

You'll also create, implement and monitor environmental strategies to promote sustainable development. Your wide remit means you'll review the whole operation, carrying out environmental audits and assessments, identifying and resolving environmental problems and ensuring necessary changes are implemented.

Responsibilities

As an environmental manager, you'll need to:

• develop and implement environmental strategies and action plans, to ensure corporate sustainable development
• take the lead on sustainable procurement for all goods and services
• coordinate all aspects of pollution control, waste management, recycling, environmental health, conservation and renewable energy
• lead the implementation of environmental policies and practices
• ensure compliance with environmental legislation and keep up to date with UK, European Union and international regulation and legislation
• liaise with relevant bodies such as local authorities, public bodies and competent bodies
• audit, analyse and report environmental performance to internal and external clients and regulatory bodies
• carry out impact assessments to identify, assess and reduce an organisation's environmental risks and financial costs
• promote and raise awareness, at all levels of an organisation, of the impact of emerging environmental issues
• implement best practice in areas of corporate, ethical and social responsibility and address any issues arising
• develop and implement environmental management systems to continually improve the impact of the organisation on the environment
• coordinate public hearings and consultations on environmental matters
• manage relations with the board of directors internal colleagues
• train staff at all levels on environmental issues and responsibilities
• participate in environmental education and research
• negotiate environmental service agreements and manage associated costs and revenues
• write environmental reports, assuming lead responsibility in the company
• set organisational sustainability targets, developing plans to meet those targets and oversee their delivery.

Salary

• Graduate environmental manager salaries are usually around £22,000 to £25,000.
• The average salary for members of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) is £47,570.
• The average salary of an IEMA Fellow (FIEMA) is £79,369.

The IEMA reports that practitioners, based in business and industry, earn significantly more than their colleagues in other parts of the economy.

Benefits may include a pension scheme, health insurance and the option to work from home.

Income data from the IEMA Survey 2022. Figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours vary according to the industry. In the public sector you'll typically work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. In the private sector, your hours are more likely to vary and include some weekend work.

Flexitime, part-time work and career breaks may be possible in some organisations.

What to expect

• Self-employment and freelance work are possible in environmental consultancy.
• Work opportunities exist throughout the UK and some organisations offer the opportunity to travel and work overseas.
• Figures from the IEMA show that more than 50% of professionals work in organisations employing 1000+ people.

Qualifications

Although this career is open to all graduates, it may help if you have a degree or HND in one of the following subjects:

• bioscience
• earth sciences
• ecology
• energy
• environmental engineering
• environmental health
• environmental sciences or management
• engineering - with a sustainability focus.

A relevant degree, or postgraduate qualification, provides the necessary skills for employment in this field. However, a business qualification or experience may be considered as important as knowledge of environmental aspects.

If you wish to undertake postgraduate study and specialise in a specific area, be sure to research your area of interest to ensure there are sufficient employment opportunities.

Postgraduate diplomas offer the chance for those working in the field to develop particular interests.

According to data from IEMA, approximately half of environmental and sustainability professionals have a Masters degree or higher. Membership of a relevant professional body is desirable by employers.

Search postgraduate courses in environmental management.

Skills

You'll need to:

• understand and utilise systems to carry out problem solving
• show initiative, to recognise emerging problems and proactively develop solutions using methods such as systems thinking
• negotiate and organise
• stimulate and manage change
• demonstrate strong leadership and influence
• display a high level of computer literacy
• show commercial awareness and an understanding of business
• be self-motivated and able to motivate staff at all levels
• communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• manage projects, as well as produce and deliver presentations
• establish effective networks, both internally and externally.

Work experience

Most employers look for candidates with work experience, even at a junior level, so relevant work experience, gained through vacation or sandwich placements, is advantageous. Experience gained through voluntary work can also be very helpful.

Becoming a student member of relevant societies, institutes or charities will increase your knowledge of the sector, show your commitment to the field to potential employers and provide you with essential opportunities to network and make useful contacts. It's also important to keep track of developments and changes in the sector.

Upgrading to professional membership levels will add industry-recognised qualifications to your CV, increasing your employability.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Around half of environmental and sustainability professionals work in business and industry; many professionals work in small environment/sustainability teams or as individuals. Approximately 30% of sustainability professionals work as consultants.

Employers include:

• commercial businesses - such as manufacturing, engineering and construction/civil engineering firms
• environmental consultancies all across the UK - covering areas such as impact assessment, waste management, climate, contaminated land, pollution, noise management and sustainability
• local authorities - with environmental responsibilities in education, health, housing, transport and waste disposal
• non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and Greenpeace UK
• national, regional and local government and statutory agencies - including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Environment Agency (EA), National Resources Wales, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Work for NGOs is not usually highly paid and is often voluntary. It's also very popular with graduates seeking vital work experience, so positions are highly competitive.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Earthworks-Jobs
• Environment Jobs
• Environmentjob.co.uk
• IEMA Jobs
• Local government jobs

You can also search for job opportunities on the websites of environmental companies. Not all positions are advertised, so it's worth sending off speculative applications or networking with any contacts you may have.

Professional development

You'll need to keep abreast of environmental legislation, compliance and reporting requirements through training and continuous professional development (CPD). Becoming a member of a professional body will help you do this and will also help you structure your professional development by identifying your needs and providing solutions. This is especially useful in the early stages of your career.

Attending internal and external training courses, relevant seminars and conferences is an effective way of keeping up to date with current issues and refreshing your knowledge. Some short courses can lead to further professional qualifications.

Courses and other events are offered on a regional and national basis by a range of professional bodies, including:

• Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM)
• Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
• Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA)

For a subscription fee, The ENDS Report is available on a monthly basis, providing the latest news and official reports on environmental policy. A free trial is available. The ENDS directory is a useful resource for finding the contact details of environmental companies in the UK.

The Society for the Environment (SocEnv) brings together professional bodies across the disciplines of water, waste, ecology, environmental science and management, and includes IEMA, IEEM and CIWEM.

Career prospects

The need to meet environmental legislation, be cost-effective and be seen to be environmentally responsible are all driving forces within the profession. This affects how businesses operate and creates opportunities for career development in specific areas, such as:

• corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• environmental impact assessment (EIA)
• environmental management and auditing
• waste management.

In some organisations, there may only be a small number of specialised environmental posts. Larger organisations will offer more opportunities, in some cases with the possibility of taking on a senior-level corporate role, or a wider role encompassing other activities.

If you're ambitious and want to get to the top of the profession, you'll need to manage a wider brief, embracing CSR and the implications of environmental management for corporate strategy.

There are also opportunities to join the growing number of environmental consultancies, become self-employed or move into the education field in a teaching or research position.