Overview
We’re proud to be part of the Environment Agency — an organisation that values diversity, champions inclusion, and reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background, identity, or lived experience.
We’re looking for two passionate and experienced professionals to join our national Construction Safety Team as SHEW Advisors. If you’re ready to make a real impact on the safety, health, environment, and wellbeing of major infrastructure projects across England, this could be your next career move. These full-time roles sit within our Capital/Construction team, which sets SHEW standards and assures them through a robust audit and inspection programme. You’ll play a key part in shaping safer, healthier, and more sustainable construction practices — not just within our organisation, but across the wider industry.
As a SHEW Advisor, you’ll be a trusted expert and role model, helping to raise standards and drive continuous improvement.
Responsibilities
* Conducting audits and inspections of construction sites and delivery partners
* Producing clear, actionable reports and following up on findings
* Providing technical advice across construction, and maintenance activities
* Supporting incident investigations and embedding lessons learned
* Developing and delivering training and awareness tools
* Leading on specialist SHEW topics and contributing to strategic SHEW projects
* Supporting framework communities of practice and promoting best practice
Responding to incidents is a central part of this role. You will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to or provide business continuity support during an incident. Supporting incident response may attract an additional payment as well as facilitating further career development. Full training and alternative working arrangements will be available to support your incident role.
Experience/skills Required
To succeed in this role, you must meet the minimum qualification criteria:
* Proven health, safety, and wellbeing experience in construction delivery projects
* NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction Certificate (UK)
* Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. IOSH or IIRSM), ideally Chartered or working towards
Essential Skills
* A strong background in construction safety
* A proactive, solutions-focused mindset
* Excellent communication skills (oral and written) with the ability to build rapport, influence stakeholders, and translate complex safety requirements into practical guidance
* Confidence in reviewing and improving ways of working to ensure consistent application of SHEW legislation and best practice
Desirable Skills
* Experience in incident investigation and root cause analysis
* Familiarity with behavioural safety approaches
* Working knowledge of digital safety tools and reporting platforms
* Stakeholder engagement across complex frameworks
* Professional accreditation or chartership (e.g. GradIOSH, CMIOSH)
Contact and additional information
The role requires regular travel to construction sites to undertake audits and construction site-based health, safety, and wellbeing assurance activities. This will be a mix of office / home working. The role also offers flexible working hours, and opportunity to further professional development. The successful candidates will ideally be based in the East or Southeast of England. Interviews will be conducted on MS Teams week commencing 24th of November.
If you would like more information about the role, please refer to the attached candidate information pack. For an informal chat about the role, please contact Jason Hanson on Jason.hanson@environment-agency.gov.uk
Ready to take the next step? Apply now and help us build a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future.
Role competencies
Competence 1: Builds and Sustains Relationships
Description: In this role, you’ll be working with a wide range of people — from internal teams to external construction partners. Your ability to build trust, influence others, and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics is essential to driving improvements in safety, health, environment, and wellbeing.
Application Question: Describe a time when you successfully built a working relationship with someone whose views or working style differed significantly from your own. How did you approach the situation, and what was the outcome?
* CVs or other documents attached to your application will not be assessed for selection.
* Your answer will be used for interview selection – please draw out your skills and experience in your response.
* You may consider using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
* When providing evidence for competencies within your application, please give examples of how you clearly demonstrate these either within the context of this role or as transferable skills.
Competence 2: Achieves Results
Description: This role demands a high level of personal effectiveness, resilience, and commitment to delivering results in a construction safety context.
Application Question: Describe a time when you faced a significant challenge in changing someone’s opinion or approach to construction safety. What was the situation, how did you influence their thinking, and what actions did you take to ensure a successful outcome?
* CVs or other documents attached to your application will not be assessed for selection.
* You may consider using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
Competence 3: Influences and Persuades Others
Description: You’ll often need to influence delivery partners, contractors, and internal teams to adopt SHEW standards and improve their practices.
Application Question: Describe a time when you successfully influenced a stakeholder or delivery partner to change their approach to construction safety. What strategy did you use, how did you tailor your message, and what was the result?
* CVs or other documents attached to your application will not be assessed for selection.
Competence 4: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Description: You’ll be expected to make informed decisions during audits, inspections, and incident investigations — often in dynamic construction environments.
Application Question: Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision or solve a complex problem during a construction safety audit, inspection, or SHEW-related activity. What steps did you take to understand the issue, what options did you consider, and how did you reach your decision?
* CVs or other documents attached to your application will not be assessed for selection.
Role specific license requirements
* Full UK Driving Licence
Additional notes
We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.
We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls. Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know for more information.
Artificial intelligence notice: AI can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience.
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