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.
Role
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.
Responsibilities
* Conduct audits and inspections of construction sites and delivery partners
* Produce clear, actionable reports and follow up on findings
* Provide technical advice across construction and maintenance activities
* Support incident investigations and embed lessons learned
* Develop and deliver training and awareness tools
* Lead on specialist SHEW topics and contribute to strategic SHEW projects
* Support framework communities of practice and promote best practice
Responding to incidents is a central part of the role. You will be required to have an incident role and be available to respond to or provide business continuity support during an incident. Supporting incident response may attract an additional payment and provides opportunities for 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)
Role specifics
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 the 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 during the 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 at 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.
Competencies
Competence 1 — Build and Sustain Relationships
In this role, you’ll work 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 drive improvements in safety, health, environment, and wellbeing.
Application Question: Please 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?
Notes: CVs or other documents attached to your application will not be assessed for selection. Your answer will be used for interview selection. You may consider using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
Further information: Calaméo - EA Capability Dictionary (calameo.com)
Competence 2 — Achieves Results
This role demands a high level of personal effectiveness, resilience, and commitment to delivering results in a construction safety context.
Application Question: Please 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?
Notes: CVs or other documents attached to your application will not be assessed for selection. You may consider using the STAR technique when formulating your answer.
Calaméo - EA Capability Dictionary
Competence 3 — Influences and Persuades Others
In this role, you’ll influence delivery partners, contractors, and internal teams to adopt SHEW standards and improve practices. Application Question: Please describe a time you successfully influenced a stakeholder to change their approach to construction safety.
Competence 4 — Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
In this role, you’ll be expected to make informed decisions during audits, inspections, and incident investigations.
Application Question: Please describe a time you had to make a difficult decision or solve a complex problem during a construction safety activity.
Role-specific license requirements: Full UK Driving Licence
Equality, diversity, and inclusion: We are fully committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. We guarantee an interview for applicants with a disability meeting minimum criteria. We do not engage directly via post, email, or phone for recruitment and provide information about Crown Commercial Service suppliers where relevant.
Artificial intelligence note: AI can be a useful tool to support your application, but all content must be truthful and from your own experience. Plagiarism may lead to withdrawal of applications.
Location and status
Southampton, England, United Kingdom
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