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

• 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 what we do. 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 as it gives you the opportunity to see how other parts of the business work. Full training and alternative working arrangements will be available to support your incident role.

Team

You’ll be part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team that works closely with delivery partners and internal colleagues to ensure SHEW standards are not only met — but exceeded. If something goes wrong, we provide technical support for investigations and ensure lessons are shared and embedded. We collaborate with our supply chain and wider construction industry to develop and share best practice.

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 an 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)

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.

Competencies

Builds and Sustains Relationships

• 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: 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?

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?

Influences and Persuades Others

• In this role, you’ll often need to influence delivery partners, contractors, and internal teams to adopt SHEW standards and improve their practices. Application Question: Please 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?

Takes Decisions and Solves Problems

• In this role, you’ll be expected to make informed decisions during audits, inspections, and incident investigations — often in dynamic construction environments. Application Question: Please 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?

Role specific license requirements

• Full UK Driving Licence

Note: If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability. For more information about recruitment practices, visit the government guidance referenced in the original posting.

This job description contains AI usage guidance reminding applicants to be truthful and to avoid plagiarism. We align with Civil Service candidate guidance on AI usage. Please review for more information.

Location and status

Reading, England, United Kingdom

Seniority level: Associate

Employment type: Full-time