The role of an Environment Manager is increasingly important as the urgency associated with environmental and climate change issues is recognised and addressed by organisations in all sectors and of all sizes. An Environment Manager is responsible for ensuring that the organisation meets its environmental policy commitments and improves its environmental performance.
Not only do they monitor performance against and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulatory requirements, but they are also proactive in identifying and promoting opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of the organisation’s activities, products and services.
The information in our job profiles aims to give a general overview of the role and a guideline to what it involves. The content is not intended to be exhaustive and roles will vary depending on the organisation and sector. The salary ranges are a guide only, as these are dependent on the size and location of the organisation.
Entry level salary range
£25k-£30k
Early career salary range
£30k-£45k
Experienced salary range
£40k-£60k
Senior leadership salary range
£60k-£95k
How does this role align to the green agenda?
Environment Managers work with organisations to reduce the environmental impact of their direct operations, as well as their product/services and supply chains; championing good practice and promoting sustainable practices. They also engage with wider stakeholders, such as suppliers, regulators, customers, employees and the local community, to build partnerships that support the green agenda.
Skills and capabilities
A mix of technical, interpersonal and analytical skills are required in the role of Environment Manager.
Technical knowledge
- Requires a strong technical knowledge of the relevant regulatory frameworks, national and international standards, and best practices
- Sector experience relevant to the organisation is often advantageous to be able to interpret the regulations and best practice for the business to develop and implement appropriate environmental policies and procedures
- Knowledge and experience of relevant sustainability reporting frameworks will be useful.
Transferable skills
- Analytical thinking is important to be able to understand and interpret complex data
- Project management skills will be valuable in ensuring environmental improvement projects are managed to agreed timeframes and budgets
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills are crucial to allow successful interaction with internal and external stakeholders, and to be able to present often complex information to a variety of audiences in a clear and concise manner
- Management: broader business management skills such as business case preparation and people management are often useful to ensure alignment with the rest of the organisation.
Find out more about upskilling What are green skills?
A day in the life
A day in the life of an Environmental Manager will vary significantly depending on the specifics of the role and the organisation or sector in which they are working.
Typical duties and responsibilities include:
- Keeping up to date with appropriate legislation, regulations, permits, consents etc., to keep the organisational policies and procedures up to date and compliant
- Implementing the organisation’s environmental management system
- Reviewing environmental data and ensuring the wider business is aware of any developments or issues
- Liaising closely with senior management to ensure environmental considerations are considered in decision-making
- Working closely with specialist consultants and contractors on specific projects
- As part of a wider sustainability / health and safety team, contributing to initiatives such as the organisation’s sustainability report and the communication of relevant initiatives to external stakeholders such as investors, customers and local communities etc.
- Liaising with other departments to ensure environmental issues are given due prominence in all aspects of the organisation’s operations.
Entry routes
There is no one route into this role. In many organisations, an understanding of the business or sector is crucial and can often be as, or more, important than academic qualifications, particularly if this is supported through professional certifications.
Academic qualifications are usually the starting point for a role in Environment Management, with a bachelor’s degree in a science, engineering or sustainable business-related topic being most common .
Postgraduate and professional memberships / accreditations are also useful, for example IEMA / CEnv.
Relevant apprenticeships in England include:
- Level 7 Sustainability Business Specialist
- Level 6 Environmental Practitioner (integrated degree)
To note: in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, it will typically take three years to complete a full-time, undergraduate degree. In Scotland, it typically takes four years. Apprenticeship courses vary in length, and also require an end-point assessment period. Please check this information on a case-by-case basis.
With the right support, training and development, candidates with experience in non-technical disciplines can transition into an Environment Manager role, particularly if they have developed the transferable skills noted above.
Relevant work experience is often required, particularly for more senior roles, and at the early stages of a career, internships, secondments and volunteering experience are very valuable in demonstrating understanding and commitment.
Potential career progression
There are several potential paths for an Environment Manager, which could include:
A more senior Environment Management role or one with a more complex/diverse or less-advanced organisation.
A role with wider responsibilities such as for broader health and safety, sustainability, corporate social responsibility or environmental, social and governance activities.
A consultancy role either as an independent specialist or as part of a larger consulting organisation.
A leadership role, either using their specialist knowledge and experience (e.g. as Chief Sustainability Officer) or taking a broader business management role.
Relevant sectors
Environment Managers are needed in businesses across all sectors and organisations, in both the public and the private sector.
Learn about the green agenda across different sectors
View sector pages
Information kindly supplied by:
Hays
As the world’s largest specialist recruiter, Hays is in a unique position to enable real environmental change, on both a local and national scale.
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