Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)Strategic Lead

Worthing, England, gb

Closing Date

2025-04-30

Job Title: Biodiversity Net Gain Strategic Lead

Location: Falmer, East Sussex (Hybrid – 2/3 days per week) or potentially Durrington, West Sussex

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37 hours per week

Salary: circa £60,000 depending on skills & experience

Frequent (weekly) travel will be required across the region to visit potential BNG sites and suppliers – so own vehicle is essential.

The Environment & Innovation team is at the forefront of Southern Water’s drive to enhance and protect the environment. Deploying the latest innovative solutions and working in partnership with our customers and stakeholders, the team takes a holistic approach to managing water quality and flow across the region. Currently delivering a £50million portfolio which rapidly expands to over £2 billion over next 10 years. This is a fast-paced team that is now expanding to continue to deliver a larger programme of sustainable and innovative solutions.

A brand-new position has been created to join our Environment & Innovation team as a Biodiversity Net Gain Strategic (BNG) Lead.

Job Overview

This role will lead the strategic development of BNG, ensuring this statutory driver maximises opportunities to deliver for nature recovery by increasing biodiversity within Southern Water’s operating region. The role will ensure strategic alignment with the emerging corporate Environment Strategy and will develop and implement the long-term strategic approach to BNG.


The core purpose will be to identify opportunities for BNG delivery across SW region, as well as developing systems to effectively and accurately measure, record, manage and monitor BNG delivery across the business.

  • Closely work with the BNG Delivery Lead for capital programme forward planning, ensure understanding of BNG corporate demand – understanding existing project pipeline, initiatives, capital programme, projects across SW departments.
  • Third party sites – develop and maintain partnerships with landowners and land managers – influence shaping of SW land strategy plan to meet BNG requirements.
  • Strategic leadership – as BNG Strategic lead, you will set the strategic direction for BNG, to achieve our ambition and outcomes as enshrined within the emerging as well as be the SME in this area.
  • Create “stackability” where possible of opportunities that would achieve BNG and other benefits for Southern Water and nature recovery – for example interlinked programmes such as the Biodiversity Performance Commitment.
  • Business Planning / Finance & Commercial – ensure visibility, reporting and high-level dashboard of BNG business case – presenting costs, risks and opportunities clearly and concisely.
  • Promote consistency of BNG across SW especially between corporate programmes – both delivered internally and externally through various procurement frameworks and contracts.

    • About You

  • Good understanding of current and emerging environmental legislation especially relating to BNG, nature conservation and planning as well as current environmental initiatives such as biodiversity net gain, carbon sequestration, nutrient neutrality etc.
  • You will be a self-starter, innovative, ambitious with the ability to think strategically – able to spot opportunities for more effective and efficient ways of working.
  • Experience of quality assurance approaches.
  • Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively under pressure and prioritise multiple priorities is essential.
  • Effective communicator – excellent written and verbal communication skill – ability to present to different corporate groups including heads of service and Directors.

    • Package

    This role will be full time Monday to Friday with a hybrid approach to working between our Falmer office and home. We are offering a salary circa £60,000 as well as other benefits including:

  • Generous pension up to 11% company contribution
  • 25 days annual leave
  • Life assurance equal to 4x salary
  • Salary sacrifice electric car scheme (after 6 months service)
  • Health Cash Plan
  • Full funded eye tests
  • Two paid volunteering days a year 
  • Occupational health service
  • Discounts with over 800 popular retailers
  • Digital GP service
  • Study support may be available for job-related qualifications
  • Competitive maternity leave and flexible return to work options
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Private Medical Insurance (Senior Levels Only)

    • Join our Environment & Innovation team and see how far your career could progress with a company committed to career progression, training and development opportunities, our customers and the environment.

    Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?

    Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, because delivering water for life is our core purpose. To achieve this, we need 24/7 support in place to resolve incidents quickly and efficiently. All our employees understand the importance of out-of-hours incident support – because when problems appear, fixing them is our top priority. That’s why our people join together and support when and however needed to make sure our customers get the service they deserve. Joining the Southern Water family means you’ll become part of our incident support team. During your interview, your manager will speak to you about any incident support rotas that apply to your position.

    Privacy Statement:

    Please note: If you are an existing Southern Water employee, you will need to confirm within your application that your Manager is aware of your application.

    All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. You will need to provide evidence of eligibility (e.g. a passport or long birth certificate and proof of NI) and current proof of address (dated within the last 3 months), will be required as part of the recruitment process. If you do not meet these criteria, your application will not be considered.

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