Sustainability and Environment Manager
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Type of role
Estates
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Contents
- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know
- Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
Are you an experienced environmental and/or sustainability manager?
Can you help DVLA meet its environmental targets and legal obligations, while supporting business teams on sustainability issues?
Do you have experience driving forward environmental plans and improvement strategies and contributing to policy development, implementation and review?
If so, wed love to hear from you!
DVLAs Sustainability team leads the Agencys environmental performance, ensuring compliance and delivery of government priorities. Working across all functions, the team embeds sustainable practices, reduces environmental impact and provides expert advice to support informed decision-making. We oversee compliance, planning, reporting and policy, collaborating closely with the Department for Transport to develop and implement effective strategies. With a focus on innovation and continuous improvement, we drive initiatives that enable DVLA to operate responsibly and in line with evolving legislation.
Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the Kings birthday
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Read more in the Benefits section below!
Find out more about what it's like working at DVLA: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - Department for Transport Careers
Job description
This role ensures the Agency meets government‑set environmental targets, obligations and legislation while advising and supporting business teams on sustainability issues. You will lead the implementation of the environmental plan and oversee key environmental initiatives across the organisation. You will develop relationships with the estates and facilities contract service partners, DVLA business units and DFT, to identify agency wide and local business needs and issues relating to environmental sustainability which require input and solutions, and action these in line with the Agencys environmental sustainability plan and strategy. The role also contributes to sustainability policy development for DVLA and the Department for Transport, helping to shape, implement and review policies.
Your responsibilities will include, but arent limited to:
- To support the management of the Environmental Management System and ensure certification standards are maintained across the Agency including performing environmental audits to a high standard and assisting in the resolution of issues.
- To focus on sustainability policy areas as and when required by the agency strategy, commitments and wider government needs. This includes leading on projects and workstreams across the sustainability sphere.
- To advise and support business teams in understanding the environmental sustainability policies and plans and to gather intelligence to inform the development of the policies and plans.
- To monitor environmental data to ensure that the agency/business units are meeting the environmental targets and that areas of concern are highlighted, addressed and escalated where necessary and to support the senior environment manager in the development of strategies and policies in business units.
Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.
For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.
Person specification
Essential Requirements:
- Strong communication skills are required, with the ability to tailor messages to your audience. In addition, you can build good working relationships and possess strong collaboration and interpersonal skills.
- Excellent organisational skills are also needed, and you will be able to manage and filter workflow as well as organise and prioritise your work to maximise productivity and meet deadlines.
- You will be highly adaptable and flexible, adjusting to the requirements of the role. Being a team player is also important, with the ability to work on your own initiative, making robust decisions as and when required.
- You will have excellent IT skills and a demonstrable knowledge in the use of Microsoft packages, particularly Microsoft Excel.
Required Experience:
To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:
- Experience in applying environmental knowledge, policy, or legislation in a practical work setting.
- Experience in driving change and implementing continuous improvement strategies.
- Experience in collaborating with multiple internal stakeholders and building effective working relationships to deliver shared outcomes.
- Experience in reviewing environmental reports or data and providing clear, accurate advice and guidance.
Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements
Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part-time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to work 25.9 hours per week for one role (fixed hours) and a minimum of 35 hours per week for the other. Please contact the vacancy holder if you have any questions.
This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.
The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.
If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).
Visa Sponsorship
Please note that we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate rights to work in the UK before application.
Additional Information:
We welcome applications from candidates who can speak Welsh and English. Welsh language skills could be useful in this role, but it is not an assessment criterion, so it wont put you at any disadvantage during recruitment if you arent a Welsh speaker. Please note that the application and assessment process will be held in English.
Qualifications
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Changing and Improving
- Communicating and Influencing
Benefits
Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:
- Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
- 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
- 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the Kings birthday.
- Access to the staff discount portal.
- Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
- Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
- 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
- Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies .
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
How to apply:
Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.
The selection process for this role will be:
Stage 1: Sift of CV and Personal Statement
Stage 2: Interview
You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.
Stage 1: Sift
At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile element:
Experience you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement 1000-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:
- Experience in applying environmental knowledge, policy, or legislation in a practical work setting.
- Experience in building effective working relationships across different teams or departments.
- Experience in collaborating with multiple internal stakeholders to deliver shared outcomes.
- Experience in reviewing environmental reports and providing clear, accurate advice and guidance.
The sift will take place week commencing 15th June 2026.
Stage 2: Interview
At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:
- Experience
- Behaviours (Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving and Communicating and Influencing)
You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess the Behaviours Communicating and Influencing and Seeing the Big Picture. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.
The interviews will take place week commencing 13th July 2026.
This interview will be conducted in person at our Swansea office (DVLA, Longview Road, Morriston, Swansea, SA6 7JL). Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
For more information about how we hire, useful tips on submitting your application and interview guidance for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.
Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.
We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
Complete the Assistance required section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Document Accessibility
This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert or the information on our website, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Pre-employment Checking
If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
All external applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:
- Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour
- Threats or acts of violence
- Illegal activity or substance misuse
- Sexually explicit material
- Extremist views or affiliations
Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public. Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. Its not about judging your personality or lifestyle - its about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture. If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail whats being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Laura Duggan
- Email : laura.duggan@dvla.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here