Environmental manager : Employers and vacancy sources

Environmental managers are employed in national, regional and local government and statutory agencies which include the Environment Agency (EA)  and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) . Local authorities have environmental responsibilities in key areas of housing, education, health, waste disposal and transport.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also have an influence over environmental issues, and opportunities can be found in organisations such as Greenpeace UK  and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) . Work for NGOs, however, is not highly paid and is often voluntary. It is also very popular with graduates seeking vital work experience, so positions are highly competitive.

There are over 500 environmental consultants in the UK. There are increases in employment opportunities in environmental impact assessment, waste management, climate change, contaminated land, integrated pollution prevention and control, noise management and sustainability.

Within retail, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an expanding area with a diverse range of issues. Ethical and environmental concerns are pertinent to every stage of retail operation from sourcing products, packaging, waste and recycling, and energy use.

There has been growth in the environmental media industry and in higher and further education, with teaching and research opportunities available. Generally, the number of businesses employing environmental managers has broadened significantly.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• The Environment Post  
• jobsgopublic  
• sector1  
• New Scientist Jobs  
• Earthworks Jobs  
• Ethical Jobs   
• Environmentjob.co.uk  
• Local Government Jobs  
• Opportunities: The Public Sector Recruitment Weekly  
• Local and regional press.
• Local authority websites.

In most instances, organisations recruit graduates directly rather than through recruitment agencies, however they are still a useful source of vacancies. See the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC)  website for details.

For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.