What is an Environmental Manager?
Environmental Managers organise and oversee the creation of management practices intended to reduce an organisation’s environmental impact. This covers the control and management of waste production, pollution from air and ground transportation, water use, and power. They spread awareness of these standards across the company and communicate them to the personnel.
Within corporate, governmental, and nonprofit organisation Environmental Managers are in charge of developing, implementing, and overseeing environmental management systems. In addition to reporting on overall performance, they manage the policies and procedures needed to meet environmental goals and targets. Businesses are seeking methods to lessen their influence on the environment as people grow more environmentally aware. As a result, there is now more of a need for Environmental Managers who can assist companies in finding methods to enhance their sustainability initiatives.
Responsibilities
Environmental Managers are responsible for a wide range of tasks, which might include:
- Developing and enforcing environmental policies and procedures to guarantee compliance with federal, state, and local regulations
- Conducting inspections of industrial sites, residences, companies, and other areas to discover possible environmental dangers and violations
- Supervising and overseeing the activities of employees at a company’s or organisation’s environmental department or division
- Creating strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change, such as increasing sea levels or an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events
- Managing an organisation’s environmental compliance in all areas, including the formulation and implementation of policies, processes, and systems to guarantee compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
- Reviewing and approving building development or restoration plans to verify compliance with environmental laws and regulations
- Overseeing an organisation’s recycling operations, such as collecting recyclables from consumers or developing an effective recycling programme for major corporations.
Salary
Salaries for Environmental Managers vary depending on their degree of education, years of experience, and the size and industry of the organisation. They may also receive additional compensation in the form of bonuses.
The UK national average salary for an Environmental Manager is £43,161, ranging from £29,000 to £63,000. The average salary for a London-based Environmental Manager is £51,671, ranging from £37,000 to £73,000.
Working hours and work location
Environmental Managers usually work in an office, but they may spend time outside at work sites. Most of the time, they work full-time, but sometimes they have to work more to meet deadlines or go to meetings. Some Environmental Managers travel to conferences or work sites. Environmental consulting organisations may employ environmental Managers, engineering firms, industrial enterprises, or government agencies. They may also work for charitable organisations or environmental organisations.
What to expect
As an Environmental Manager, it will be your job to monitor the environmental performance of public, private, or even nonprofit organisations and make sure they abide by environmental standards on pollution, waste, air quality, and clean water. The Environmental Manager is responsible for making sure that environmental laws and regulations are upheld, that businesses do not unnecessarily erode soil, harm wetlands, or pollute water sources, and that when they do harm the environment, they take effective steps to restore ecosystems and their functions, such as replacing plants that have been removed. Companies that are listed on the stock market must hire Environmental Managers to oversee sustainability reporting. This is to show that they follow the country’s environmental rules.
Typical duties include monitoring how all resources are used within organisations, putting environmental policies and procedures into effect, creating programmes for recycling, pollution reduction, and pollution avoidance, and ensuring that environmental laws are followed. Data on environmental performance is audited, The data is shared with internal personnel, clients, and regulatory bodies. It’s also important to manage the budget for environmental strategies, talk to internal staff like top managers and directors, and give environmental training to all levels of employees. They must supervise a group of technical, scientific, and engineering employees, develop plans and reports, stay abreast of changes in environmental legislation and efforts, create instructional materials, and communicate with regulatory agencies.
Environmental Managers spend some time working outside and sometimes attending meetings inside boardrooms and offices. They must be genuinely interested in and knowledgeable about environmental concerns, pertinent laws, and renewable energy sources. They should be self-assured, independent, business-savvy, and have strong IT, organisational, collaborative, project management, and communication abilities. Other duties include management of environmental plan funds, enforcing adherence to environmental laws, and organising public hearings and consultations on environmental issues. There are many ways you can change the world as an Environmental Manager, with so many options for the industry you might work in.
Qualifications
If you are a high school student interested in becoming an Environmental Manager, you should have outstanding grades or an interest in:
- Maths
- Biology
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Geography
- English
- Computer Science
For most jobs as an Environmental Manager, you need a graduate degree from a college or university. If you are a post-secondary student thinking about a career in Environmental Management, the following programmes are most relevant:
- Environmental Policy
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Management
- Natural Resource Management
- Natural Science
- Environmental Engineering
- Conservation Biology
- Natural Resource Management
- Marine Science
Although certification is not required to operate as an Environmental Manager, most practitioners prefer to join professional organisations and, if qualified, seek professional status, such as Professional Engineer or Professional Biologist. In addition to technical qualifications, Environmental Managers should consider a graduate degree or, even better, a masters degree in project management along with on-the-job experience. Other relevant degrees include Information Technologies and Business.
Skills
must have skills:
To succeed, Environmental Managers require the following abilities:
- Communication skills: Environmental Managers often communicate with a range of stakeholders, including coworkers, vendors, suppliers, and customers. You may answer inquiries, solve problems, and transmit ideas and information to others by using effective communication skills. Communication abilities may also be used to facilitate project collaboration with others.
- Leadership skills: Environmental Managers frequently possess excellent leadership qualities that may inspire their employees and push them to finish projects on schedule. Your team may experience problems, which you may assist them overcome by using your leadership abilities.
- Management skills: Environmental Managers may be tasked with detecting and managing environmental concerns, therefore, problem-solving abilities might be helpful. These experts might also utilise their problem-solving abilities to create answers that assist their companies in adhering to environmental rules.
- Decision-making skills: Environmental Managers make decisions every day that affect their team’s health and safety, the environment, and the most effective methods to implement solutions. Making the optimal decision requires obtaining as much information as you can, analysing that knowledge, and selecting the best course of action. Making wise decisions on your team’s surroundings and health is possible with the help of your decision-making abilities.
- Organisational skills: Environmental Managers frequently possess excellent organisational abilities, which may aid them in managing their time and workload. Your ability to be organised will also help you maintain track of vital papers and records. Since you can be in charge of keeping track of environmental statistics and information on the company’s environmental activities, this might be particularly crucial to your job.
Work experience
Even at junior levels, the majority of companies prefer individuals with work experience, therefore, internships or sandwich placements that provide pertinent experience are preferable. Volunteer experience may also be quite beneficial.
Student involvement in relevant organisations, institutions, or charities will broaden your understanding of the industry, demonstrate your commitment to it to potential employers, and provide you with critical opportunities to network and form beneficial connections. Additionally, it’s critical to stay up with industry advancements and modifications. In addition to your formal education, attending relevant seminars, conferences, and internal and external training sessions is a good approach to stay current on topics and brush up on your expertise. Some quick courses can help students advance their professional credentials. On a regional and national level, there are many professional groups that offer courses and other activities. Some of them are:
- Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM)
- Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA)
- Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
If you upgrade to a professional membership, your CV will have credentials that are recognised by the industry. This will make you more attractive to potential employers.
Career prospects
Environmental Managers’ employment is predicted to expand substantially faster than the national average over the next decade.
As more businesses and governments acknowledge the need for environmental protection, the demand for Environmental Managers will rise. Environmental Managers will be required to ensure that their firms follow environmental standards. The subject of Environmental Management offers numerous opportunities for advancement. One of the finest is to continue your education since this may offer up job opportunities that are normally unavailable to individuals without a graduate degree. An Environmental Manager with a master’s in environmental science, for instance, would be qualified to apply for jobs in research or education.
An Environmental Manager with a legal degree, on the other hand, could be able to work in environmental law. Developing experience and knowledge in a particular area of Environmental Management is another method to grow in this industry. For instance, a hazardous waste management specialist or consultant may eventually emerge from an Environmental Manager with a focus on the management of hazardous waste.
Finally, Environmental Managers may move up the corporate ladder to more senior roles like director or vice president of environmental affairs. A position as an environmental restoration planner could be another interesting career path. Instead of evaluating workplaces for environmental risks, these experts collect data on areas that are already polluted and come up with programs that can be paid for. A bachelor’s degree is often required for this position. You can think about becoming a fire inspector if you’re still interested in doing compliance-related inspections. You would check buildings in this role to make sure they adhere to federal fire rules. Although these experts are often former firefighters, a high school diploma is the minimal educational requirement for a career as a fire inspector.
Related Courses
This programme is taught at the University of the West of Scotland’s London campus. As you learn, you will be immersed in the art scene of the United Kingdom. This one-year full-time curriculum is aimed for students who have no prior computer or IT skills. This course will provide you with critical IT expertise that will prepare you for a job as an Environmental Manager.
The one-year full-time programme at the University of West Scotland will offer you with the executive training you need to kick-start your career in Environmental Management and provide you with a firm foundation. This programme is available at the UWS London Campus, which is located in the heart of London’s economic sector.
This two-year and eight-month long full-time degree is offered by the University of the West of Scotland London, and students can select from a range of start dates. Students at UWS London can get lessons from experts in their fields, guest lecturers, and seasoned professionals. The best thing about this program is that it is taught at the London Campus, which is in the heart of the United Kingdom.
