Head of Environment and Sustainability

We are seeking a passionate and experienced Environmental & Sustainability professional to support upstream Oil & Gas operations in Namibia. Reporting to the HSSE Manager, the role will focus on environmental compliance, sustainability performance, environmental risk management, permitting, monitoring, and reporting.

The ideal candidate will have 15+ years of upstream Oil & Gas experience, with strong knowledge of environmental management systems, regulatory compliance, audits, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability practices. The ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams and stakeholders is essential.

Key Responsibilities:

Environmental Governance & Compliance
Ensure environmental and sustainability requirements are effectively implemented across activities.

• Lead the implementation of environmental standards, management plans, permit conditions, and applicable regulatory requirements across operations and projects.
• Define and develop the scope of work for environmental studies required to support operations, projects, and permitting activities, and ensure selection and management of competent consultants.
• Provide environmental and sustainability advice on permitting, licensing, environmental impact management, biodiversity, waste, emissions, water, hazardous materials, and pollution prevention.
• Ensure environmental compliance obligations are identified, tracked, and communicated to relevant internal stakeholders and contractors.
• Ensure regulatory changes, permitting requirements, and emerging environmental obligations are monitored, assessed, and communicated to management and relevant teams.
• Responsible for the quality and timely issuance or renewal of ESIAs and other environmental permits, including ECCs.
• Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of the Biodiversity Action Plan and contribute to improving knowledge of ecologically sensitive areas within the operations’ area of influence.
• Act as the lead interface with authorities, partners, environmental NGOs, and contractors on environmental compliance, reporting, audits, inspections, and related matters.
• Establish waste management processes and ensure compliance with company and local requirements.

Environmental Support to Operations
Support operations and projects to identify, control, and continuously improve environmental performance.

• Work with contractors and site teams to ensure environmental plans, procedures, and mitigation measures are suitable and effectively implemented.
• Oversee the implementation of contractors’ environmental management systems and ensure alignment with company requirements, permit conditions, and applicable regulations.
• Coordinate or facilitate fieldwork, baseline studies, and environmental assessments, including public consultation and stakeholder engagement processes linked to ESIAs and other permitting activities.
• Lead or support environmental inspections, field visits, assurance reviews, and risk assessments to verify implementation of controls and identify improvement actions.
• Ensure environmental incidents, spills, deviations, and non-conformities are properly reported, investigated, and followed up through corrective actions.
• Support development of oil spill contingency plans.
• Provide environmental expertise within the emergency or crisis management arrangements and support response preparedness for environmentally significant events.
• Maintain robust action tracking for findings arising from incidents, audits, inspections, and environmental observations.

Monitoring, Reporting & Sustainability Performance
Drive continuous improvement through reliable data, reporting, and performance management.

• Own environmental data collected from the sites and establish robust systems for data collection, verification, quality control, consolidation, and reporting in company system.
• Develop environmental and sustainability KPIs, analyze trends, and prepare reports to support management review and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate environmental and sustainability reporting, including contractor reports, compliance updates, audit follow-up, and performance summaries.
• Develop, manage, and monitor the environment and sustainability budget, and ensure appropriate forecasting and cost control for studies, monitoring, and external support.
• Ensure documentation and records are properly maintained to demonstrate compliance and support internal and external assurance processes.

Audits, Assurance & Stakeholder Engagement
Strengthen environmental performance through structured assurance and collaboration.

• Support or lead internal, government, and partner audits, and coordinate timely follow-up of findings and recommendations.
• Develop and maintain environmental verification and assurance tools to strengthen control effectiveness and visibility on compliance status.
• Represent the company in technical workshops and meetings with authorities, contractors, partners, and other stakeholders on environmental and sustainability matters.
• Promote environmental awareness through training, toolbox talks, campaigns, and coaching of internal teams and contractors.

Sustainability officer

• Responsible for overseeing the deployment and implementation of the company’s sustainability framework.

Team development

• Lead, coach, and develop the environment and sustainability team and contribute to capability building.

• Master’s degree or equivalent qualification in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, or another engineering degree with significant environmental experience.
•  Minimum 15 years of relevant experience in environmental management and sustainability, in upstream oil and gas activities.
• Demonstrated experience in environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, audits, inspections, risk management, and implementation of environmental management plans.
•  Demonstrated experience in developing environmental management system compliant with ISO14001
•  Demonstrated experience in offshore and onshore oil spill contingency plan.
•  Strong knowledge of environmental topics such as biodiversity, waste, water, emissions, pollution prevention and hazardous materials.
•  Experience in environmental data management, KPI development, reporting, trend analysis, and quality control of contractor deliverables.
•  Ability to lead cross-functional coordination with operations, projects, contractors, consultants, authorities, and external stakeholders.
•  Strong leadership, communication, analytical, autonomy, adaptability, and coaching skills, with the ability to influence diverse stakeholders.
•  Experience in team management in multicultural environment
•  Excellent command of written and spoken English.
•  Willingness to travel regularly within Namibia, including onshore and offshore site     visits as required.

Accountabilities:

• Accountable for effective implementation of environmental and sustainability requirements across all activities.
• Accountable for the quality and timely delivery of environmental governance activities, including ESIAs, ECCs, other permit applications or renewals, compliance monitoring, reporting, audits, inspections, and associated action plans.
• Accountable for quality and delivery of environmental studies, baseline assessments, contractor environmental management systems, and public consultation processes to support compliant and responsible operations.
•  Accountable for identification, reporting, investigation and follow-up actions on environmental risks, incidents, deviations, and non-conformities.
•  Accountable for timely and reliable environmental data, KPIs, reports, and budget tracking to support decision-making, continuous improvement, and cost control.
•  Accountable to maintain effective relationships with authorities, contractors, environmental NGOs, partners, and other stakeholders on environmental and sustainability topics to support the license to operate.
• Accountable for visible leadership, promotion of environmental awareness, coaching and developing team members.

Closing Date: 29 May 2026