How to Build a High-Performing Environmental Team

How the right team can make or break your environmental program, and how to build yours from the ground up.

Creating an environmental program that actually works isn’t just about having the right permits or staying up to date on regulations. It starts with people.

At RMA, we’ve worked with businesses across countless industries, and one thing is consistently true: your environmental compliance is only as strong as the team behind it.

If you’re responsible for assembling or improving your environmental team, you probably know how complex and high-stakes this can be.

One wrong hire or lack of support can lead to missed deadlines, violations, or worse. That’s where we come in. Contact us here if you’re unsure where to start or need help building the right foundation.

Why Your Environmental Team Matters

We often get asked, “Do I really need a full environmental team?” The short answer: yes, if you're aiming for consistent compliance, risk reduction, and long-term cost savings.

But hiring a high-performing team is not just about basic compliance, it’s about creating a system that can grow your business into a leaner, greener machine. And the consequences of not having the right team in place can be severe, including everything from costly violations to damaged public trust.

And yet, building that team is often overlooked. Businesses either spread environmental responsibilities across multiple departments, rely too heavily on a single overworked manager, or skip dedicated roles altogether. We’ve seen all these scenarios, and none of them end well.

Here's how to do it the right way:

Step 1: Understand What Your Team Actually Needs to Do

Before you can build a strong environmental team, you need to get crystal clear on what that team actually needs to accomplish. Too often, companies jump straight into hiring or delegating without fully understanding the scope of their environmental obligations. That’s when things get missed.

Whether you're managing one facility or several, every site has its own unique requirements, and without a full inventory of what needs to be done, it’s impossible to know who you need to do it.

Start by asking questions like:

• What permits, plans, reporting, and systems are required for your facility, and what kind of ongoing requirements come along with them?
• Are you just looking to achieve basic environmental compliance, or do you have loftier goals of sustainability or an environmental management system?
• Who is currently managing these responsibilities (if anyone) and are they able to keep up with them?
• How many people will be needed to satisfy your program, and what sorts of qualities will they need to have to succeed in these roles? (More on this in a second!)

This initial review will help you determine whether you need full-time staff, part-time support, or something in between. (And if you’re unsure, we can help you figure it out.)

Step 2: Identify the Core Roles in a High-Performing Environmental Team

A solid environmental team typically includes a few key roles, depending on your industry and risk profile:

• Environmental Manager or Program Lead: This person oversees the entire program, ensures compliance across the board, and serves as a liaison between operations, leadership, and regulators. 
  
  
• Compliance Specialists or Coordinators: Handles day-to-day tasks like permit tracking, reporting deadlines, and internal inspections. This is often where companies start, especially when hiring internally. 
  
  
• Support Staff: Includes operations team members trained on environmental responsibilities, like spill response or stormwater inspections.

If you don’t have the budget to hire all of these roles internally, you're not alone. Many of our clients rely on us to handle the heavy lifting while they maintain a smaller internal footprint. Reach out to us to find out if we'd be a good match to help with your program.

Choosing the Right Environmental Manager

The environmental manager is the anchor of your program. This person needs more than just technical knowledge. They must understand your operations, communicate across departments, and stay on top of ever-changing state and federal regulations.

When choosing the right candidate, look for:

• Hands-on regulatory experience (not just textbook knowledge): Environmental compliance takes time to master, so while the college graduate might have an impressive resume, they might not be experienced where it counts.
  
  
• Strong communication skills: There’s a lot of communicating to be done, both internally and externally. The right person will need to be able to clearly explain regulations, coordinate with multiple departments, and represent your business professionally with agencies and consultants.
  
  
• The ability to juggle multiple projects and prioritize effectively: Compliance deadlines don’t wait. Your team member needs to manage competing priorities and keep critical tasks moving forward.
  
  
• Exceptional organizational skills: From permit records to inspection logs, environmental compliance involves a lot of moving parts. Being able to stay organized is key to staying compliant and avoiding violations.
  
  
• A proactive mindset: This person should identify issues before they become problems and stay ahead of potential risks.

If you’re struggling to find someone with that full package, you can also reach out to us here at RMA to outsource your environmental department. We’ll take care of the heavy lifting, whether that means running the whole show or just giving your team the backup they need.

Step 3: Set Clear Responsibilities (and Avoid the “It’s Not My Job” Trap)

One of the biggest reasons environmental programs break down is unclear ownership. Even strong teams can run into trouble if no one knows who’s doing what. Tasks get passed around, forgotten, or assumed to be someone else’s job.

Even if you’re getting support from a partner like RMA, it’s still important for your internal team to understand who owns what. Everyone should know exactly who is responsible for:

• Tracking and renewing permits
• Conducting regular inspections and walkthroughs
• Responding to violations, complaints, or warning letters
• Communicating with regulatory agencies and submitting reports

We often see companies where compliance tasks are handed off informally. People assume things are being handled, but no one has actually been assigned. That is when things start to fall through the cracks. Missed deadlines, expired permits, or unchecked issues can quickly turn into bigger problems like fines or enforcement actions.

Start by writing down who owns each responsibility and make sure that information is shared clearly across your team. You don’t need fancy tools to do this. Even a shared checklist or spreadsheet can go a long way in keeping everyone aligned.

Step 4: Invest in Training

Even the best team needs environmental training. Regulations change, staff turns over, new risks pop up all the time, and everyone could use a refresher. More importantly, many regulations actually require that your team be trained to maintain compliance. So it's often not just a good idea, it's mandatory.

Make sure your team is:

• Regularly trained on the current regulations you fall under
• Equipped with facility-specific SOPs and inspection checklists
• Confident in handling site-specific environmental issues
• Prepared to respond to an environmental accident like a spill or other emergency

If your internal team needs help getting up to speed, we offer options for online environmental training here. And if you're looking for something a little more tailored, we offer custom environmental training programs that are built around your facility, your permits, and your people.

Step 5: Know When to Call in Backup

Even the most capable teams hit a wall sometimes. Maybe you’re opening a new facility and everything’s moving fast. Maybe you’ve just been handed a violation notice and need help responding. Or maybe your internal team is doing their best, but they’re stretched too thin to keep up with everything.

That’s exactly why we do what we do.

At RMA, we work with companies in all kinds of situations. Some have no environmental staff at all and need someone to take the lead. Others have a great internal team but need extra support to stay ahead. Either way, we’re here to step in and make your job easier.

Here’s how we can help:

• Serve as your outsourced environmental department
• Fill in short-term gaps when your team is overloaded or understaffed
• Take on complex, time-consuming tasks like audits, permitting, or reporting

Our goal is to give you peace of mind. We make sure nothing slips through the cracks so you can focus on your operations knowing compliance is being handled the right way.

You don’t have to do it all alone. Let’s talk about how we can support your team without adding to your headcount.

Why You Might Still Want a Consultant, Even if You Have a Great Environmental Team

Even with a solid environmental department in place, there are many reasons to bring in outside support. In fact, we work with many businesses that already have strong internal teams but still rely on RMA for guidance, expertise, and extra capacity.

Here’s why:

• Environmental regulations are complex and ever-changing. Even experienced teams can’t always stay on top of every single rule, requirement, or policy update. A trusted consultant can provide up-to-date knowledge and industry insights that internal teams may miss.
  
  
• Some tasks require specialized knowledge. For example, developing SPCC or SWPPP plans, handling air quality or NPDES permit applications, or managing hazardous waste often falls outside the everyday scope of internal teams.
  
  
• It’s easy to lose objectivity. A third-party consultant can bring fresh eyes to your program through an environmental audit or compliance review, helping you spot risks your team may not notice.
  
  
• Burnout is real. Environmental staff often wear multiple hats. Partnering with a consultant helps prevent overload, especially during busy seasons like TRI or Tier II reporting or when new projects roll out.

At RMA, we can fill the roles of your team or work alongside them. Whether you need ongoing support, help with a specific challenge, or just want peace of mind, we’re here to help. Let's talk.

Final Thoughts

A high-performing environmental team doesn’t always mean building a large department or hiring multiple specialists. What matters most is having the right structure in place. One that fits your business, meets your compliance needs, and keeps everything running smoothly.

Some companies manage just fine with an internal team. Others need occasional support or a full-service partner to take the lead. Many fall somewhere in between. That’s why flexibility is key, and it’s something we prioritize at RMA.

We’ve helped businesses navigate audits, reporting deadlines, training gaps, and unexpected compliance challenges. If you’re unsure what kind of help you need right now, that’s okay. Reach out to us today and let’s talk about what your environmental program needs to succeed. Whether it’s a little backup or full-scale support, we’ve got you covered.