Overview

We are seeking an enthusiastic Environment Officer - Agriculture to join the Agriculture Team. The role involves delivering farm inspections, engaging with farmers to improve compliance, and protecting the water environment.

Responsibilities

• Carrying out targeted farm inspections across a range of sectors; from permitted intensive farms to small family farms, land spreading operators, water abstractors and those with discharge consents
• Engaging with farmers and land managers to influence changes in practice, including navigating difficult conversations
• Collecting and reporting on data and findings with careful attention to detail
• Undertaking regulatory enforcement action and, when needed, serving notices and prosecutions
• Working collaboratively with other teams and specialists
• Responding to incidents at short notice, both environmental and flooding, including outside standard hours

Experience, skills and requirements

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; tactful with customers. Experience of communicating with the farming community is beneficial but not essential.
• Self-motivation and the ability to prioritise workload and adapt to changeable circumstances
• Ability to make timely and rational decisions based on relevant information and experience
• A desire to help protect and improve the environment; knowledge of environmental issues, especially in the agriculture sector, would be beneficial but not essential
• A desire and ability to learn
• Experience in a regulatory role would be beneficial
• Full UK driving licence
• Positive attitude; confident in engaging with staff and members of the public (over the phone and in person); comfortable working independently or in a team

Contact: jo.gass@environment-agency.gov.uk

Additional information

• Temporary – Maternity Backfill for 12 months
• Interviews will be held in week commencing 27 October 2025 (face-to-face)
• Role requires travel; location options include Lincoln, Kettering, Spalding or Peterborough; flexible working is supported
• Guaranteed Interview Policy to support applicants with a disability
• The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body and uses central government frameworks for recruitment