Overview

Flood and Coastal Risk Management - Advisor - Natural Flood Management - 32108. We’re on an ambitious journey to embed nature-based solutions at the heart of flood resilience. As outlined in our FCERM Strategy and Roadmap, Natural Flood Management (NFM) plays a vital role in reducing flood risk while delivering wider benefits for nature, communities, and society.

This permanent role offers an exciting opportunity to help deliver and upscale NFM across England. You’ll support our £25 million NFM Programme through project tracking, grant management, and secretariat support. You’ll also help mainstream innovative approaches trialled through the programme into the wider FCERM investment portfolio.

In addition, you’ll coordinate the NFM Community of Practice and respond to stakeholder enquiries. We’re looking for someone who can confidently lead specific workstreams - such as environmental and hydrological monitoring, permitting, or asset management - with initiative and independence. The role involves hybrid working, with some travel and overnight stays. Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do and you will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract an additional payment and full training and workplace adjustments will be available to support you with your incident role.

The team: You’ll join a small, inclusive Natural Flood Management Team within the Strategy and Adaptation Department of our national Flood and Coastal Risk Management Directorate. It’s a dynamic space, and we welcome flexible working for all roles.

The department works closely with Defra and other partners to shape the future of flood resilience, set strategic direction, and drive innovation.

Responsibilities

• Support the £25 million NFM Programme through project tracking, grant management, and secretariat support.
• Coordinate the NFM Community of Practice and respond to stakeholder enquiries.
• Lead specific workstreams (e.g., environmental and hydrological monitoring, permitting, asset management) with initiative and independence.
• Travel as required for hybrid working arrangements, including overnight stays.
• Respond to incidents as part of the role and provide business continuity support during incidents (may attract additional payment).
• Contribute to mainstreaming innovative approaches trialled through the programme into the wider FCERM investment portfolio.
• Collaborate with Defra and partners to shape future flood resilience and drive innovation.

Experience/Skills Required

We’re seeking a proactive individual with a strong track record of delivering results. You’ll be confident managing a varied workload, coordinating across teams, and progressing work independently. A relevant qualification or experience in FCRM or a related discipline is essential. We welcome candidates with experience in:

• Natural Flood Management – commissioning, funding, delivery, and identifying opportunities and barriers to upscaling
• Project and grant management
• EA processes and governance (e.g. Scheme of Delegation and assurance)
• Building and sustaining stakeholder relationships, including supporting a wide range of delivery bodies
• Clear, effective communication
• Strong digital and data skills, including coding, Power BI, Power Automate and effective use of tracking and filing systems
• Using GIS tools and carrying out spatial data analysis

We’re committed to building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds.

Contact and Additional Information

If you’ve got questions about the role, contact Eleanor Heron (eleanor.heron@environment-agency.gov.uk) or Jon Hollis (jon.hollis@environment-agency.gov.uk). Interviews will take place virtually week commencing 3rd November.

Compliance and Policies

The Environment Agency has a Disability Guaranteed Interview Policy. We are committed to flexible working patterns for all vacancies, including job share; please include any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application. If applying from Civil Service, note that Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service. For redundancy calculations under the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service in certain circumstances. For more information, contact your HR team. We also provide guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in applications; ensure all examples and statements are truthful and directly from your experience.

The Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, and we commit to value for money and using Central Government frameworks for external recruitment.

Seniority level

• Associate

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Finance and Sales