Flood and Coastal Risk Management - Advisor - Natural Flood Management

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, and 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. You should be available to respond to incidents or provide business‑continuity support during an incident and receive additional payment and training as required.

Department and team structure

• Natural Flood Management Team within the Strategy and Adaptation Department of the Flood and Coastal Risk Management Directorate.
• Collaborative, inclusive team driving forward NFM.
• Working closely with Defra and partners to shape flood resilience strategy and innovate.

Experience and skills required

• Strong track record of delivering results and managing a varied workload.
• Relevant qualification or experience in FCRM or a related discipline essential.
• Experience in NFM commissioning, funding, delivery and upscaling opportunities.
• Project and grant management experience.
• EA processes and governance (e.g. Scheme of Delegation and assurance).
• Stakeholder relationship building and support for delivery bodies.
• Clear, effective communication.
• Digital and data skills – coding, Power BI, Power Automate and effective tracking and filing systems.
• GIS tools and spatial data analysis.

Inclusion and diversity

We’re committed to building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and provide guaranteed interview support for persons with a disability.

Application and contact information

Contact Eleanor Heron (eleanor.heron@environment-agency.gov.uk) or Jon Hollis (jon.hollis@environment-agency.gov.uk) for questions. Interviews will take place virtually week commencing 3rd November.

Competence assessments

• Achieves Results – provide an example of delivering a complex outcome with incomplete information.
• Manages Self – example of personal organisation and resilience in a demanding situation.
• Works in Teams – describe how you contributed to team effectiveness.
• Data and Information Management – describe a time you collected, analysed and interpreted complex data.

Employment details

• Seniority level: Associate
• Employment type: Full‑time
• Job function: Finance and Sales

Legal and civil service statements

For applicants from the Civil Service note that the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant. Continuous service is unavailable in most cases. If you work for local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc.) (Modification) Order 1999, continuous service may be available for calculating future redundancy payments.

We provide guaranteed interview policy for those with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. AI tool usage is permissible only for truthful, factually accurate, and personally‑experienced statements.