Overview

We are seeking an Intelligence Research Officer to join National Environmental Crime Unit NECU in a dynamic part of the business. The Environment Agency’s ambition is to be an intelligence-led organisation, so having the ability to manage intelligence professionally and in line with current guidance is essential to ensuring threat, risk and harm is appropriately assessed and managed. Environmental crime is a strategic priority, attracting high profile attention from the public, media, national and international stakeholders. This role provides an exciting opportunity to support investigations and help prioritise and drive forward interventions to remove unlawful operators from the waste regimes. You will help deliver our response by pro-actively developing and accessing intelligence from a range of sources to inform decision making and provide actionable intelligence products for our customers.

We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for our vacancies, including job share, so please clearly include any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. 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 alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.

Any future recruitment will be taken from the reserve list.

The team: NECU supports the Environment Agency’s enforcement community which is spread across 14 geographical areas and a number of national services – tackling around 40,000 suspected and alleged offences each year. We help to protect and improve the environment by regulating industry, ensuring compliance, and eliminating illegal activities including Organised Crime Groups. You will be part of our Intelligence & Partnerships department, working with intelligence professionals, providing intelligence products and assessments to support colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Proactively develop and access intelligence from a range of sources to inform decision making
• Provide actionable intelligence products for customers to support investigations
• Support prioritisation and drive interventions to remove unlawful operators from waste regimes
• Respond to incidents as part of the incident role and provide business continuity support when required
• Collaborate within the Intelligence & Partnerships department and with partners to deliver intelligence products and assessments

Experience / Skills Required

• Collect and evaluate data and information from a wide variety of sources to produce or inform intelligence products
• Prepare and deliver research summaries; experience interrogating IT systems and databases
• Enthusiasm and curiosity for finding information
• Good communication skills with the ability to listen to others and transmit information effectively
• Ability to represent the Environment Agency professionally with a variety of partners
• Ability to use own initiative and identify when a change in approach is needed
• Skills in using standard IT packages; ability to retrieve information effectively and accurately
• Good teamwork and an inclusive approach to colleagues and customers
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and administrative activities

Security & Eligibility

• Note that security vetting checks (SC and NPPV3) will be required
• If applying from Civil Service, Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; eligibility for continuous service may vary. Check with your HR team if unsure

Location & Opportunities

• Location is flexible with a mix of home and office working; travel to Birmingham and Sheffield offices may be required on occasion
• Interviews via Microsoft Teams expected in September 2025

Accessibility & Diversity

• We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce; we welcome applications from under-represented groups and offer a Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with disabilities

Other information

• The Environment Agency encourages flexible working patterns, including job share; include preferred working arrangements on your application
• For informal discussions, contact vacancy managers Pete Booth or Sam Morrison at environment-agency.gov.uk