Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

2 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

Job Description

The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce reflecting the communities we serve. We seek diversity, embrace it and live it to benefit staff, communities and the environment.

England is reforming agricultural policy and spending, moving from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. ELM schemes support farmers to provide public goods in return for public money, incentivising water, soil and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production. Working with Defra and delivery partners you will aim to improve services to farmers. These reforms support our EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, environment and climate. This role will influence the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of responses to government reviews and regulatory reform.

The Environment Agency ELM team seeks dynamic, strategic thinkers to inform and shape the future of ELM, particularly the delivery of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You will contribute to the design and delivery of CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme and drive continuous improvement of the scheme.

You will provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee Programme milestones, identify risks and future resource needs, and work across teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a scheme that supports outcomes.

The team

The team sits within the Nature & Place Directorate, part of the National Agriculture and Land Team, collaborating with government, statutory bodies and industry. We work in an agile, fast-paced, flexible and collaborative environment, managing uncertainty to deliver clarity. We are committed to a welcoming, safe, supportive environment where everyone feels valued. We are dispersed and use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel.

Experience/skills Required

The role represents our expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and enable cooperation. Essential experience includes working in Agriculture with Defra and other statutory bodies. You are politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills and understand environmental sensitivities linked to substantial agriculture sector reform. You have experience interpreting/evaluating evidence to propose risk-based solutions for challenging problems. You prioritise and deliver complex work and are a self-starter who develops ideas and moves them forward.

Ideal candidates will show they can:

• get stuff done, including through others
• embody our culture
• make sure our information is trusted
• cascade key information
• build relationships quickly
• soothe troubled waters

Relevant capabilities include: Shapes Organisational Approach & Delivery, Achieves Results, Seeing the Bigger Picture (Business of the EA), Focuses on Customers and Partners, Delivers Results Through Others

Contact and additional information

You’ll have an incident management objective in your development plan. Appropriate training will be given. The EA Office base location is flexible/hybrid in England. Some travel/overnights will be required. We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel.

Please read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack for information. For more information contact:

• Kate Bayley: kate.bayley@environment-agency.gov.uk
• D-J Gent: dj.gent@environment-agency.gov.uk

Applications are “blind” assessed using competency questions. Interviews are expected to be via MS Teams two weeks after the closing date. If you consent to being on a reserve list, your details may be held for 6 months for potential alternative posts.

Competencies

Competence 1: Shapes organisational approach & delivery. Description: Informing and influencing Government Policy and Agricultural scheme design and implementation. Provide examples of supporting strategic work and organisational priorities, targets and resources.

Competence 2: Achieves Results. Description: Prioritising and organising tasks and resources under uncertainty; provide examples of prioritising work to ensure timely delivery.

Competence 3: Focuses on Customers and Partners. Description: Addressing the needs of internal and external customers; provide an example of a rapid and effective response to a group of customers.

Competence 4: Delivers Results Through Others. Description: Harnessing a team to deliver on time and to required standards; describe key success factors and learning.

Competence 5: Seeing the Big Picture. Description: Understanding changes in direction, goals and business of the EA; discuss implications of government reviews on the water sector and regulatory reform.

Additional notes

If applying from Civil Service, note the EA is not part of HM Civil Service. Flexible working patterns are welcome; include preferred arrangements in your application. We have a Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with a disability that meet minimum criteria. The EA operates on Central Government frameworks for recruitment; external contact by post/email/phone is not used for recruitment. See Crown Commercial Service guidance for suppliers if applicable.