Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We seek diversity to benefit staff, communities and the environment.

England is reforming agricultural policy and spending, moving from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. ELM schemes reward farmers and land managers for delivering public goods related to water, soil and biodiversity alongside food production. Working with Defra and delivery partners, you will aim to improve services to farmers. These reforms support a resilient, productive agriculture sector aligned with the EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, the environment and climate. The role includes influencing the design and delivery of incentives within the broader response to government reviews focused on protecting water quality and promoting growth and nature recovery through regulation.

The Environment Agency ELM team seeks dynamic, strategic thinkers to help 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 within the Farming and Countryside Programme and drive continuous improvement.

You will provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee programme milestones, identify risks and resource needs, and work across multiple teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a scheme that delivers 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 value our people and foster a welcoming, safe, supportive environment where everyone feels valued. We are a dispersed team and use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel.

Experience/skills Required
The role represents our sector-expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and improve collaboration. Experience of agriculture and working with Defra and other statutory bodies is essential. You are politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills. You understand the environmental sensitivities associated with major agricultural sector reform. You have experience interpreting and evaluating evidence to propose effective risk-based solutions for challenging problems. You prioritise and deliver complex work. You are a self-starter who actively develops and takes ideas forward.

Ideal candidates will show they can:

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

Capabilities 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 will have an incident management objective in your development plan; appropriate training will be provided. The EA Office base location is flexible/hybrid in England. Some travel/overnights will be required. We welcome flexible working patterns and encourage you to indicate any preferred working arrangements on your application. We offer a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria.

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

Key competencies

• Shapes organisational approach & delivery
• Achesieves Results
• Focuses on Customers and Partners
• Delivers Results Through Others
• Seeing the Big Picture

Other information: We are not part of the Civil Service; this may affect continuous service. If you are applying from local government or other listed bodies, you may be eligible for continuous service for redundancy calculation purposes. If unsure, contact your HR team.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourage flexible working arrangements, including job sharing. For more information, please read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack. For questions, contact: kate.bayley@environment-agency.gov.uk or dj.gent@environment-agency.gov.uk