Overview

Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce reflecting the communities we serve. England is reforming agricultural policy and spending through the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, moving from the CAP to ELM. ELM schemes incentivise farmers and land managers to deliver water, soil and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production, with public money supporting public goods. You will work with Defra and delivery partners to improve services to farmers, shaping our organisational response to government reviews and delivering our EA2030 strategy and targets for water, the environment and climate. This role includes influencing the design and delivery of incentives and contributing to the wider strategy for environmental regulation and growth in the agricultural sector.

The Environment Agency ELM team is seeking dynamic, strategic thinkers to inform and shape the future of ELM, particularly the delivery of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). This role involves delivering key CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme, contributing to ongoing scheme design and delivery, providing advice in meetings, managing commissions, and delivering programme milestones while identifying risks and resource needs. You will work across teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a scheme that supports outcomes.

The team sits within the Nature & Place Directorate, part of the National Agriculture and Land Team, and collaborates with government, statutory bodies and industry. We operate in an agile, fast-paced, flexible environment and value a welcoming, safe, supportive culture. We are a dispersed team and use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee programme milestones, identify risks and resource requirements.
• Collaborate with diverse teams and external partners to articulate and deliver schemes that support EA outcomes.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of CSHT through design and delivery.
• Engage with Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and improve cross‑organisation collaboration.

Experience and Qualifications

• Experience of Agriculture and working with Defra and other statutory bodies is essential.
• Politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills.
• Understanding environmental sensitivities associated with significant agriculture sector reform.
• Experience interpreting/evaluating evidence to propose risk-based solutions for challenging problems.
• Ability to prioritise and deliver complex work; a self-starter who develops ideas and takes them 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; and navigate challenging stakeholder situations.

Working Arrangements

• Eastablished EA Office base location, with flexible/hybrid working in England.
• National role requiring some travel and occasional overnights.

Applications and Additional Information

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 held on a reserve list, we may keep your details for six months and offer an alternative post.

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

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

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. We guarantee an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria. The Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body and uses Central Government frameworks for external recruitment; to become a supplier please visit the Crown Commercial Service information page.