Overview

The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment.

England is undertaking the most significant reform of agricultural policy and spending in decades, 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. They incentivise farmers and land managers to deliver water, soil and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production. Working with Defra and delivery partner colleagues you will aim to radically improve our services to farmers. These reforms are essential to help grow and maintain a resilient, productive, agriculture sector, to realise our EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, the environment and climate. This role will include influencing the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of shaping our organisational response to recent government reviews. These reviews aim to achieve clean and plentiful water working with the water sector and delivering greater economic growth and nature recovery through regulation.

The Environment Agency ELM team are seeking dynamic, strategic thinkers to join us at the forefront of informing and shaping the future of ELM, particularly the delivery of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). Delivering key CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme, your expertise will contribute to continuous improvement of the scheme through its design and delivery. You will provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, deliver and provide oversight of Programme milestones, and identify future risks and resource requirements. You will be working across a variety of teams and organisations, with senior leaders, to articulate a scheme that supports and delivers our outcomes.

The team sits within the Nature & Place Directorate, part of the National Agriculture and Land Team, working alongside colleagues in government, statutory bodies and industry. We work in an agile, fast-paced, flexible and collaborative environment, managing uncertainty to deliver clarity. We are passionate about 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.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, and oversee Programme milestones for the Farming and Countryside Programme, with a focus on Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT).
• Influence the design and delivery of incentives within the broader context of government reviews and EA2030 targets.
• Collaborate with Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and improve cross-organisational working.
• Engage with senior leaders and multiple teams to articulate schemes that deliver environmental outcomes alongside agricultural objectives.

Experience/Skills Required

• Experience of Agriculture and working with Defra and other statutory bodies is essential.
• Politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills.
• Understanding of 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 as a self-starter who develops ideas and takes them forward.
• Ideal candidates will show they can get things done through others, embody our culture, build trusted information, cascade key information, build relationships quickly, and navigate complex stakeholder environments.

Capabilities

Shapes Organisational Approach & Delivery; Achieves Results; Seeing the Bigger Picture; Focuses on Customers and Partners; Delivers Results Through Others.

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, with national responsibilities and some travel/overnights 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) or D-J Gent (dj.gent@environment-agency.gov.uk).

Applications are blind assessed using competency questions. Interviews are expected via MS Teams two weeks after the closing date. If you consent to being held on a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer an alternative post.

We welcome flexible working patterns for all vacancies and have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability.

The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body and uses government frameworks for recruitment. For information on supplier opportunities, see the Crown Commercial Service guidelines.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Management and Manufacturing