Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities it serves. We actively seek diversity and value the benefits it brings to 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 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 the EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, environment and climate. The role involves influencing the design and delivery of incentives within the broader context of our organisational response to government reviews focused on clean water, regulation and nature recovery.

The Environment Agency ELM team seeks dynamic, strategic thinkers to shape the future of ELM, particularly the delivery of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You will contribute to the delivery of CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme and drive continuous improvement in scheme design and delivery. You will provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee Programme milestones, identify risks and resource needs, and collaborate with senior leaders across teams and organisations to articulate a scheme that delivers our outcomes.

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

Experience/Skills Required

• Experience representing our expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and collaboration.
• Experience of Agriculture and working with Defra and other statutory bodies is essential.
• Political awareness 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.
• Self-starter who actively develops and forwards ideas.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate the following capabilities:

• Get stuff done, including through others
• Embodies our culture
• Ensures information is trusted
• Cascades key information
• Builds relationships quickly
• Soothes 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

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

You’ll have an incident management objective in your development plan. Appropriate training will be provided. The EA base location is flexible/hybrid in England for this national role. Some travel/overnights will be required. Please read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack for more information.

Application process

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

Competencies

1. Shapes organisational approach & delivery – Informing and influencing Government policy and agricultural scheme design and implementation. Provide examples of supporting strategic work and prioritising organisational targets and resources.
2. Achieves Results – Prioritising and organising tasks with uncertainty; describe how you prioritised and delivered timely results.
3. Focuses on Customers and Partners – Address internal and external customer needs and manage expectations.
4. Delivers Results Through Others – Harnessing a team to deliver on time and to standard.
5. Seeing the Big Picture – Understand and respond to changing direction, goals and business of the EA; discuss implications of government reviews on water sector and regulatory reform.

Equal Opportunities

The Environment Agency is committed to a diverse, inclusive workforce and flexible working patterns, including job sharing. We guarantee an interview to any disabled applicant whose application meets the minimum criteria. If you need a different arrangement, please indicate it in your application.

The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service. For applicants from local government, consider your status with your HR Team for redundancy calculations. For more information on becoming a Crown supplier, visit the Crown Commercial Service site.

We are a Non-Departmental Public Body that uses Central Government frameworks for recruitment. We will not engage with direct mail or unsolicited outreach. This is a national, flexible role with some travel required.

Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom