Overview

Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666. The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce reflecting the communities it serves. We embrace diversity and aim to create a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for staff 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 incentivise farmers and land managers to deliver water, soil, and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production. Working with Defra and delivery partners, you will help to radically improve our services to farmers. These reforms support 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 that seek clean and plentiful water, greater economic growth, and nature recovery through regulation.

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 and continuous improvement of CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme, and provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee programme milestones, and identify risks and resource requirements. 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, working with government, statutory bodies and industry. We operate in an agile, fast-paced, flexible environment and value a welcoming, inclusive culture. We are dispersed and use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel.

Experience and skills

The role represents our expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and improve collaboration. Essential experience includes:

• Experience of Agriculture and working with Defra and other statutory bodies
• 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
• Self-starter who actively develops and advances ideas

Ideal candidates will show they can:

• Get stuff done, including through others
• Embody the organisation’s culture
• Ensure 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.

Application information

You will have an incident management objective in your development plan, and appropriate training will be provided. The role is national with a flexible/hybrid working location in England. Some travel and occasional overnight stays may be required. We welcome flexible working patterns, including job sharing. We also guarantee an interview to applicants with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria. If applying from Civil Service, note that EA is not part of HM Civil Service and does not provide Crown Continuous Service; contact your HR team if unsure of your status.

To apply or for more information, contact:

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

We encourage you to read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack for details. Interviews are expected via MS Teams two weeks after the closing date. If you consent to being on a reserve list, we may hold your details for 6 months and offer alternative posts.