Overview

Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666. The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce reflecting the communities we serve. We strive to diversify, embrace, and live these values for the benefit of staff, communities and the environment.

England is reforming agricultural policy and spending with Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. ELM schemes incentivise farmers and land managers to deliver water, soil and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production. This role involves influencing the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of shaping our organisational response to government reviews and delivering the EA2030 strategy and targets for water, the environment and climate.

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). The team delivers key CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme and continuously improves the scheme through its design and delivery.

The role includes providing advice in meetings, managing commissions, delivering and overseeing Programme milestones, and identifying future risks and resource requirements. You will work across a variety of teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a scheme that supports and delivers outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, and oversee programme milestones.
• Identify risks and resource requirements; work across teams and organisations with senior leaders.
• Contribute to the design and delivery of incentives within the ELM framework and government reviews.
• Support the Farming and Countryside Programme in delivering Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT).
• Engage with Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and better collaboration between organisations.
• Represent expertise to Defra and other statutory bodies to support consistency and improve outcomes.
• Adhere to EA policies, including diversity and inclusion and flexible working arrangements where possible.

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; self-starter who develops ideas and drives them forward.

Competencies and Selection

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

The Environment Agency is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes flexible working. The organisation offers a Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with disabilities and is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage candidates to indicate preferred working arrangements in their application.

Additional Information

Base location: EA Office with flexible/hybrid arrangements in England; some travel/overnights may be required. Applications are blind assessed. Interviews are expected via MS Teams two weeks after the closing date. If you are on a reserve list, details may be held for up to 6 months for potential alternative posts.

For enquiries contact: Kate Bayley (kate.bayley@environment-agency.gov.uk) or D-J Gent (dj.gent@environment-agency.gov.uk).

Eligibility notes include status regarding Civil Service, continuous service, and redundancy considerations. Please read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack for information.