Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

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, incentivising delivery of water, soil and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production. Working with Defra and delivery partner colleagues, you will aim to improve services to farmers and help grow a resilient, productive agricultural sector in line with the EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, the environment and climate. This role will influence the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of shaping our organisational response to recent government reviews and the aim to achieve clean and plentiful water in partnership with the water sector and to deliver economic growth and nature recovery through regulation.

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). You will deliver key CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme and contribute to continuous improvement of the scheme through its design and delivery. You will provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee programme milestones, identify risks and resource requirements, and work across teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a scheme that supports and delivers outcomes.

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

Experience/skills Required
The role will represent our expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and improve collaboration. Essential experience includes working in Agriculture and with Defra and other statutory bodies. You are politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills, understand the environmental sensitivities of significant agriculture sector reform, and have experience interpreting and evaluating evidence to propose risk-based solutions. You prioritise and deliver complex work and are a self-starter who actively develops and takes ideas 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
• soothe troubled waters

Relevant 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

You’ll have an incident management objective in your development plan. Appropriate training will be given. Your EA Office base location is flexible/hybrid in England, as this is a national role. Some travel/overnights will be required. Please read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack for information. For more information please contact:

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

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

Competencies

• Shapes organisational approach & delivery — Informing and influencing Government policy and agricultural scheme design and implementation. Please provide an example of supporting strategic work and aligning priorities, targets and resources.
• Achieves Results — Prioritising and organising tasks and resources while working with uncertainty. Please describe a time you prioritised work to ensure timely delivery and how you managed uncertainty.
• Focuses on Customers and Partners — Addressing internal and external customer needs. Please provide an example of a rapid and effective response to a group of customers and how you managed expectations.
• Delivers Results Through Others — Harnessing a team to deliver on time and to required standards. Please describe a time you led others to deliver results and what contributed to success.
• Seeing the Big Picture — Understanding and reacting to changing direction and goals. Explain implications of recent government reviews on the water sector and regulatory reform for the EA.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. We also guarantee an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria. The EA is a Non-Departmental Public Body, and information about supplier opportunities can be found on gov.uk; please refer to the candidate pack for more details.

Seniority level: Mid-Senior level

Employment type: Full-time

Job function: Management and Manufacturing