Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We value diversity and strive to create a welcoming, safe and supportive environment for all staff.

Job description

England is undertaking significant reform of agricultural policy and spending, moving from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. ELM schemes support farmers to deliver public goods in return for public money, incentivising water, soil and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production. Working with Defra and delivery partner colleagues, you will aim to improve services to farmers. These reforms are essential to grow a resilient, productive agriculture sector and to support the EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, the environment and climate. This role will involve influencing the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of shaping our organisational response to government reviews, with a view to achieving clean and plentiful water and delivering greater economic growth and nature recovery through regulation.

The Environment Agency ELM team seeks dynamic, strategic thinkers to help inform and shape the future of ELM, particularly the delivery of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You will contribute to delivering key CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme and support continuous improvement of the scheme through design and delivery. You will provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee programme milestones, and identify future risks and resource requirements. You will work across multiple teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a scheme that supports 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. We operate in an agile, fast-paced, flexible and collaborative environment, managing uncertainty to deliver clarity. We value 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

• 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.
• 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

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.
• EA Office base location is flexible/hybrid in England; some travel and occasional overnight stays required.
• Please read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack for information. For more information contact:
• Kate Bayley: kate.bayley@environment-agency.gov.uk
• D-J Gent: dj.gent@environment-agency.gov.uk

Applications are blind and assessed on 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 may contact you for up to 6 months with 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 aligning priorities, targets and resources.
2. Achieves Results: Prioritising and organising tasks and resources under uncertainty; describe times you delivered timely results.
3. Focuses on Customers and Partners: Address internal and external customer needs; provide examples of rapid and effective responses and managing expectations.
4. Delivers Results Through Others: Harnessing a team to deliver on time and to standards; describe successful team delivery and learning.
5. Seeing the Big Picture: Understand and react to changing direction and business needs; explain implications of recent government reviews on water sector and regulatory reform.

Note: The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; eligibility for continuous service follows applicable local government rules. We welcome flexible working arrangements and have a Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with a disability whose application meets minimum criteria. We use government frameworks for recruitment and cannot engage directly via post, email or phone for external recruitment.