Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

The Environment Agency is committed to having an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our 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 partner colleagues, you will aim to improve our services to farmers and contribute to 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 organisational response to government reviews. These reviews aim to achieve clean and plentiful water, working with the water sector and delivering greater economic growth and nature recovery through regulation.

The Environment Agency ELM team seeks 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, contributing to continuous improvement of the scheme through its 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 a variety of teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a scheme that supports and 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. 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 represents our expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and enable our organisations to work better together. Experience of agriculture and working with Defra and other statutory bodies is essential. You should be politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills. You should understand the environmental sensitivities associated with significant agriculture sector reform. You should have experience interpreting/evaluating evidence to propose effective risk-based solutions for challenging problems. 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
• make sure our 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. You’ll have an EA Office base location; however, as a national role the working location is flexible/hybrid in England. We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel; 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 “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions. Interviews are expected to be held via MS Teams two weeks after the closing date. If you consent to being held on a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.

Competence 1
Shapes organisational approach & delivery. Description: Informing and influencing Government Policy and Agricultural scheme design and implementation is a key part of this role. Please provide an example of when you have actively supported strategic work and agreed or adopted organisational priorities, targets and resources. Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift using this lead capability may be conducted. Successful candidates will then proceed to a full sift or directly to assessment/interview. Feedback is generally not available at sift stage.

Competence 2
Achieves Results. Description: The role involves prioritising and organising tasks and resources whilst working with uncertainty. Please tell us about a time where you have had to prioritise and organise work to ensure timely delivery of results and how you dealt with uncertainty.

Competence 3
Focuses on Customers and Partners. Description: Addressing the needs of internal and external customers. Please provide an example of where you have had to provide a rapid and effective response to a group of customers. How did you engage and manage expectations?

Competence 4
Delivers Results Through Others. Description: Harnessing the team to deliver on time and to required standards. Please tell us about a time where you have successfully harnessed a group of people to deliver results on time, to required standards and in line with organisational processes and procedures. What were the key elements in ensuring success and what did you learn?

Competence 5
Seeing the big picture. Description: The role involves understanding and reacting to the changing direction, goals and business of the Environment Agency. Please explain what you understand to be the major implications of recent government reviews on the water sector and regulatory reform on the EA. If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job sharing. Please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application. We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment.

The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body and uses Central Government frameworks for recruitment. We are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls. If you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks, visit the Crown Commercial Service information page.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Management and Manufacturing