Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce reflecting 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 with Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. ELM schemes support farmers to provide 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 our services to farmers. These reforms support the EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, environment and climate. This role will influence the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of organisational response to government reviews affecting water and 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 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 risks and resource needs. You will work across 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

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 are politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills. You understand environmental sensitivities associated with significant agriculture sector reform. You have experience interpreting/evaluating evidence to propose effective risk-based solutions for challenging problems. You prioritise and deliver complex work. You 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.
• EA Office base location is flexible/hybrid in England.
• Some travel/overnights will be required.
• Please read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack. For more information contact:
• Kate Bayley: kate.bayley@environment-agency.gov.uk
• D-J Gent: dj.gent@environment-agency.gov.uk

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

Competencies

Competence 1: Shapes organisational approach & delivery

Description: Informing and influencing Government Policy and Agricultural scheme design and implementation are key parts of this role. Provide an example of supporting strategic work and organisational priorities, targets and resources.

Competence 2: Achieves Results

Description: Prioritising and organising tasks and resources while working with uncertainty. Share an example of prioritising and delivering results under uncertainty.

Competence 3: Focuses on Customers and Partners

Description: Addressing internal and external customer needs. Provide an example of a rapid and effective response to a group of customers and how you engaged and managed expectations.

Competence 4: Delivers Results Through Others

Description: Harnessing a team to deliver on time and to required standards. Describe a time you led others to deliver results on time and within procedures.

Competence 5: Seeing the Big Picture

Description: Understanding and reacting to changing direction, goals and business of the Environment Agency. Explain implications of recent government reviews on the water sector and regulatory reform.

Notes

If applying from the Civil Service, the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant upon appointment. You may be eligible for continuous service for redundancy calculations if applicable. We welcome flexible working patterns, including job share; please indicate your preferred arrangements on your application. We guarantee an interview to applicants with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria. The Environment Agency uses Central Government frameworks for external recruitment. For information on becoming a Crown Commercial Service supplier, visit gov.uk.

We are an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all backgrounds.

West Malling, Leeds, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Kings Hill, Kent, Ashford, Pembury, Remote/Hybrid England locations listed in postings. This role involves national scope with some travel.