Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

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The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We seek diversity, embrace it and live it for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment.

England is reforming agricultural policy and spending through Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, moving from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). ELM schemes incentivise farmers and land managers to deliver water, soil and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production. Working with Defra and delivery partners, you will aim to improve services to farmers and support the EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, environment and climate. The role includes influencing the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of regulatory reform and the EA response to government reviews.

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 contribute to delivering CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme and drive continuous improvement in scheme design and delivery.

You will provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee programme milestones, and identify 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. We operate in an agile, fast-paced, flexible and collaborative environment, managing uncertainty to deliver clarity. We value our people, foster a welcoming and inclusive environment, 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 improve collaboration across organisations. Essential experience includes working in Agriculture and with Defra or other statutory bodies. The successful candidate will be politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills and understand environmental sensitivities related to major agricultural reform. Experience interpreting and evaluating evidence to propose risk-based solutions for challenging problems is required. You should prioritise and deliver complex work and be a self-starter who actively develops and takes ideas forward.

Ideal candidates will show they can:

• get things 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.

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 overnight stays may be required.
• We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel.
• We welcome flexible working patterns and candidate preferences; Guaranteed Interview for applicants with a disability whose applications meet the minimum criteria.

How to apply

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 with blind competency questions. Interviews are expected via MS Teams two weeks after the closing date. If you consent to being held on a reserve list, your details may be kept for 6 months and you may be offered an alternative post.

Competencies

1. Shapes organisational approach & delivery – Informing and influencing policy and scheme design; provide an example of strategic support and prioritisation.
2. Achieves Results – Prioritising and organising tasks and resources amidst uncertainty; describe how you delivered timely results.
3. Focuses on Customers and Partners – Address internal and external customer needs; provide a rapid and effective response example.
4. Delivers Results Through Others – Harnessing a team to deliver on time and to standard; describe key success factors.
5. Seeing the Big Picture – Understand implications of government reviews on water sector and regulatory reform; describe your understanding of major implications.

Important note for Civil Service applicants The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant if appointed. See the pack for details on continuous service and redundancy treatment.