Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666

The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. 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. This role supports Defra and delivery partners to improve services to farmers, contributing to the EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, the environment and climate. The role will influence the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of responding to recent government reviews to achieve clean and plentiful water and 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 the delivery of CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme and drive continuous improvement in 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. The team works across a variety of 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 operate 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

• 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

Capabilities

Shap es Organisational Approach & Delivery; Achieves Results; Seeing the Bigger Picture; 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, but as a national role the working location is flexible/hybrid in England. Travel may 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 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, your details may be kept for 6 months and may be used to offer an alternative post.

Competency questions include: Shapes organisational approach & delivery; Achieves Results; Focuses on Customers and Partners; Delivers Results Through Others; Seeing the big picture. If you are applying from the Civil Service please note the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of appointment. We are committed to diversity and inclusion and welcome flexible working, including job share. We guarantee an interview to any applicant with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body and uses Central Government frameworks for recruitment. For information about becoming a Crown Commercial Service supplier, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know.