Overview

We are looking for a strong lawyer and leader for the role of Senior Managing Lawyer Environmental Regulation (Water). This role will lead and manage a team providing legal support covering environmental regulation and civil litigation in relation to water resources and water quality, including advice on environmental law and regulation, appeals, and civil court challenges (judicial review and injunction applications). You will be a role model for the Environment Agency’s leadership behaviours and provide leadership to deliver timely, risk-based and high-quality legal advice and litigation covering regulation, regulatory appeals and judicial reviews in the field of water and related regulation.

This role is full time or a job share that overall delivers full time cover. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies. Please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

Responsibilities

• Lead, plan and monitor the strategic direction of the team’s contribution to support the delivery of business plans.
• Develop and maintain relationships at management level, providing an intermediate escalation point on legal issues for internal Executive Managers and Managers to anticipate and resolve issues, promoting effective partnership working.
• Own, manage and deliver agreed cross-cutting issues on behalf of Legal and Audit Services.
• Lead a team of Senior Lawyers working on environmental regulation and litigation relating primarily to water quality and resources regulation; advise Area operational staff on site-based regulation as part of the National and Environmental Regulation Legal Team.
• Provide timely, risk-based and high-quality legal advice and litigation covering regulation, regulatory appeals and judicial reviews.

Experience / Skills Required

• Experience of managing and leading people.
• Experience of handling complex technical issues.
• Significant experience advising on one or more of the relevant legal areas: judicial review; regulation, civil penalties and appeals to PINs and/or the First and Upper Tribunal; public law.
• Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation or ability to get up to speed rapidly.
• Confidence and experience to assimilate a new area of environmental or other law quickly.
• Ability to collaborate with other senior lawyers effectively on cross-cutting issues.
• Ability to write detailed legal briefings for senior and government-level use, and correspondence in response to parliamentary questions.
• Confidence and ability to brief orally at director/board/government level.
• Experience of working effectively at a national level and/or with government.

Role Requirements

You will be a qualified solicitor or barrister with a current right to practise in England.

Location, Travel & Application Details

The role can be based at any of our main office locations (Bristol, Exeter, Birmingham, Peterborough, Warrington, Leeds, Reading). Some travel will be required. Interviews to take place in October 2025. Please contact Estelle Palin if you would like to discuss the role in more detail: estelle.palin@environment-agency.gov.uk

Competencies

• Leads People: Provides leadership that inspires and motivates others to achieve goals.
• Influences and Persuades Others: Presents a case effectively to win support for plans.
• Shapes organisational approach & delivery: Designs and supports cost-effective operational activity delivering outcomes for people and the environment.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce reflecting the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns, including job share; please include your preferred arrangements on your application. We have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability. We are an Environment Agency non-departmental public body and participate in central government recruitment frameworks.

Evidence and guidance regarding the use of artificial intelligence in applications is provided in the candidate guidance on the Civil Service Careers website. All examples and statements must be truthful and taken from your own experience.