These roles will be available as both permanent and 12-24 month secondments

Job Description The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect 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.

The EA is uniquely placed to support the government’s growth mission while ensuring the environment is protected and enhanced.

We need influential and enthusiastic Senior Policy Advisors to join a new team to bring forward high profile growth sites while ensuring environmental protections. This includes supporting the Lead Environmental Regulator programme and intensive interventions on difficult sites, where a range of expertise from across the organisation is required to resolve complex problems.

You will lead relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, directing effort across the organisation to support sustainable growth, innovation, and improved ways of working.

You will drive cultural and behavioural change, ensuring our work supports the government’s growth mission while fulfilling our responsibility to protect and enhance the environment.

Key responsibilities include:

• taking the lead on developing understanding of site-specific issues, and working at pace with internal and external partners to find new and innovative solutions.
• working with external organisations such as government departments, local authorities, water companies, and the private sector on specific sites, and building those relationships to develop the pipeline of work and strategic interventions.
• providing leadership and assurance for high-profile projects including leadership of the Lead Environmental Regulator programme, ensuring effective advice, risk management, and alignment with organisational strategy.
• using data, evidence, and risk information to guide decisions to understand where interventions would have the greatest value.

The team You'll join the Planning and Place team, which is part of the Nature and Place Directorate. We're committed to delivering sustainable growth while protecting and enhancing the environment.

We are a welcoming, inclusive, supportive team, based across the full breadth of the country. We work collaboratively across our planning teams, and with operational colleagues across the country to deliver our planning service.

Experience/skills Required Essential skills include:

• a genuine interest in solving problems and finding new ways of working. Being energised by working at pace and in bringing the right people together to manage a difficult situation.
• an understanding of planning and permitting regimes and environmental regulation to help enable growth.
• experience in partnership development, stakeholder management, and building internal and external relationships at a project or programme scale at pace.
• experience of leading or supporting complex programmes, projects, or operational improvements in a regulatory, operational, or development environment.
• comfortable working with data and confident challenging assumptions and communicate complex information appropriately across all business levels.
• you will be able to work comfortably in a collaborative and inclusive way to propose and find new ways of delivering.

These roles will be available as both permanent and 12-24 month secondments

Contact and additional information

You’ll have an inclusive incident management objective in your development plan. We’ll help you find a role to suit your needs. Appropriate training will be given.

You will have an EA Office base location, as a national role the working location is flexible / hybrid.

We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel some travel and overnights may be required.

Please read the Candidate / Additional Information Pack for information. Any queries, contact ben.llewellyn@environment.agency.gov.uk

Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions.

Interviews will be held via MS Teams within four weeks of 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

Delivers Results Through Others

Description Harnesses the team to deliver results on time, to required standards and in line with organisational processes and procedures.

Describe a time when you have personally led people to deliver results in an uncertain, complex or ambiguous climate?

If 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.

More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.

Competence 2

Influences and Persuades Others

Description Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.

Give an example of a time you had to gain support and engagement for a new way of working, or a piece of work you were leading?

Competence 3

Takes Decisions and Solves Problems

Description Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.

Describe a time that you had to bring together a range of people and guide them through solving a problem?

Competence 4

Focuses on Efficiency, Innovation and Quality

Description Addresses the needs of internal and external customers, provides rapid and effective responses.

Describe a time you identified a problem and pro-actively sought an opportunity to deliver things differently?

**If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment.

If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.

We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so 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. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts 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 for more information.**

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the Civil Service Careers website.

Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.