Overview
Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666
The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce reflecting the communities we serve. England is reforming agricultural policy and spending with the 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 partner colleagues to improve our services to farmers and shape our organisational response to government reviews to achieve water, environment and climate targets as part of the EA2030 strategy.
The Environment Agency ELM team is seeking dynamic, strategic thinkers to help design and deliver the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) and related programmes within the Farming and Countryside Programme. You will provide advice, manage commissions, oversee programme milestones, identify risks and resource requirements, and work with senior leaders across teams and organisations to articulate a scheme that delivers our outcomes.
The team sits within the Nature & Place Directorate, part of the National Agriculture and Land Team, and operates in an agile, fast-paced, flexible environment with a focus on collaboration and reducing travel. We welcome flexible working patterns, including job share.
Responsibilities
* Provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, oversee programme milestones, and identify risks and resource requirements.
* Work across teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a CSHT-like scheme that supports outcomes.
* Contribute to continuous improvement of the CSHT design and delivery.
Experience and Skills
* Experience of Agriculture and working with Defra and other statutory bodies is essential.
* Politically aware with excellent communication and networking skills.
* Understanding of environmental sensitivities associated with significant agriculture sector reform.
* Experience interpreting/evaluating evidence to propose risk-based solutions for challenging problems.
* Ability to prioritise and deliver complex work; self-starter who develops and advances ideas.
* Ability to represent EA expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency.
Key Competencies
* Shapes Organisational Approach & Delivery — Informing and influencing policy and scheme design.
* Achieves Results — Prioritising and organising work amid uncertainty.
* Focuses on Customers and Partners — Addressing internal and external customer needs.
* Delivers Results Through Others — Harnessing teams to deliver on time and to standard.
* Seeing the Big Picture — Understanding changes in government reviews impacting water and regulatory reform.
How to Apply / Contact
You’ll have an incident management objective in your development plan. Appropriate training will be provided. The role is national with a flexible/hybrid working location in England. Some travel/overnights will be required. Read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack for details.
* Kate Bayley: kate.bayley@environment-agency.gov.uk
* D-J Gent: dj.gent@environment-agency.gov.uk
Applications are blind and assessed via competency questions. Interviews are expected via MS Teams two weeks after the closing date. If you consent to being on a reserve list, details may be held for 6 months for potential alternate posts. We guarantee an interview to applicants with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria.
Other Information
* Seniority level: Mid-Senior level
* Employment type: Full-time
* Job function: Management and Manufacturing
We are an inclusive employer and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. For further information, please refer to the job listing and accompanying materials.
#J-18808-Ljbffr