Job Description
You will develop and maintain good working relationships with internal colleagues in the Chemicals sector as well as external customers and partners. You’ll represent the Agency externally where appropriate, supporting the Agency’s goals and reputation.
As a Principal Permitting Officer in Installations Manufacturing, you will have a technical leadership role without line‑management responsibilities. This role is a technical lead for the Chemicals sector, drawing on a diverse range of transferable skills. You will be involved in:
* Determining your own caseload of complex environmental permit applications – primarily Chemicals, but may include other sectors with appropriate support.
* Providing specialist Chemicals technical support to develop and maintain permitting resilience across the organisation.
* Coaching and mentoring permitting officers at all grades and levels of experience.
* Leading projects such as permit review programmes or supporting the implementation of new legislation.
* Maintaining a high level of technical understanding of existing and new technologies and using this to increase the technical capability of permitting officers.
The team
Permitting is crucial to the economy, people and wildlife. The Manufacturing team comprises multiple sectors, including Metals, Refineries, Cement and others as well as Chemicals, working across multiple locations in two supportive teams. You will be one of five Principal Permitting Officers and part of the Manufacturing leadership team. You’ll also be a member of the wider Installations PPO Group, working with peers to deliver Installations permitting.
Experience and skills required
The successful candidate should demonstrate significant scientific and technical knowledge of the Chemicals sector production and ideally have experience of Chemicals sector permitting (whether applying for, determining or regulating permits). A chemistry and/or chemical engineering background is highly desirable. Candidates should have a genuine passion for the environment and a keen desire to protect it by regulating damaging activities.
EEO statement
As an organisation we strive to reflect the communities we serve and welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, sexual orientation, and religion. We welcome applications for part‑time hours and flexible working patterns, including job share.
Contact and additional information
Please read our candidate pack for details on How to Apply. Base location can be flexible with expectation of occasional co‑location and travel. You will be expected to attend the office at least 20% of your time. Everyone that joins us is required to undertake training and participate in incident response. Further information can be found in the candidate pack.
Contact vacancy managers: Stacy Tapsell and Sandra Cavill – Email: NPS.Installation.Recruitment@environment-agency.gov.uk. For recruitment system inquiries: 0845 241 5350 or email ea_recruitment@gov.sscl.com. All assessments and interviews will be carried out in‑person in Birmingham; interviews are scheduled to take place w/c 4 May 2026.
Competence questions
Competence 1 – Scientific Knowledge: Please give an example of how you have applied scientific knowledge to provide sound evidence to customers and how it contributed to your professional development in the chemicals sector.
Competence 2 – Takes Decisions and Solves Problems: Please tell us about a time where you used your scientific or legislative knowledge and environmental awareness to make a risk‑based decision that balanced growth and environmental protection.
Competence 3 – Coaches Others: Please tell us about an experience you have of using your technical knowledge to coach others and the methods you used to help them develop.
Competence 4 – Influences and Persuades Others: Describe a work situation where you succeeded in influencing others to change their position or approach to your way of thinking and how you secured this outcome.
Policy and guidance
For Civil Service applicants, note that the Environment Agency is not part of the HM Civil Service; therefore you would not be a Crown Servant and would not be eligible for continuous service. Contact your HR team if unsure of status. The Agency is committed to diversity, inclusive workforce and flexible working patterns. We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria.
Artificial intelligence may be used to support your application, but all examples and statements must be truthful and from your own experience. Plagiarism or AI‑generated content presented as your own may result in withdrawal of application.
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