Overview
Senior Advisor - Future Agriculture - Environmental Land Management - 31666
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.
England is undertaking the most significant reform of agricultural policy and spending in decades, moving from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. ELM schemes support farmers to provide public goods in return for public money. They incentivise farmers and land managers to deliver water, soil and biodiversity outcomes alongside food production.
Working with Defra and delivery partner colleagues you will aim to radically improve our services to farmers. These reforms are essential to help grow and maintain a resilient, productive agriculture sector, to realise our EA2030 strategy and government targets for water, the environment and climate. This role will include influencing the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of shaping our organisational response to recent government reviews.
The Environment Agency ELM team are seeking dynamic, strategic thinkers to join us at the forefront of informing and shaping the future of ELM, particularly the delivery of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). Delivering key CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme, your expertise will contribute to continuous improvement of the scheme through its design and delivery.
You will provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, deliver and provide oversight of Programme milestones, and identify future risks and resource requirements. You will be working across a variety of teams and organisations, with senior leaders, to articulate a scheme that supports and delivers our outcomes.
The team sits within the Nature & Place Directorate, part of the National Agriculture and Land Team, working alongside colleagues in government, statutory bodies and industry. We work in an agile, fast-paced, flexible and collaborative environment, managing uncertainty to deliver clarity. We are passionate about 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.
Responsibilities
The role will include:
* Representing our expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and improve collaboration between organisations.
* Providing advice in meetings, managing commissions, and delivering and overseeing programme milestones.
* Identifying future risks and resource requirements across teams and partners.
* Working with senior leaders and multiple organisations to articulate a scheme that supports outcomes.
Delivering key CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme and contributing to continuous improvement of the scheme through design and delivery.
Qualifications & Experience
* 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 effective risk-based solutions for challenging problems.
* Ability to prioritise and deliver complex work; 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
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; however, as a national role the working location is flexible/hybrid in England. Some travel/overnights will be required.
* We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel; some 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, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.
We are fully committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns for all vacancies, including job share. We also guarantee an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria.
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