Overview
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. These reviews aim to achieve clean and plentiful water working with the water sector and delivering greater economic growth and nature recovery through regulation.
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.
Team and environment
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
* Provide advice in meetings, manage commissions, and deliver and oversee Programme milestones.
* Identify future risks and resource requirements; work across teams and organisations with senior leaders to articulate a scheme that supports outcomes.
* Influence the design and delivery of incentives within the wider context of government reviews related to water, environment and climate.
* Contribute to continuous improvement of CSHT products for the Farming and Countryside Programme.
Experience/Skills/Qualifications
* 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; self-starter who actively develops and takes ideas forward.
* Ability to represent our expertise to Defra, delivery bodies and the agriculture sector to achieve consistency and improve collaboration.
* get stuff done, including through others
* embody our culture
* make sure our information is trusted
* cascade key information
* build relationships quickly
* soothe troubled waters
Other information
You’ll have an incident management objective in your development plan. Appropriate training will be given. This is a national role with flexible/hybrid working in England. Some travel/overnights will be required. The Environment Agency is committed to flexible working patterns and to guaranteeing an interview to applicants with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria.
Contact and additional information:
* 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 are applying from the Civil Service, note that the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of appointment.
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