Overview
We are looking for a strong lawyer and leader for the role of Senior Managing Lawyer Environmental Regulation (Water). This role will lead and manage a team providing legal support covering environmental regulation and civil litigation in relation to water resources and water quality (and related areas). This includes advice on environmental law and regulation including any resulting appeals and civil court challenges, including judicial review and injunction applications. You will be a role model for the Environment Agency’s leadership behaviours. You will provide leadership on and will be responsible for your team providing timely, risk-based and high quality legal advice and litigation covering regulation, regulatory appeals and judicial reviews in the field of water and related regulation.
You will lead, plan and monitor the strategic direction of the team’s contribution to support the delivery of business plans. You will develop and maintain relationships at management level, providing an intermediate escalation point on legal issues for internal Executive Managers and Managers to anticipate and resolve issues, promoting effective partnership working. As with all Senior Managing Lawyer roles you will be required to own, manage and deliver agreed cross-cutting issues on behalf of Legal and Audit Services.
This role is full time or a job share that overall delivers full time cover. We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies. Please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.
The team
You will lead a team of Senior Lawyers working on environmental regulation and litigation relating primarily to water quality and resources regulation. This team is part of the National and Environmental Regulation Legal Team, and advises Area operational staff on site based regulation.
Experience/skills Required
You will have:
* Experience of managing and leading people;
* Experience of handling complex technical issues;
* Significant experience advising on one or more of the relevant legal areas: (1) judicial review (2) regulation, civil penalties and appeals to PINs and or the First and Upper tier Tribunals; (3) public law;
* Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation or ability to get up to speed rapidly;
* Confidence and experience to assimilate a new area of environmental or other law quickly;
* Ability to collaborate with other senior lawyers effectively on cross-cutting issues;
* Ability to write detailed legal briefings for use at senior and government level, and correspondence in response to parliamentary questions;
* Confidence and ability to brief orally at director/board/government level;
* Experience of working effectively at a national level and/or with government.
Contact and additional information
You will be a qualified solicitor or barrister with a current right to practise in England.
Your application should outline how you would lead your team to provide an outstanding legal service, and demonstrate your experience and suitability for the role against each of the top 3 competencies: Leads People; Influences and persuades others; Shapes organisational approach and delivery.
Details of how to apply are included in the additional material attached to the candidate pack.
The role can be based at any of our main office locations (Bristol, Exeter, Birmingham, Peterborough, Warrington, Leeds, Reading). Some travel will be required. Interviews to take place in October 2025.
Please contact Estelle Palin if you would like to discuss the role in more detail estelle.palin@environment-agency.gov.uk
Competencies
1. Leads People
Definition: Provides leadership that inspires and motivates others to achieve their personal goals and the goals of the Environment Agency.
2. Influences and Persuades Others
Definition: 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.
3. Shapes organisational approach & delivery
Definition: Informs Government Policy and / or designs, implements and supports an approach to translate it into cost-effective operational activity delivering outcomes for people and the environment.
Role specific license requirements
Qualified solicitor or barrister with a current right to practise in England.
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.
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