Overview
The Enforcement Advisory Officer plays a critical national role in supporting the Environment Agency’s statutory functions under the Reservoirs Act 1975. You will lead the resolution of complex non-compliance issues, manage enforcement action, and provide specialist regulatory advice in safety-critical situations.
Responsibilities
* Act as account manager for undertakers, including water companies, supporting proactive engagement, identifying risk early, and driving compliance through consistent, risk-based interventions.
* Lead high-risk non-compliance casework using the Compliance Action Plan (CAP) model; represent enforcement in account meetings; contribute to the Balmforth Review recommendations and the future Environmental Permitting Regulations regime.
* Liaise with engineers, legal advisors, and other regulators to ensure public safety risks are effectively managed.
* Participate in training and incident response duties as part of working for the Environment Agency.
* Be prepared to travel as the role is national and offices can be based anywhere.
Experience / Skills Required
* Experience of managing complex regulatory or enforcement cases with strong communication, negotiation, and influencing skills.
* Ability to manage conflict constructively and remain resilient while maintaining focus on compliance and public safety.
* Ability to analyse legal and technical information, assess risk, and provide sound recommendations for proportionate action.
* Strong written and verbal communication; ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders, including undertakers, engineers, legal advisors, and internal leadership.
Desirable experience
* Knowledge of the Reservoirs Act 1975, enforcement frameworks, public safety regulation, or infrastructure management.
* Familiarity with Balmforth Review recommendations or Environmental Permitting Regulations reform.
* Organised, adaptable, and motivated to deliver results through collaboration and regulatory impact.
Contact and Additional Information
For further information or an informal chat about the role contact:
* Zoe Wilson, Senior Team Leader – zoe.wilson@environment-agency.gov.uk
* Karl Hunter, Enforcement Adviser – karl.hunter@environment-agency.gov.uk
Interviews will take place remotely by Microsoft Teams on the 22nd and 23rd of October. As part of the interview, candidates will be asked to prepare and deliver a short 5-minute presentation on the topic: “How would you approach an undertaker/stakeholder who is resistant to taking action on an identified public safety risk (for example, at a reservoir)?”
The exercise is designed to assess communication skills and presentation style using the Communicates Effectively competency, including how you structure your response, explain your reasoning, and engage with challenging stakeholder scenarios.
Competences
* Influences and Persuades Others
* Communicates Effectively
* Achieves Results
* Customer and Partner Relations
PLEASE NOTE: Your answers will be used for interview selection. Please draw out your skills and experience in your response. You may wish to use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
We are committed to diversity and inclusion; we welcome flexible working patterns including job sharing and guaranteed interview for disabled applicants who meet minimum criteria. The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; continuous service considerations may vary. If you are unsure of your status, consult your HR team.
We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. The Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra and uses Central Government frameworks for external recruitment. For information on becoming a supplier through the Crown Commercial Service, visit gov.uk.
Artificial intelligence can support your application, but all content must be truthful and from your own experience. Plagiarism may lead to withdrawal of applications. See Civil Service guidance on AI usage for more information.
Seniority level
* Associate
Employment type
* Full-time
Job function
* Management and Manufacturing
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