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. This is a national role and you can be based at any Environment Agency office.
Responsibilities
* Act as account manager for undertakers, including water companies, supporting proactive engagement, identifying risk early, and driving compliance through consistent, risk-based interventions. Use excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills, manage conflict constructively, and take proportionate formal action when needed.
* Lead high-risk non-compliance casework using the Compliance Action Plan (CAP) model; represent enforcement in account meetings; contribute to 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.
* Undertake training and participate in incident response duties when needed; incident response is an essential part of working for the Environment Agency to support communities and prevent harm to the environment.
Team and Scope
You will join the Environmental Assessment and Reservoir Regulation department within Flood & Coastal Risk Management (FCRM). The Reservoir Regulation Team is a nationally dispersed team of 25+ specialists who regulate over 2,140 large raised reservoirs across England. The team is based across the country, and some travel and overnight stays will be required.
Experience and Skills (Required)
* Experience of managing complex regulatory or enforcement cases with strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills.
* Ability to manage conflict constructively, stay resilient in the face of challenge, and maintain 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 is essential, as is engaging a wide range of stakeholders (undertakers, engineers, legal advisors, 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.
Qualifications and Competencies
* Competence 1 – Influences and Persuades Others
* Competence 2 – Communicates Effectively
* Competence 3 – Achieves Results
* Competence 4 – Customer and Partner Relations
Descriptions and interview guidance reference STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for responses. All answers are used for interview selection.
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)?”
We are committed to an inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; if you are applying from local government or other listed bodies, you may be eligible for continuous service in some cases. We guarantee an interview to applicants with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria and support a diverse workforce.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, but all content must be truthful and taken from your own experience. Plagiarised submissions may be withdrawn; see Civil Service guidance on AI usage for more information.
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