Overview
Advisor - Water Quality Permitting Strategy - 31813. We are seeking an experienced advisor to join our Water Quality Permitting Strategy Team within the Environment & Business (E&B) department. This role focuses on regulation of water discharge activities to improve England’s water quality.
The team focuses on:
* Developing permitting strategies to address complex water quality issues across industries.
* Creating and embedding evidence-based policies to improve regulatory outcomes.
* Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to align permitting with environmental challenges.
* Streamlining processes and adopting digital tools to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Responsibilities
* Lead and support complex water quality permitting projects to meet legal and environmental standards.
* Develop and implement long-term strategic approaches to water regulation.
* Be customer focused, seeking opportunities to work with others across government, other agencies, industry and environmental bodies.
* Analyse water quality data to inform policy and permitting approaches.
* Drive innovation and continuous improvement in regulatory practices.
* Be flexible and creative, sometimes working in unfamiliar territory and without established processes or guidance to base decisions on.
* Be supported in the role by specialists within the team and wider organisation.
Examples of work that the post holder will be involved in include surface water permit review guidance, developing innovative permitting approaches and development of standard rule sets.
The Environment Agency supports your professional and personal skill development to help you succeed and flourish in your career.
The Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We value diversity and strive to live it for the benefit of staff, communities and the environment.
Experience/skills Required
We’re looking for candidates with enthusiasm in supporting the development and delivery of programmes, initiatives, training and projects designed to improve regulation of the water industry and wider water sector.
You will have:
Technical expertise
* A degree (or equivalent) in environmental science, water management, or related field.
* Strong knowledge of water quality legislation, policies and standards.
* Experience in water quality permitting, wastewater discharge regulation or environmental permitting.
Collaboration and communication
* Strong interpersonal and communication skills to engage with diverse stakeholders.
* Enthusiasm and experience of working collaboratively and creatively to deliver innovation.
* Ability to effectively communicate and engage people to motivate action and resolve conflicts and challenges, both internally and externally.
* Commitment to promoting diversity and fostering an inclusive workplace.
Project Management
* Proven ability to manage complex projects and deliver results within deadlines.
* Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Personal Effectiveness
* Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
Contact and additional information
You’ll have an EA Office base location; as a national role the working location is flexible / hybrid. We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel; some travel and overnights may be required.
We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market. We are committed to being an inclusive employer, ensuring equal opportunities. Everyone is required to hold an Incident Management role, and appropriate training will be given. 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 in the future. Interviews will be held via MS Teams within three weeks of the closing date. For questions please contact Ben Bradford (ben.bradford@environment-agency.gov.uk).
Competence & selection questions
Description
In this role, you will need to demonstrate the following competences and respond to STAR-style prompts during shortlisting and interview selection. Refer to the capability dictionary in the Candidate Pack for guidance.
Competence 1: Achieves Results
Description
Describe a time when you had to adapt your plans to take into account new circumstances. Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and answer the following prompts: What was the situation? How did you manage this? What impact did this have on productivity? What was the outcome?
* What was the situation?
* How did you manage this?
* What impact did this have on productivity?
* What was the outcome?
Competence 2: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Description
Describe a time when you had to coordinate information from various sources to solve a difficult technical problem. Use STAR and answer: What was your approach to collating this information? How did you analyse/sort it? How did it assist you in solving the problem? How did you deliver your response?
* What was your approach to collating this information?
* How did you analyse/sort it?
* How did it assist you in solving the problem?
* How did you deliver your response?
Competence 3: Influences and Persuades Others
Description
Describe a time when you achieved buy-in from a key stakeholder to improve environmental outcomes. Use STAR and refer to guidance.
* What was the situation?
* What was your approach?
* What was the outcome?
Competence 4: Legislative Knowledge
Description
Understand and interpret legislation such as the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. Describe a situation where you applied a regulation to achieve an outcome and ensured compliance.
Please use the STAR approach. Guidance is in the Candidate Pack.
If you are applying from the Civil Service, the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service. You would not be a Crown Servant and continuous service would not apply. See guidance for local government continuity of employment and redundancy. For any uncertainty, contact your HR team.
We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns, including job share. Please indicate preferred working arrangements on your application. We also guarantee an interview to applicants with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria.
The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, uses Central Government frameworks and contracts for recruitment. We are unable to engage directly via post, email, or phone. If you wish to become a supplier on these frameworks, see Crown Commercial Service information.
Seniority level
* Associate
Employment type
* Full-time
Job function
* Quality Assurance
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