Overview
Senior Managing Lawyer Environmental Regulation (Water) role to lead and manage a team providing legal support on environmental regulation and civil litigation related to water resources and water quality. You will advise on environmental law and regulation, including appeals, civil court challenges, judicial reviews and injunction applications, and model Environment Agency leadership behaviours.
This role may be full time or job share, with flexible working patterns encouraged. Please include any preferred working arrangements on your application.
Responsibilities
* Lead, plan and monitor the strategic direction of the team’s contribution to delivery of business plans.
* Develop and maintain relationships at management level; provide an intermediate escalation point on legal issues for internal Executive Managers and Managers to anticipate and resolve issues; promote effective partnership working.
* Own, manage and deliver cross-cutting issues on behalf of Legal and Audit Services.
* Provide timely, risk-based, high-quality legal advice and litigation covering regulation, regulatory appeals and judicial reviews in the field of water and related regulation.
* Lead and oversee environment-related litigation and civil/regulatory matters, including water quality and resources regulation.
Experience/skills Required
* Experience of managing and leading people.
* Experience of handling complex technical issues.
* Significant experience advising on one or more of the following: judicial review; regulation, civil penalties and appeals to PINs and/or the First and Upper Tribunals; public law.
* Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation or ability to learn rapidly.
* Ability to assimilate a new area of environmental or other law quickly.
* Ability to collaborate with other senior lawyers on cross-cutting issues.
* Ability to write detailed legal briefings for senior/government level and respond 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.
Role details
* Location: The role can be based at any of the main office locations (Bristol, Exeter, Birmingham, Peterborough, Warrington, Leeds, Reading). Some travel will be required.
* Interviews: October 2025.
* Regulatory status: You will be a qualified solicitor or barrister with current right to practise in England.
Competencies
* Leads People: Provides leadership that inspires and motivates others to achieve goals.
* Influences and Persuades Others: Presents a case convincingly to win support for plans.
* Shapes organisational approach & delivery: Translates policy into cost-effective operational activity delivering outcomes for people and the environment.
Contact
For more information, contact Estelle Palin at estelle.palin@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Additional notes
The Environment Agency is committed to diversity and inclusion and offers flexible working patterns, including job share. We provide a Guaranteed Interview Policy for candidates with disabilities whose applications meet the minimum criteria.
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