Job Description
The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment.
The Government has set out their plans for a decade of renewal, and made economic growth a core mission. This includes ambitious aims for infrastructure (including net zero), housing, the circular economy and water. Helping the Government sustainably deliver its mission-driven approach to growth is core to the Environment Agency’s purpose.
We are looking for an operational leader to ensure that we play an effective role in delivering that ambition. This new role expands our operational leadership capacity, particularly in terms of planning advice, permitting, major infrastructure Development Consent Orders; and the high-quality environmental evidence needed to drive decision making.
You will be a dynamic and experienced leader, and a member of our senior operations team. You will play a crucial role in leading national services with over 1200 talented and purpose-led staff. You will work with senior leaders across the Environment Agency, other parts of Government and industry and support our local place-based leaders. You will set operational direction, ensure delivery and provide strategic focus, drive performance and assurance. Your efforts will influence sustainable growth, climate change and a better future for everyone in England.
Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract an additional payment and full training and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.
The team
You will report to the Executive Director of Operations, and form part of a confident and purposeful team of senior leaders. You will be a member of our broader Environment Agency community of executive managers, and our national Director’s forum.
Your own team includes 3 Deputy Directors and a small executive office.
Experience/skills Required
We’re looking for candidates with:
1. Extensive leadership experience at a senior level, ideally Director or equivalent.
2. Strong political awareness, networks, and experience of working with Government departments, industry and developers.
3. A demonstrable ability to deliver large scale, high impact and complex work at pace.
4. Vision, and the ability to develop your teams’ capabilities and empower them to improve the world around them.
5. Emotional intelligence, consensus-building, and influencing skills when working with senior level stakeholders to make the best choices for the environment and people.
Contact and additional information
Base location is flexible in this national role. There is frequent travel to London, Birmingham and Sheffield. You will be welcomed into the team and given all the training and support needed. As part of your comprehensive induction, you will be provided with all the equipment required for your role.
This is a permanent role, but we would also welcome public sector or Civil Service candidates who would consider a 2-year secondment from their current organisation.
A virtual candidate briefing session will be held for those interested on 14/02/2025 at 15:30.
Invitations can be acquired by emailing: executivedirectoroflocaloperations@environment-agency.gov.uk
Candidate Interviews/Assessments will take place in London at beginning of May.
For further information, incident response duties, contacts and how to apply, please see attached candidate pack.
If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.
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.
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