Sustainable Business Environmental Systems Senior Specialist – G6 - 20706

The new Nature Gain Team will enable the Environment Agency to protect and enhance nature, leaving the nation’s natural environment in a better state than we inherited it. This means reducing negative impacts, slowing down the rate of decline and improving environmental quality everywhere. This role will be responsible for coordinating the organisation’s approach to this in its work and working with partners to maximise nature benefit.
• Recommending and implementing the optimal approach for the organisation to take on nature gain, including developing delivery plans, as required.
• Reviewing the organisation’s existing nature gain policies, processes, and procedures, revising and developing these as well as aligning with others to maximise benefit, as appropriate.
• Partnering with stakeholders to ensure the organisation’s credibility with respect to nature gain is protected and enhanced, that nature benefit is maximised and partners wish to work with us and, that best practice and learning is shared.
• Providing specialist advice to colleagues to mitigate nature gain risks and take opportunities, to ensure decisions are technically sound and aligned with legal and corporate frameworks and ambitions.
• Reporting and communicating progress on the organisation’s nature gain commitments, including commissioning and utilising relevant evidence and data.

The Sustainable Business Team (SBT) is a welcoming one. We are part of the Chief Operating Officer Directorate. Our role is to act as a corporate enabler, supporting colleagues across the Environment Agency (Area/Directorate), Defra and our suppliers, to embed eMission2030: the EA’s sustainability strategy. This strategy encompasses delivery of our ambition to become Net Zero Carbon by 2030, as well as championing resource optimisation, environmental net gain and benefiting people, wildlife and communities.

The generic requirements are set out in the BS06 job profile. The key competences for this role are:
• Experience of nature gain, particularly of creating understanding, delivering nature-based solutions and quantification of associated benefits.
• Understanding how to integrate nature gain within a business context, through sound-judgement/engagement/networking and relationship-building skills.
• Experience of delivering nature gain through others, systematically: within large organisations, with various colleagues/consultants/partners as relevant.
• Ability to work at pace, in a calm and focussed fashion, within a rapidly changing nature gain context and standards, with multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Understanding how to use nature gain/natural capital data and insight to monitor progress, and present evidence in order to influence key stakeholders.
• Previous project management and line management experience is desirable but not essential.
• Relevant degree or equivalent experience/training in nature gain. Membership of professional association/institute (such as IEMA) is desirable.

The EA is committed to equality of opportunity. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. We support flexible working and will consider applicants wishing to work part-time on this assignment.

If you require more information on this role, Karen Wells (Nature Gain Manager and line manager of the role) will host a MS Teams session on Thursday 20 January 10.45am-11.30am. Please contact samm.legg@environment-agency.gov.uk to obtain the appointment.

Interviews will likely take place week commencing 7 February 2022.

Sets and delivers high work standards in nature gain, demonstrates the drive to meet targets.

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection - please draw out your skills and experience in your response.

Harnesses others to deliver results on time and in line with, or to develop, organisational ways of working, culture, risks and opportunities.

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection - please draw out your skills and experience in your response.

Informs corporate policies, processes and procedures, implements and supports an approach to ensure nature gain is incorporated and aligned into our ways of working and translates into cost-effective, innovative and sustainable operational activity delivering outcomes for people and wildlife.

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection - please draw out your skills and experience in your response.

Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection - please draw out your skills and experience in your response.