Flood and Coastal Risk Management Advisor - 32032

Help Shape a Flood-Resilient Future

Flooding is a growing challenge as climate change and economic development reshape East Anglia. The Environment Agency leads the strategic response to all sources of flooding, helping communities and the environment adapt and thrive.

We’re looking for a passionate and proactive Flood and Coastal Risk Management Advisor to join our Partnerships and Strategic Overview (PSO) Team. In this dynamic, varied and rewarding role you’ll help better protect people, property, and places across East Anglia from the impacts of flooding. You’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference — not just in how we manage flood risk today, but in how we prepare for tomorrow.

As a technical leader, you will:
• Use flood risk data, modelling, and your experience to influence complex planning decisions.
• Evaluate flood risk assessments and provide expert advice to reduce flood risk and ensure the safety of new developments.
• Influence Local Plans and Strategies to ensure flood resilience is built into future development.
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders to build understanding and drive action.
• Confidently represent the Environment Agency when challenged through written representation, hearings or inquiries.
• Use your experience and technical leadership skills to mentor and coach more junior team members.
• Seek and embed innovative solutions and new ways of working.
• Take part in incident response when flooding occurs.

In East Anglia we want to create a diverse workplace where people are respected, valued and listened to. We’re all different, and by embracing Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) we can become an equal opportunity employer where jointly we all grow and learn together.

It is our ambition to champion diversity through building a workforce as diverse as the communities we serve.

Find out more about working with us: environmentagencycareers.co.uk

The Partnerships and Strategic Overview (PSO) Team, part of Local Operations, works with communities and partners to better understand and manage flood risk.
Our 4 main work areas include: using evidence (data, modelling, mapping); providing strategic direction; developing and delivering projects; and regulating activities like planning and permitting.

Our aim is to help our communities and environment be climate resilient - so when flooding happens, it causes less damage and recovery is quicker for everyone.

Essential:
- Experience in flood and coastal risk management and spatial planning
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team to make decisions and achieve outcomes.
- Excellent communication skills to convey complex information clearly, accurately, and persuasively.
- Excellent influencing and engagement skills to quickly develop and maintain positive relationships with internal and external customers.
- Effective time management, ability to work under pressure and at pace, reprioritising as work comes in.
- Delivery of work to time and quality.
- Good problem-solving capabilities, including developing and embedding innovative solutions and new ways of working.
- Desire to progress your own learning and development, and that of others.

Helpful:
- Practical knowledge of GIS software.
- Degree in a relevant field such engineering, geography, or science.
- Full UK driving licence.

The candidate pack and generic role profile should be read along with the advert.

Regular office attendance is expected at Norwich, Ipswich or Brampton (Huntington, PE28 4NE) and there is flexibility to work from home at times.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. Please see the candidate pack for more on how you will support with this. Also detailed is our benefits package, including an attractive salary, flexible working, 27 days annual leave, and an award-winning Pension Fund.

The post is full-time although we support requests for flexible working patterns.

This role does NOT qualify for skilled worker sponsorship. Visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration for advice.

Interviews are planned to be held in early November, in person in Brampton (Huntingdon) but may be subject to change.

If you have any questions, please contact Kathryn Pettit – kathryn.pettit@environment-agency.gov.uk

Please note we do not assess CVs. Answers to these competency questions will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your responses. You have up to 250 words so please do use them to tell us what we need to know about you. See Candidate pack for more details and a link to our capability dictionary.

Describe a time when you identified a piece of work or a process that could be improved, took responsibility for it, and implemented changes to improve accuracy and efficiency going forward.

Please describe a time when you have had to pick a preferred approach to a problem from a range of options.

Describe a time when you had to allocate tasks and resources across your team to meet changing priorities. How did you ensure the work was delivered efficiently, accurately, and with team buy-in?

Describe a time when you had to influence and persuade a professional partner, customer or stakeholder to come around to your way of thinking and change their decision