Secretary - 34846

Secretary - 34846
1
South East
West Malling
DEFRA GRP EA ORCHARD HOUSE, ME19 5SH
Staff Grade 2
Permanent
Administration / Corporate Support, Secretarial
Full Time, Part Time
£25,301

01/06/2026, 23:55 hours

PC02 Partnerships & Customers, Grade 2

Basic Check

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join our leadership support team. You will be required to offer administrative support to members of the Area Leadership team. You will be the point of contact for managers you support, sharing information with different teams across the area and wider business.   
 
This can be quite a diverse and busy role, as such you have to manage priorities and your time well, your duties can vary between updating online systems, managing team inboxes, and organising multiple crowded diaries, arranging meetings, preparing agendas and taking action notes at meetings virtually and face to face.
 
At the Environment Agency we foster 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.   
 
Everyone starting in a new role with the Environment Agency 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   
 
The generic role profile should be read along with the advert to understand the key accountabilities and skills needed for this grade.  

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. We’ll help you find a role to suit your needs. This may attract an additional payment and full training, and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.

Customers and Engagement, sit within Local Operations, we are an enthusiastic and motivated team working with others to deliver excellent customer service. We’re the heartbeat of the area, helping the business by managing relationships with communities, the general public, MPs and internal customers such as the Area Director, Chairman and Board.   

You’ll be part of a friendly group of secretaries that support the Area Management team and work closely with the Area Director’s Personal Assistant.

We're looking for someone who can build rapport quickly and has a proven record of successfully working well within a team and managing your own workload.  
 
You will need to have exceptional time management and organisational skills and feel comfortable working under pressure and meeting tight deadlines.  
 
Essential:  
 
• IT literacy, including but not limited to, proficiency in IT Applications including MS Teams, Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.  
• Good written and verbal communication skills and the ability to present information in a clear, comprehensible style and format.  
• Excellent diary and task management skills.  
 
It would be helpful, but not essential, if you have:  
 
• Experience dealing with confidential and sensitive information and issues.  
• Ability to take minutes at internal and external meetings.  
• Full driving licence, you may be required to travel to other offices within the area. 

The role will be based in Orchard House, West Malling, Kent. 

We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies. 

We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel; some travel and overnight stays may be required. 

We offer a fantastic benefits package including an attractive salary, flexible working, 25 days annual leave, and an award-winning Pension Fund. See the candidate pack for more details.   

Any queries, please contact Tea White, Customers and Engagement Team Leader by email at tea.white@environment-agency.gov.uk 

Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions. 
 
Interviews will be held in person at Orchard House and are planned to be on 23rd and 25th June but may be subject to change.

 

Achieves Results
In this role you will need dedication and commitment to deliver work to a high standard that helps the Environment Agency achieve its goals. You will need to prioritise and organise your work to meet targets.

Please explain why you are interested in this job and how your approach will help you succeed.

More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.

If a large number of applications are received, an initial sift using this lead capability may be conducted. Successful candidates will then proceed to a full sift or directly to assessment/interview.

Feedback is generally not available at sift stage
Focuses on Customers and Partners
In this role you will need to respond to a number of internal and external customers in a timely and effective way, while balancing a number of competing priorities and pressures.

Please provide an example to show how you balance the needs of your customers (this could also include colleagues) to ensure you deliver a professional and timely service.
Focuses on Efficiency, Innovation and Quality
In this role you will need a positive and enthusiastic approach, taking responsibility for how your own work contributes to the Environment Agency’s goals.

Please provide an example of when you have introduced a new way of working (or changed an existing way of working) to improve performance or efficiency. What did you do and how to this make things better?
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 . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know for more information.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the  Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

This Vacancy is closed to applications.