Environment Officer (Agriculture) Devon & Cornwall - 33304

Environment Officer (Agriculture) Devon & Cornwall - 33304
1
South West
Bodmin , Exeter , Launceston
DEFRA GRP EA MANLEY HOUSE, EX2 7LQ, DEFRA GRP EA SIR JOHN MOORE HOUSE, PL31 1EB, Various
Environment Officer A
Permanent
Environment & Sustainability, Operational Delivery
Full Time, Part Time
£28,859

01/03/2026, 23:55 hours

JPP373 Environment Officer A

Basic Check

Are you ready to take on a role that makes a real difference? This is an exciting opportunity to become part of a programme of advice led regulation working with farmers to create a cleaner, safer and healthier environment. 
 
As an Environment Officer focussing on agriculture, you will provide regulatory and technical support to farmers in Devon & Cornwall, helping them achieve positive outcomes for the environment. You’ll begin at our EOA grade and follow a structured development programme, typically progressing to EOB grade within 18 months upon demonstrating the required skills.  

Initial training includes residential sessions, involving classroom learning on topics like regulatory legislation and environmental science, followed by field visits with experienced officers who will demonstrate the practical aspects of the role. Some travel and overnight stays will be required. 

During this period, you’ll develop key skills in communication, influencing, and technical understanding of regulatory responsibilities, learning to apply and enforce legislation and determine compliance actions. 

 
As well as investing in your learning and development, you will support the agriculture programme of work by:  

  • contacting farmers to gather updates on any improvements made on farm to bring them into compliance 
  • assisting Officers with agricultural regulatory and enforcement administration 
  • acting as a point of contact for the team, ensuring requests are responded to in a timely manner and ensure statutory deadlines are met  
  • administering team inboxes, ensuring adherence to records management requirements and the retention schedule  
  • using our systems to generate data reports for use by Team Leaders and national colleagues  
  • providing general admin support to the team 

The Environment Agency values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community who wish to join a workforce which embraces difference and welcomes everyone.    

As an Environment Officer focussing on agriculture you will be based in one of our Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Area offices as part of a frontline team focused on building a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment. You will be welcomed to a lively and dynamic Environment Management department. The team regulate farming activities to ensure compliance with environmental legislation.  

We are looking for someone who has: 

  • a background or education in UK farming would be beneficial, as would experience of regulating 
  • excellent writing and communication skills with ability to manage and present information in a clear, comprehensible style 
  • the ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines 
  • the ability to work on their own as well as part of a team 
  • proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and a willingness to learn about our internal IT systems and procedures 
  • Full UK driving licence 

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. 

This role will be based in one office, but some travel between offices may be required.  We work flexibly with some home working permitted.   

We welcome applications for part-time hours to support flexible working.   

We offer extensive employee benefits and opportunities for continuous development. Please see the candidate pack for further details.  

If you are appointed, you will have to undergo vetting - we will conduct open-source checks including publicly availability barred lists.  

For an informal discussion or to find out more about the roles, please contact Lisa.best@environment-agency.gov.uk.  

This role does NOT meet the criteria for a UK Skilled Worker visa. 

Achieves Results
Please give an example of when you have organised your workload to ensure you meet a deadline.

We recommend the “STAR” approach when summarising these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result).

For further information please see the guidance here EA Capability Dictionary (calameo.com) [https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b]
Communicates Effectively
As an Environment Officer you will be required to communicate with a range of stakeholder both internally and externally. How do you adapt your style to suit the customer, using both written and verbal methods? Please use an example to support your answer.

We recommend the “STAR” approach when summarising these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result).

For further information please see the guidance here EA Capability Dictionary (calameo.com) [https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b]
Manages Self
Please give an example of a time when you have had manage your workload in response to changing priorities and deadlines. How did you go about this and what was the result?

We recommend the “STAR” approach when summarising these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result).

For further information please see the guidance here EA Capability Dictionary (calameo.com) [https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b]
UK Driving licence
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.