NPS - Senior Permitting Officer - 25950
4
National
Various
Various
Staff Grade 5
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Compressed Hours
Operational Delivery
£37,462
We’re looking for enthusiastic and highly motivated individuals to join our National Permitting Service (NPS) Water Quality teams. During your time with us you’ll help create a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment.
You will determine complex applications and deliver pre-application advice for water quality environmental permits. You will support other Permitting Officers across NPS, the regime and in your immediate team, and have strong coaching and mentoring skills.
You will have specialist technical knowledge of water quality and activities including ground and surface water discharges, chemicals, types of sewage connections and habitats. Regulatory and operational experience of water industry processes would also be desirable. Ideally you will hold a degree (or equivalent) in a science or humanities subject and have experience or knowledge of environmental management and environmental risk assessment, along with a knowledge of relevant legislation and a detailed understanding of how they relate to our regulatory approach.
The role will require you to be able to manage a busy workload assessing a suite of applications at any one time. You’ll pro-actively manage your own workload, providing support or escalating issues as appropriate, to deliver high quality and risk-based environmental permitting decisions to tight deadlines. To achieve this, you will have excellent interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive working relationships with customers. You must be prepared to have difficult conversations with customers and be able to clearly explain your decisions.
In exchange for your hard work, you’ll have the opportunity to further develop your skills and career in this fast-paced environment, for example by taking on a lead role or getting involved in project work such as a permit review programme.
You will determine complex applications and deliver pre-application advice for water quality environmental permits. You will support other Permitting Officers across NPS, the regime and in your immediate team, and have strong coaching and mentoring skills.
You will have specialist technical knowledge of water quality and activities including ground and surface water discharges, chemicals, types of sewage connections and habitats. Regulatory and operational experience of water industry processes would also be desirable. Ideally you will hold a degree (or equivalent) in a science or humanities subject and have experience or knowledge of environmental management and environmental risk assessment, along with a knowledge of relevant legislation and a detailed understanding of how they relate to our regulatory approach.
The role will require you to be able to manage a busy workload assessing a suite of applications at any one time. You’ll pro-actively manage your own workload, providing support or escalating issues as appropriate, to deliver high quality and risk-based environmental permitting decisions to tight deadlines. To achieve this, you will have excellent interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive working relationships with customers. You must be prepared to have difficult conversations with customers and be able to clearly explain your decisions.
In exchange for your hard work, you’ll have the opportunity to further develop your skills and career in this fast-paced environment, for example by taking on a lead role or getting involved in project work such as a permit review programme.
Permitting is the foundation of regulation, crucial to the economy, people, and wildlife. Water Quality teams determine applications where discharge activity might affect water quality. This includes surface and groundwater discharges, and groundwater spreading activities. We permit for domestic properties and various types of commercial properties and industries, taking into consideration also any conservation requirements at the site. We also carry out habitats risk assessments as part of a wider consultation process with Natural England.
Essential skills and experience:
• Have experience of environmental permitting, providing pre-application advice, assessing applications, determining a range of complex permits from the water industry
• Have technical experience of water quality, sewage treatment and connections, chemicals, habitats, water company regulation.
• Have experience of training and mentoring staff using different styles and platforms.
• Be able to develop and maintain good relationships with customers.
• Have clear and concise verbal and written communication.
• Deliver high work standards to agreed targets
• Understand the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR).
• Make, and justify, sound and timely decisions
• Work independently, but also in team sharing your learning
• Champion Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) and our climate change emergency response.
Desirable skills and experience:
• Hold a relevant degree or qualification in a science or humanities subject
• Experience in environmental management and risk assessment.
• Have experience of environmental permitting, providing pre-application advice, assessing applications, determining a range of complex permits from the water industry
• Have technical experience of water quality, sewage treatment and connections, chemicals, habitats, water company regulation.
• Have experience of training and mentoring staff using different styles and platforms.
• Be able to develop and maintain good relationships with customers.
• Have clear and concise verbal and written communication.
• Deliver high work standards to agreed targets
• Understand the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR).
• Make, and justify, sound and timely decisions
• Work independently, but also in team sharing your learning
• Champion Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) and our climate change emergency response.
Desirable skills and experience:
• Hold a relevant degree or qualification in a science or humanities subject
• Experience in environmental management and risk assessment.
The interview will consist of capability-based questions and a separate technical assessment.
We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. To achieve this, we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, sexual orientation, and religion. We also welcome applications for flexible working patterns.
All roles will allow a flexible home/office working.
We will hold applications on file for six months to fill any future vacancies which may occur.
For further information, please contact:
Lesley Flounders, Permitting Team Leader
lesley.flounders@environment-agency.gov.uk
07795 315365
Adam Conway
adam.conway@environment-agency.gov.uk
07776 636397
We expect to hold interviews virtually during April 2023.
Level of security checks required
Basic Check
Length of contract
Permanent
We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. To achieve this, we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, sexual orientation, and religion. We also welcome applications for flexible working patterns.
All roles will allow a flexible home/office working.
We will hold applications on file for six months to fill any future vacancies which may occur.
For further information, please contact:
Lesley Flounders, Permitting Team Leader
lesley.flounders@environment-agency.gov.uk
07795 315365
Adam Conway
adam.conway@environment-agency.gov.uk
07776 636397
We expect to hold interviews virtually during April 2023.
Level of security checks required
Basic Check
Length of contract
Permanent
26/03/2023, 23:55 hours
Basic Check
Achieves Results
Description: Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets. Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results
Question: Describe a time when you have demonstrated drive, resilience and organisational skills in order to achieve a goal
Question: Describe a time when you have demonstrated drive, resilience and organisational skills in order to achieve a goal
Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Description: Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.
Question: Give an example of when you have been responsible for making a decision which involved balancing risk vs outcome
Question: Give an example of when you have been responsible for making a decision which involved balancing risk vs outcome
Influences and Persuades Others
Description: Presents 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.
Question: Tell us about a time when you have had to influence others in order to achieve a positive outcome.
Question: Tell us about a time when you have had to influence others in order to achieve a positive outcome.
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.
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.
This Vacancy is closed to applications.