Thames Flood Advisor - 9640

This is a 12 month temporary position until April 2020.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an influential team supporting delivery of important flood risk management schemes in London. The Thames Flood Advisors support Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) to deliver projects to manage surface water flooding, helping to reduce risk to homes and businesses across the South East.

Successful candidates are expected to influence and support LLFAs throughout project delivery, including: developing feasibility studies, identifying viable options, collaborating on business cases, and securing partnership funding, amongst many other activities. The role requires innovative problem solving skills to progress multiple projects through complex processes.

There is a strong emphasis on partnership working and sharing best practice across organisations in the flood risk management family. We are therefore looking for a pro-active, self-motivated person with experience in delivering successful water management projects.

You will be excellent communicator, and enjoy working as part of a team, bringing experiences of working with a broad range of people from public and private sectors as well as community groups. You should be committed to sharing experiences to deliver outcomes and build strong, long-term relationships, both within the team and with its key stakeholders.

The wider team works across the River Thames catchment, from its source in Gloucestershire to the eastern outskirts of London. As an independent team we are accountable the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, receiving guidance from a steering group of primary stakeholders. The team spend much of their time co-locating with Lead Local Flood Authority officers, in council offices, as well as working from Environment Agency and Thames Water offices in London.

Essential:
Degree in relevant subject or equivalent professional experience.
Experience applying a strong understanding of flood risk management processes to projects, with evidence of successful delivery.
Ability to analyse and interpret data and designs, including GIS and flood risk modelling.
Self-motivated, acting independently, with a pro-active approach.
Brings innovative approaches to problem-solving and removes barriers.
Strong influencing skills with experience of engaging key stakeholders e.g. senior local government officers and councillors.
Confident communicator with strong IT skills.
Willingness and ability to travel regularly, flexibility to working remotely and in different locations.
Excellent time management skills with an ability to balance conflicting needs and priorities.

Advantageous:
Experience of undertaking surface/drainage water management studies.
Experience of effective partnership working with public and private sector organisations.
Experience in identifying and securing funding contributions.
Understanding of the 5 case business model.
Experience of mentoring and coaching in project delivery.
Presenting complex ideas to groups.

Closing Date: 17 March 2019 at 23:55

Whilst the team is managed by the Environment Agency it has a unique position of being an independent team, funded by local levy. The successful candidate will support projects led by the Lead Local Flood Authorities in London Boroughs. This is position is entitled to access to Environment Agency employee benefits packages. Find out more about us an employer at https://www.vercida.com/uk/employers/environment-agency and download the candidate pack for more information about the role and application process. If you have any questions please contact James Spragg: 07585125426 james.spragg@environment-agency.gov.uk. Interviews are likely to be held over the first two weeks of April.

Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets.
Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results.

Reflecting on your past achievements, please, describe how you maximise your outputs and exceed expectations. Please, include how you dealt with considerable challenges and obstacles faced in achieving the goals.

Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.

Please, describe a recent example to demonstrate how you approach taking decisions and solving problems include your techniques of analysing problems to select the best course of action.

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.

Using an example from your experiences please describe where you have persuaded others to follow your plans, include how you plan and respond to the opinions and viewpoints of others while maintaining your argument.