Investment in Natural Capital Senior Advisor - 26625

The UK Government has set a target to mobilise at least £500 million in private finance to support nature’s recovery every year by 2027 in England and a further £1bn per annum by 2030. Defra has established a cross-government Green Finance Portfolio to set and monitor a delivery pathway towards this target, addressing identified barriers to growing private finance in nature.

An exciting Pilot Programme has been developed to build on local authority capacity and capability, demonstrated by a small cohort of combined local authorities. This programme will complement and support several government priorities by taking an integrated approach to place-based nature recovery needs and natural capital investment opportunities. The Environment Agency will work with local authorities and partners to ensure they are ‘investment ready’ by the end of the programme. We are looking for 2 dedicated people to work with the local authorities to develop a plan to secure local investment for natural capital at a strategic level and share learning with a wider community.

This is a fantastic development opportunity for someone who would like more experience of working with external partners, enabling local areas to develop a pipeline of investable projects and aggregate finance. You will facilitate partnerships to direct investment strategically generating nature-related revenue flows, local ecosystem markets and investment vehicles.

You will support the continuous improvement of Environment Agency’s objectives by optimising value for money, achieving sustainable outcomes, and ensuring equality, diversity, and inclusion is at the heart of our delivery.

The Strategic Projects and Business team sits within Innovative Funding & Finance department in Future Funding function. Future Funding is in the Chief Operating Officers Directorate, providing a service to the whole business.

We are a dispersed, welcoming, and inclusive national team. Health, safety, and wellbeing with continuous professional development are core values. We support flexible working, both virtually and in person and therefore there will be an element of travel with this role.

We’re looking for someone who’s motivated by advising, shaping, and securing innovative public and private investment for environmental improvements, and who’s committed to developing their skills to add value to Environment Agency and Defra group delivery.

You will be able to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and experience by:

- Engaging and working collaboratively with combined local authorities and local teams to seek opportunities and drive investment.
- Analysing and interpreting complex information and data, to solve problems and secure investment.
- Delivering successful programmes with sustainable outcomes, value for money, and realised benefits.
- Working flexibly to support stakeholder and organisational delivery.
A background understanding of Natural Capital, green finance and blended investment is desirable as you will be advising partners.

This is a full-time equivalent post, but flexible and job-sharing arrangements will also be considered.

Whilst Location is flexible, and home-based working is an option, preference will be given to those in North, Midlands and South west given proximity to project locations. Travel to meetings and working with partners will be required on occasions.
For more information about the post, please contact Clare Steward (clare.steward@environment-agency.gov.uk)

Competency based interviews are planned for the week commencing 19/06/23, using MS Teams virtual meeting.

Develops and maintains effective working relationships
Future Funding works with and supports a wide range of teams across the Environment Agency, including external partners and customers.
Please explain your approach to developing and sustaining effective working relationships, providing examples of when and how you have successfully developed a new relationship and how you have sustained existing ones

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection. Please draw out your skills and experience in your response. Your examples can be from within work, or from outside the work environment.

Harnesses the team to deliver results on time, to required standards and in line with organisational processes and procedure

Working in innovative funding you must be agile and willing to adapt as circumstances change. Can you please describe a time when you have had to deliver a piece of work through your team under challenging circumstances

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection. Please draw out your skills and experience in your response. Your examples can be from within work, or from outside the work environment.

Negotiates and produces investment programmes and business cases to secure short and long term investment objectives

In future funding we work with partners to close the funding gap between ambition and delivery.

Please describe a time when you identified an opportunity to maximise funding from an existing or a new relationship. What steps did you take to secure the funding?

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection. Please draw out your skills and experience in your response. Your examples can be from within work, or from outside the work environment.

Identifies and seizes the opportunity to create, introduce and implement new or improved methods, processes and without, compromising quality or accuracy.

We are a team where innovation, green finance and blended funding are our core objectives.
Describe a time when you have taken a really different and innovative approach to an issue or project. Why was it innovative and how did you ensure that you retained efficiency and quality.
PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection. Please draw out your skills and experience in your response. Your examples can be from within work, or from outside the work environment.