Senior Advisor – Agriculture Stakeholder Engagement - 24353

We are looking for an enthusiastic senior advisor with a knowledge of the environmental impacts of agriculture and its related regulation, to co-ordinate, lead and help deliver internal and external engagement for the National One Agriculture Team.

The role will sit in the Environment Agency’s national agriculture Team, working on various work streams across the teams. It will provide a first point of contact for our engagement internally with national and local teams, and externally with Government departments and relevant stakeholders.
Duties will include:
- Develop and lead an engagement strategy for Agriculture
- Develop proactive messaging for internal and external audiences on our role, reporting progress and successes – this will cover all aspects of our work in Agriculture from Regulation through to our role in Environmental Land Management Schemes
- Arrange meetings with internal and external partners, bringing in others as necessary, to communicate our messaging more widely
- Co-ordinate and wherever possible lead on Freedom of Information requests, Parliamentary Questions, written responses to media enquiries etc for OAT
- Ensure the core water brief, holistic plan for water and other relevant agriculture messaging are maintained up to date
- Lead on annual reporting for agriculture

The E&B Agriculture Advocacy and Engagement Team sit within the One Agriculture Team within the national Water, Land and Biodiversity function of the Environment Agency. We steer the direction, set the priorities and shape our organisation’s approach to delivering environmental outcomes and better regulation.

We work with colleagues across the Environment Agency, with Government, delivery partners and customers, and the agricultural and food and drink sector. We work in a fast-paced, agile and collaborative environment.

You will be politically sensitive with excellent communication and networking skills that enable you to establish good relationships with internal and external partners so that you are able to take account of their views, influence their activities and promote and enhance the Environment Agency’s goals and reputation.
You will be able to work closely with others to understand their needs, facilitate their input to activities and help deliver their aims and objectives.
This is a great opportunity for someone looking to develop and expand their experience working on engagement and with government and the agricultural sector.
Experience in the farming or land management sector, and/or in one or more of the following areas is desirable (though not essential):
- Water quality
- Soils and nutrients
- Air quality
- Climate Change
- Agricultural Regulation
- Permitting
- Project management
- Communications and engagement

For more information about the vacancy, please contact William Crookshank. William.crookshank@environment-agency.gov.uk Tel: +44 7711541214

As a national role, location is flexible. Team members are dispersed across the country and the role will involve hybrid working (virtual & office working). Occasional travel for meetings will be required as part of the role.

Please note interviews will be held remotely by video conference/telephone and will take place in October 2022. Applicants invited to interview may be asked to give a short presentation to assess their communication skills. Full details will be provided following interview selection.

The team works in a flexible and fast-paced environment. Describe an example of when you have adapted your plans to take into account new circumstances or information.

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection - please draw out your skills and experience in your response. You may consider using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when formulating your answer to the question. We recommend that you research the EA Capability Dictionary.

Engagement will include ensuring message are communicated and understood. Tell us about a time where you have ensured the understanding of a position by others.

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection - please draw out your skills and experience in your response. You may consider using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when formulating your answer to the question. We recommend that you research the EA Capability Dictionary.

Tell us about a time when you have influenced others to change their actions to ensure they have achieved the outcome you needed.

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection - please draw out your skills and experience in your response. You may consider using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when formulating your answer to the question. We recommend that you research the EA Capability Dictionary.

Describe a time when you adapted your plans to meet the needs of a customer or partner.

PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection - please draw out your skills and experience in your response. You may consider using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) when formulating your answer to the question. We recommend that you research the EA Capability Dictionary.