Water Quality Planner - (1 x Permanent and 1 x 12 Month Assignment) - 26699

Water is at the heart of all we do, drinking, washing, recreation, industry and health, our environment and economy depend on this precious resource. Clean water is essential and as water becomes an increasingly important resource we need to ensure that it can provide the functions we require of it.

We need your knowledge and experience to help manage the quality of our water environment to ensure it can meet future needs.

We have two exciting opportunities (one permanent and one 12 month temporary assignment) for you to play a part in this important environmental and societal need. Working within the beautiful and diverse environments of the Solent and South Downs, you will be committed to improving the environment and be passionate about working alongside others; helping make the changes we need to ensure our water environment functions, for nature and society.

You'll work closely with national policy and process, area delivery and key customers on aspects of strategic planning, incident management and local action on the ground. From water company investment programmes to land management from moors to coasts. We need someone to plan our response to current pressures and future demands.

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.

You’ll join a team of environment planners who focus predominantly on water quality and Water Framework Directive activities in the Solent and South Downs area. You'll work alongside a dispersed team and with operational teams in the geographical area, national colleagues and water companies. The team collates, analyses and shares data to produce environmental evidence that informs and drives area priorities.

We are looking for someone who has the relevant experience or skills below and can demonstrate the following:

• Good knowledge or experience of water quality planning and ecology or have experience in similar fields
• Ability or experience to lead technical conversations with both internal and external partners
• Experience of working with external stakeholders
• The ability to work collaboratively with others and be able to solve problems and make decisions
• Able to manage own workload, delivering multiple priorities to tight timescales
• Water quality modelling experience or the capacity to develop and learn this skill
• GIS mapping skills or the capacity to develop and learn this skill
• A degree or equivalent knowledge or experience in a relevant science/environmental discipline

We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment. As an organisation we strive to reflect the communities we serve and continue to develop diversity throughout our workforce. We welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, sexual orientation or religion.

We support flexible working hours and practices. We offer an extensive range of employee benefits and encourage you to keep developing your skills and professional knowledge throughout your career.

If you'd like more information please get in touch with matthew.murphy@environment-agency.gov.uk

Interviews will be held face to face in Worthing on a date to be confirmed.

In this role you will be dealing with complex scientific issues and concepts relating to water quality and its effect on the environment. Using your environmental and scientific knowledge and experience tell us how you would improve the water quality and its effect on the environment.

Please note we do not assess CVs. Your answer to this question will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your response. Using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action and Result) can help when formulating your answers.

In this role you will need to communicate effectively and deliver information to peers, managers, and external stakeholders. Please describe how you convey ideas and information clearly and accurately.

Please note we do not assess CVs. Your answer to this question will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your response. Using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action and Result) can help when formulating your answers.

In this role you will be working in a small team as well as in “virtual” teams across the area and nationally. Please can you give an example of how you have worked co-operatively as part of a team to achieve common goals.

Please note we do not assess CVs. Your answer to this question will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your response. Using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action and Result) can help when formulating your answers.