Advisor - Water Quality Permitting Strategy - 30964

The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. 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.
This role is an exciting opportunity to be at the centre of helping the Environment Agency to update and amend our permitting processes and guidance as part of our work to improve England’s water quality. You will also have a key role in delivering regulatory actions from our delivery plan with a specific focus of permitting chemical substances. The tasks will be varied but will focus on our work on regulation of water discharge activities. You will lead the delivery of some work areas and collaborate with other team members to support them in delivering actions that they lead. You will be flexible and creative, sometimes working in unfamiliar territory and without established processes or guidance to base decisions on. You will be supported in the role by specialists within the team and wider organisation. Examples of work that the post holder will be involved in, are the surface water permit review guidance, innovative permitting and development of permitting standard rule sets.
You will be customer focussed, seeking opportunities to work with others across government, other Agencies, industry and environmental bodies.
The Environment Agency will be keen to support you to develop your professional and personal skills to help you succeed and flourish in your career.

You’ll join the E&B Water Regulation – Water Quality Permitting Strategy Team. We’re a dispersed team, working on a broad remit of surface water permitting issues. We work with a wide range of customers, technical and project teams across the country.
In E&B we promote a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture where everyone feels valued. We use evidence, expertise, engagement, and innovation to enhance and support delivery, influence policy, legislation, and secure resources.

1. Experience of water quality permitting and wastewater discharge regulation
2. Enthusiasm and experience of working collaboratively and creatively to deliver innovation.
3. An ability to effectively communicate and engage people - to motivate them to act and to resolve conflicts and challenges, both internally and externally
4. An ability to develop and share technical expertise with others in a collaborative way
5. An ability to support/deliver projects
6. Undertake national travel to meet dispersed team members and attend meetings if required.

In your capability-based answers please demonstrate your:
• ability to work effectively with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures and actively encourage others to consider diversity issues in their work.

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market. We are committed to being an inclusive employer, ensuring equal opportunities.
You’ll have an EA Office base location, as a national role the working location is flexible.
You’ll have an inclusive incident management objective in your development plan. We’ll help you find a role to suit your needs. Appropriate training will be given.
If you consent to being held on a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.
Please see Candidate / Additional Information Pack for information.
Interviews will be held via MS Teams within two weeks of the closing date for any queries, contact Ben Bradford (ben.bradford@environment-agency.gov.uk).

Planning, prioritisation and adapting plans in response to changes is vital.
With reference to the capability description and indicators in the candidate pack we would like you to answer the below question.
More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.
If a large number of applications are received, an initial sift using this lead capability may be conducted. Successful candidates will then proceed to a full sift or directly to assessment/interview.
Feedback is generally not available at sift stage

Please describe a time when you have set yourself a challenging work goal, and how you managed the process to achieve to achieve your aims.

Taking decisions based on complex but often incomplete information is an important part of this role.
With reference to the capability description and indicators in the candidate pack, please answer the question below.
More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.

Describe a time when you have made a difficult decision based on complex but incomplete information. How did you analyse and use the information available to you to support your decision making?

In this role you will need to be able to persuade a group or influence people by presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over.
With reference to the capability description and indicators in the candidate pack please answer the question below.
More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.

Describe a time when you have successfully influenced key players or stakeholders to deliver to agreed deadlines, in the face of considerable challenge.