Environment Planning Specialist - 30642

We strive to reflect the communities we serve and welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, sexual orientation, and religion.

Are you are passionate about the water environment and want to improve the quality of the waters in the North East? Is so, then this could be the role for you!

We are looking for an innovative problem solver to become an Environment Planning Specialist within our North East Area. Environment Planning is the centre of the Environment Agency’s work to protect and restore the water environment; it is crucial to people, wildlife and the economy.

You will lead on elements of our work on Water Quality planning and Catchment Planning (the Water Framework Directive), helping to protect and restore the quality of the areas water environment. This will require you to work across teams in the northeast and with colleagues in national teams, as well as with water companies, other regulators and our customers.

Work will include, but not be limited to, the following:
• provide technical direction for your functional area,
• using data to develop solutions to complex issues,
• undertake environmental assessments,
• develop and produce action plans and environmental management strategies,
• work with water companies, and other operators, to reduce the impact from their activities, and
• coach and mentor other staff.

You’ll have access to our great benefits package, including generous annual leave, an excellent pension, flexible working arrangements and the opportunity to be part of a variety of staff networks.

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. Full training and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.

You will be part of the Integrated Environment Planning (IEP) Team for the Environment Agency’s North East Area. We identify the environmental outcomes for the northeast, establish the evidence needed, and, deliver activities that help to protect and enhance the environment. We have roles which are primarily focused on: Catchment Planning, Protected Areas, Water Quality or Water Resources.

You will have experience of managing the water environment, ideally working with water companies.

You will be able to demonstrate your technical leadership, including a proven ability to have technical conversations with a diverse audience and to coach junior colleagues.

You must have the ability to solve problems unsupervised; to assess information/data and to think critically about outcomes. You must also have good organisations skill; to plan, deliver and evaluate the work of yourself and others.

You will need a good knowledge / experience of some of the following:
•The Water Framework Directive,
•Environmental Protected Area management
•Environmental strategies and action plans,
•Ecological and / or water quality modelling / assessment,
•Pollution and wastewater management,
•Water resources management,
•Water company performance / regulation
•Water Industry National Environment Programme
You should be educated to degree level in an appropriate discipline, or able to demonstrate at least 3 years of appropriate experience.

Base location will be an office in the North East Area, with occasional site visits and some national travel expected. The team currently works together one day each week within Tyneside House and participates in face-to-face to meetings when appropriate, whilst at other times remote working is the norm.

Your answers to the below competencies will be used for selection. Please see the competency dictionary within the candidate pack - you may find it helpful to use the STAR approach to answer the questions.

If you consent to be recruited onto a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.

Please contact Kyle McGuigan (Integrated Environment Planning – Team Leader) on kyle.mcguigan@enviornment-agency.gov.uk further information about this role.

In this role you will need to decide how to respond to problems, consider the opportunities and constraints of a given situation, and decide what action to take.

Can you describe a time when you had to identify options to address a specific issue, and decide which option was best?

In this role you will need to work closely with others and some of the messages you will share will be challenged by others.

Can you describe a time when you had to influence someone else to change their mind, or to gain their buy-in?

In this role you will need to deliver high standards of work in an environment of changing priorities.

Can you describe a time when you were unable to meet a deadline or target?

In this role, you will need to plan for changes in the water environment or activities that influence the water environment.

Can you describe a time when you produced a plan to meet an environmental outcome?