Number of jobs available: 1
Region: National
City/Town: All
Building/Site: All
Grade: Staff Grade 6
Post Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full Time
Role Type: Environment & Sustainability
Salary Minimum: £47,646
Job description
Do you want to be at the centre of the Environment Agency’s (EA) work to protect and improve England’s water quality?
Do you want to play a key role in supporting the Government in delivery of its Environmental Improvement Plan?
With the profile of environmental water quality never higher, this is an exciting time to be joining a team that is right at the forefront of driving change.
The role of Water Quality Planning Senior Advisor is to provide expert knowledge and support to managing key pressures on water environment that help to shape and inform Government Policy.
As the senior advisor you will support the design and implementation of approaches that turn government policy into a cost effective and sustainable activity that operates to secure outcomes for people and wildlife, in relation to waters used for drinking, bathing and shellfish production.
You will give specialist advice, guidance, and support to internal and external partners, in line with relevant legislation and best practice to help secure risk-based decision making and support environmental protection and improvement.
You’ll develop, review, and improve technical documents to enable consistent and appropriate understanding and application in the business. You’ll establish good relationships to influence these activities to promote and enhance the EA goals and reputation.
You’ll have an inclusive incident management objective in your development plan, so we’ll support you to find an incident role to suit your needs and circumstances. Appropriate training will be given.
The team
You’ll join our Water Quality Planning team. We work closely with the wider water quality team and colleagues across the business, collaborating with and supporting them. We ensure effective delivery and implementation of water policy development to protect special uses of water.
We’re a friendly dispersed team and promote a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture where everyone feels valued.
We use smart tools to stay connected, but some travel and overnight stays may be required.
Experience/skills required
In your capability-based answers please demonstrate your:
• experience in the science of the water environment and your understanding of relevant water and environmental legislation.
• experience and understanding of key aspects of water quality planning such as monitoring, modelling, environmental standards, statistics, and river basin planning.
• respond to tight deadlines, prioritise, and work quickly and accurately to ensure tasks and actions are completed at pace.
• communication and influencing skills, as you’ll be working with a variety of internal and external customers and will need to be able to explain and describe sometimes complex technical issues and solutions verbally and in writing through reports, guidance, and briefings suitable for the audience.
You’ll have a range of development opportunities and appropriate training will be provided.
Contact and additional information
We’re committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve, so welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds. We also offer workplace adjustments for workers with disabilities, or physical or mental health conditions
For more information about working for us and how to apply please read the Candidate Pack.
If you have any queries, or want to discuss the role, reasonable adjustments, working patterns, base locations etc, please contact andy.p.rogers@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Applications will be “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions.
Interviews will be held using MS Teams during May 2023
If you consent to be recruited onto a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and we may offer you an alternative post.
Job description attachment 1
job Profile – 26174.pdf – 133KB
Candidate pack
Candidate Pack – 26174.docx – 1867KB
Converted File Candidate Pack – 26174.docx.pdf – 513KB
Closing Date: 20/04/2023, 23:55 hours
Level of security checks required: Basic Check
Competence 1: Influences and Persuades Others
Description
It is your answers given to these questions that will be used for interview selection. More information on how to answer competency questions can be found on page 10 of the candidate pack. It is highly recommended that you read this before answering. Please refer to the EA Capability Dictionary here https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b for guidance on how to support your answers.
Please consider the situation, task, action, and result (STAR) when structuring your answers.
Influences and Persuades Others
Give an example of when you had to influence a key player to gain their buy-in or change their mind.
Competence 2: Business of the Environment Agency
Description
It is your answers given to these questions that will be used for interview selection. More information on how to answer competency questions can be found on page 10 of the candidate pack. It is highly recommended that you read this before answering. Please refer to the EA Capability Dictionary here https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b for guidance on how to support your answers.
Please consider the situation, task, action, and result (STAR) when structuring your answers.
Business of the Environment Agency
How will your skills and experience help the Environment Agency achieve its goals?
Competence 3: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Description
It is your answers given to these questions that will be used for interview selection. More information on how to answer competency questions can be found on page 10 of the candidate pack. It is highly recommended that you read this before answering. Please refer to the EA Capability Dictionary here https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b for guidance on how to support your answers.
Please consider the situation, task, action, and result (STAR) when structuring your answers.
Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Give an example of when you have had to take a decision based on complex information with a range of conflicting viewpoints
Competence 4: Environmental Awareness
Description
It is your answers given to these questions that will be used for interview selection. More information on how to answer competency questions can be found on page 10 of the candidate pack. It is highly recommended that you read this before answering. Please refer to the EA Capability Dictionary here https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b for guidance on how to support your answers.
Please consider the situation, task, action, and result (STAR) when structuring your answers.
Environmental Awareness
What do you see as the main challenges in protecting and improving environmental water quality in the future
If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.
We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.
We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know for more information.
