Number of jobs available: 1
Region: National
City/Town: All
Building/Site: All
Grade: Staff Grade 5
Post Type: Fixed Term
Working Pattern: Full Time, Part Time, Part Time Term Time, Compressed Hours
Role Type: Planning
Salary Minimum: £37,462 Pro-rata
Job description
We’re looking for a water quality planner to work in the Innovative Permitting team in Operations Catchment Services. You will be part of a newly formed team of water quality technical experts who are working as a nationally dispersed team. The team is working to assess and embed innovative nature-based solutions to improve the water environment across the country. These solutions may include catchment-based approaches, wetlands, and changes to permitting.
The knowledge and advice the team provide will shape stakeholder agendas to ensure that plans are in place for a high-quality water environment now and into the future. You will be working alongside the senior water quality planner and closely with colleagues across the business and within the water industry.
You must have sound knowledge of water quality planning, including modelling and regulation, and an understanding of the water industry and the price review. You will work with colleagues across the Environment Agency, to find solutions that protect and enhance water quality.
Responding to incidents is an important part of what we do in the Environment Agency. 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 we will provide full training and workplace adjustments if necessary.
The team
Operations Catchment Services (OCS) works to secure the greatest possible outcomes across key stakeholders influencing significant investment in the water environment. The Innovative Permitting team is part of the OCS Water Quality team. As a newly established team you will help shape its work and embed it in the wider team culture. We take a one business approach, working closely with colleagues across the whole organisation.
Experience/skills required
You will assess and model new approaches to regulation in response to emerging environmental, water quality and legislative challenges. You will be flexible and ready to contribute to solving these. This requires you to be comfortable working in unfamiliar territory collaborating with policy and guidance colleagues on new approaches.
You will be mathematically competent. You are experienced in general water quality modelling using models like SAGIS, Farmscoper or RQP. You will have a particular focus on wastewater discharge permitting. You will seek opportunities to promote nature-based solutions that improve water quality and obtain other wider benefits. You also bring knowledge of the price review and regulation processes to the role. We welcome applicants with experience of SIMCAT and SAGIS modelling.
Working in a dispersed team requires you to travel for national meetings with occasional overnight stays.
Contact and additional information
We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve.
We welcome applications from candidates seeking flexible working patterns, including part time and job share.
More details about the role are in the attached Candidate Pack, along with an outline of the how the new team will be structured.
For more information on the work of the Environment Agency and what you can expect working for us, please explore our Environment Agency Careers site.
For more information please contact either Sue Hogarth, email [email protected] or call 07880294274 or Nick Diggle, email: [email protected] or call 07789773046.
Interviews will be held after 9 October 2023 via MS Teams.
Job description attachment 1
Job Profile – 27657.docx – 55KB
Converted File Job Profile – 27657.docx.pdf – 64KB
Job description attachment 2
Candidate pack additional info_IP Planning Specialist_RAF#34541.docx – 4817KB
Converted File Candidate pack additional info_IP Planning Specialist_RAF#34541.docx.pdf – 373KB
Candidate pack
Candidate Pack – 27657.docx – 2039KB
Converted File Candidate Pack – 27657.docx.pdf – 552KB
Closing Date: 20/09/2023, 23:55 hours
Level of security checks required: Basic Check
Length of contract: Up to 12 months
Competence 1: Communicates Effectively
Description
PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection – please draw out your skills and experience in your response.
Description: Listens and questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing.
The communication of technical data to both technical and non-technical audience is vital.
Question: Please describe your communication style when dealing with an audience of varying technical backgrounds
You may find it helpful to research the STAR approach when formulating your response and how it would relate to this role.
Competence 2: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Description
PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection – please draw out your skills and experience in your response.
Description: Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.
Innovative Permitting is, by its very nature, an emerging discipline and the successful candidate will need to be flexible in their approach to finding solutions.
Question: Tell us about a time when you have had to extract and assess information from a variety of sources in order to solve a difficult technical problem.
- What was your approach to collating this information?
- How did you analyse/sort it?
- How did it assist you in solving the problem?
- How did you deliver your response?
You may find it helpful to research the STAR approach when formulating your response and how it would relate to this role.
Competence 3: Data and Information Management
Description
PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection – please draw out your skills and experience in your response.
Description: Collects, analyses, interprets, records, manages, develops and shares data, material or information appropriately for a variety of purposes.
Assessing the effectiveness of proposals and understanding the data required to allow compliance decisions to be made is required in this role.
Question: Please explain how you approach analysing large data sources and what experience you have of water quality modelling.
You may find it helpful to research the STAR approach when formulating your response and how it would relate to this role.
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.
