Number of jobs available: 1
Region: North West
City/Town: Preston
Building/Site: DEFRA GRP EA LUTRA HOUSE, PR5 8BX
Grade: Staff Grade 4
Post Type: Permanent
Role Type: Operational Delivery
Working Pattern: Full Time, Part Time/Job Share
Salary Minimum: £34,320
Closing Date: 31/05/2026, 23:55 hours
Job description attachment 1
PC04 Partnerships & Customers, Grade 4
Candidate pack
Candidate Pack – 33884.docx – 6580KB
Converted File Candidate Pack – 33884.docx.pdf – 2181KB
Security checks level: Basic Check
Job description
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.
We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic person to work as a Fisheries Technical Officer in South Cumbria and Lancashire working to create a better place by protecting and enhancing our diverse habitats and wildlife.
Your work will include fisheries input into a wide range of Environment Agency activities, including Flood and coastal management programmes, environmental permitting, fisheries regulation, incident management, Project delivery and Water Framework Directive activities. You will work closely with internal and external customers, proactively identifying and influencing opportunities to deliver fisheries benefits.
The area is home to a diverse range of freshwater environments across upland and lowland rivers and lakes with salmonid and coarse fish populations. This makes a particularly interesting and challenging landscape with a mix of rural and urban landscapes and their associated pressures on our fisheries.
The ability to prioritise and organise yourself to achieve effective results is key in this role. You will have a good working knowledge of fisheries legislation, Water Framework Directive, protected species and habitats. You will champion fisheries conservation and improvements, ensuring that both internal and external customers have the best, most up to date expert advice to help create a better place for both people and wildlife. Experience of project or programme management on environmental issues is desirable. Your ability to build close working relationships in and outside of the team will be key.
There is an expectation to be able to travel across South Cumbria and Lancashire for this role, attending site visits and attending regular face to face meetings in our offices.
The team
You will be part of a highly motivated Fisheries, Biodiversity & Geomorphology Team delivering a range of environmental improvements. We are a friendly, enthusiastic and supportive team with a good reputation for working across functions and organisations to make a positive difference to people and the environment. Cumbria and Lancashire is a special area with numerous protected sites and species, creating a real drive within the team to protect and enhance the environment around us.
Experience/skills required
The successful candidate will have an understanding and working knowledge of current fisheries issues, relevant environmental legislation and its application. They will also bring a positive energy to the team.
Essential skills and experience required:
Qualified to degree level (or equivalent experience) in a relevant technical discipline.
A good technical knowledge that will support the team in providing advice on how to maintain, improve and develop riverine and stillwater fisheries.
Excellent communication, influencing and team working skills.
Good time management and project delivery skills.
Ability to analyse and interpret technical data.
Ability to manage conflicting demands.
Willingness to learn about fisheries incidents.
A full UK driving licence is essential.
You must be able to swim and prepared to work in all weather conditions.
You’ll have a range of development opportunities and appropriate training will be provided.
Contact and additional information
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.
You’ll have an EA Office base location at our Preston offices however we do have flexible working arrangements.
We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel; some travel and overnights may be required.
Please read the Candidate / Additional Information Pack for information. Any queries, contact sarah.henderson@environment-agency.gov.uk
Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions.
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.
Competence 1: Achieves Results
Description
DESCRIPTION:
Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets.
Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results
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
QUESTION:
Working as part of the Fisheries, Biodiversity and Geomorphology Team, you will be required to deliver outcomes whilst managing a range of differing priorities. Describe a time when you’ve had to reprioritise your actions in order to achieve a positive result. How did you organise and prioritise your work, what was achieved and what did you learn from this situation?
Competence 2: Influences and Persuades Others
Description
DESCRIPTION:
Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.
QUESTION:
As a Fisheries Technical Officer, you will meet a wide range of internal and external customers. Our success in delivering environmental improvements often depends on our ability to influence others. Can you describe a time when you have influenced and persuaded someone who was initially sceptical about carrying out environmental improvements or a project? Or someone difficult to work with? What did you do to win them over? What did you learn?
Competence 3: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Description
DESCRIPTION:
Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.
QUESTION:
Working as Fisheries Technical Officer within the FBG team, you will be required to provide guidance to colleagues & partners based on any information provided to you. Please give an example of a time where you’ve had to make a decision solve a challenging issue based on limited information. What factors did you consider? What problems did you encounter? And what was the outcome?
Role specific license requirements: Full UK Driving License
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.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
