OverviewThe Environment Agency is committed to an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We strive to embrace diversity and to live it for the benefit of our staff, our communities, and our environment.

You will work at the centre of our transformation on water industry enforcement. As a Programme Manager you will support the programme team to identify objectives and deliver significant business change to our enforcement capacity and capabilities.

Responsibilities

Identify the key outcomes required from programmes and the projects within them, and present these with clarity.

Develop and maintain a programme plan and present it as a product to help the programme team track progress, join up activities, and create efficiencies.

Work with workstream leads to identify activities, resource requirements, milestones and support needs.

Set programme controls and assurance and adapt to change as required.

Advise on governance, including creating business cases.

Capture, manage and report risks and issues, and escalate appropriately when needed.

Lead programme meetings to engage and motivate the team toward a common goal.

Report progress to different levels of the organisation and to Defra, tailoring information for different audiences.

The TeamThis role will work closely with the Chief Regulators Group and Water Regulation in the national Environment and Business Directorate. The Water Regulation Programme Office is a new team focusing on high-profile, cross-cutting work and will provide a view of water industry enforcement across the organisation.

Experience / Skills Required

Demonstrable experience leading projects and project teams.

Understanding or experience of transforming complex organisations.

Excellent communication and influencing skills; ability to present complex information clearly to enable decisions.

Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with dispersed customers and work with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures; actively consider diversity issues.

Ability to respond to tight deadlines and prioritise; thrive in a fast-paced, complex, changing environment; lead teams through uncertainty and ambiguity as a proactive problem solver.

An understanding of water industry, regulation or enforcement activities would be useful.

Contact and Additional Information

This role is advertised until end March 2026 and may be extended to end March 2027.

Flexible/hybrid working from an EA Office base location; some travel and overnight stays may be required.

Inclusive development plan and appropriate training will be provided; applications are assessed blind using competency questions.

For queries, contact Tamsin Appleton at tamsin.appleton@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Interviews will be held via MS Teams. If you consent to a reserve list, your details may be kept for 6 months and you may be offered an alternative post.

Contract DetailsLength of contract: Up to 31/03/2026 (may be extended).

Competences

DescriptionSelects, plans and manages contractors, programmes or events to achieve Environment Agency objectives cost-effectively.

Delivers Results Through OthersHarnesses the team to deliver results on time and to required standards.

Influences and Persuades OthersPresenting a convincing case to win support for plans.

Communicates EffectivelyListsens, questions, and conveys information clearly in speech and writing.

Notes

If applying from Civil Service, Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; consult your HR team for continuous service status.

We welcome flexible working patterns and have a Guaranteed Interview Policy for disabled applicants meeting minimum criteria.

This is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra and recruitment follows Crown Commercial Service frameworks; visits for external recruitment follow guidelines.

#J-18808-Ljbffr