About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join a small high profile team managing Defra’s relationship with the Environment Agency (EA). The role presents a great opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of environmental policy and of the EA’s role in protecting and enhancing the environment.

The role offers a good blend of fast paced and strategic work, and an opportunity to work  closely with Ministers and senior officials as you support them in their oversight of the EA.

You will play an important role in shaping the delivery ambition for EA and to ensure the Department is able to effectively hold the EA to account for delivery of its objectives.

You will work closely with the EA and with teams across Defra and specialise in an EA delivery area e.g. environmental regulation, floods capital programme (of your choice).

We are a small, friendly and collaborative team based in London and remotely.

Job description

The Environment Agency (EA) is Defra’s largest arms-length body. It is the principal independent environmental regulator for England. The EA also manage the government’s £multibillion floods capital investment programme.

The Sponsorship Team support the Secretary of State, Responsible Minister, and Permanent Secretary in their oversight of the Environment Agency.

As a Sponsorship Manager for the EA, you will work with teams across Defra and EA to develop a comprehensive understanding of EA’s operating and governance model, funding landscape and delivery performance to support Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and senior officials in their oversight of EA.

You will develop a strong grasp of live policy challenges and opportunities where EA have a delivery role and will be able to help expedite or unblock issues by convening key stakeholders and senior leaders from across EA, Defra and OGDs.

You will support the Head of team to manage our overall workload and ensure work is allocated clearly between team members and according to individual skills and strengths.

Day to day, you will be responsible for:

• Directly briefing Ministers, the Permanent Secretary and senior officials: often distilling complex issues into easily digestible points at pace
• Managing a busy schedule of meetings between Ministers, SCS and the EA’s Senior Leadership team (including Chair and CEO)
• Providing policy and strategy teams with key information about EA
• Support Defra group Business Planning rounds by co-ordinating EA inputs and ensuring money is allocated in line with Defra and EA priorities.
• Maintaining an understanding of EA’s funding model and financial position and supporting senior leaders in EA and Defra to drive operational efficiency and deliver optimal Value for Money

Line management optional. 

Person specification

We are looking for someone who can build strong working relationships quickly, who is comfortable working with Ministers and senior officials, who can manage multiple and complex workstreams/priorities, and who is passionate about environmental policy and delivery and the key role the Environment Agency play in this.

Key skills: 

• Excellent communication skills, and experience of working collaboratively with multiple organisations or stakeholders, and of briefing Ministers and senior officials.
• Organised and with proven experience of delivering outcomes at pace and balancing a busy portfolio of work.
• Good negotiation, diplomacy and influencing skills.
• Ability to analyse problems in the context of the big picture and provide positive solutions.
• Ability to interpret performance data and summarise key findings and trends.
• Has worked in a Sponsorship role.
• Has an interest or understanding of the role and remit of the Environment Agency and of environmental policy.
• Solid understanding of Managing Public Money and accountability and governance of a large complex organisation.  
• Able to interpret financial and accounting information (to a basic level).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £52,120, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £14,072 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:

• A Personal Statement. Please provide no more than 250 words to articulate why you would like this role and what relevant skills and experience you can bring.
• Statements on the specified Behaviours (250 word max per statement) 
• Degree or equivalent experience

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Behaviour: Seeing the Big Picture. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Behaviours, Experience and Strengths.

You may be asked to complete an assessment at the start of your interview – if so we will provide details ahead of the interview.

Interviews will be held via Video link. 

Location

Please be aware that this role(s) will be contractually based in a Defra group workplace/office. The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Candidates applying for these roles will be based at one of the Defra hubs as advertised.  

For information, our core Defra hub locations are:

• York – the Kings Pool
• Newcastle – Lancaster House
• Bristol – Horizon House (Please note that space at this office is limited and it may not be possible for all Policy roles to be recruited to this location)
• London – 2 Marsham Street

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations.Our current office attendance approach requires 60% attendance in Defra group workplaces or off site meetings with partners and customers. This balance provides thriving workplaces to connect with colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs balanced with personal flexibility and choice. 

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Near Miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions within Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match. 

Merit Lists 

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Higher Security Clearance

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.