City/Town
Various
Region
National
Vacancies
5
Salary Minimum
£54,940
Post Type
Permanent
Job ID
33468
Closing date
15 Feb 2026
Published date
03 Feb 2026
Grade
Staff Grade 6
Role type
Communications / Marketing
Post type
Full Time, Part Time, Compressed Hours
Security check
Basic Check
Job description
The Environment Agency is 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.
Our Environment & Business (E&B) External Affairs Team is looking for motivated and ambitious Senior External Affairs Advisors to develop and deliver our engagement strategies for a range of priorities. This involves working across departments, aligning internal and external stakeholder agendas, building strong relationships and working on high-profile issues.
We are advertising 5 x External Affairs Senior Advisor roles:
- 4 x permanent
- 1 x Fixed term / assignment contract until 31/08/2027
The roles will be assigned specific topics to lead on as part of the engagement strategy team. These roles are busy and fast-moving roles. You’ll need to be a self-starter with the ability to balance strategic issues with reactive, which will often involve reprioritising and delivering work quickly under pressure.
Main responsibilities:
- Developing strategic engagement and communication plans that are intelligence-led and meet agreed objectives.
- Keeping on top of your brief so that you can provide advice on stakeholder engagement, including establishing trusted relationships.
- Providing timely and well-considered advice to Environment Agency senior leaders regarding our stakeholder approach, including possible announcements.
- Horizon scan for opportunities and risks to inform strategies and relationships with key external stakeholders.
- Build peer and senior relationships with Environment Agency and Defra communications colleagues.
You’ll be an experienced communications and engagement specialist, with great judgement and collaboration skills. You will love planning and advising, building relationships, and delivering work through other people.
See the Additional Information Pack attached for more information
We are a dispersed team and work with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholders across the country. We promote a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture where everyone feels valued.
We advise and influence E&B on building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders and organisations who are critical to our work. Strengthening our voice and influence means our work is better known, trusted, and has greater impact.
See the Additional Information Pack attached for more information
We need people who can plan engagement for others, from the Chief Executive to our technical specialists; who have a strategic mind to look beyond the tactics; and can develop trusted relationships so that expertise is listened to and acted upon.
Please demonstrate your experience and understanding of:
- delivering communication and engagement objectives through partnership working
- developing and influencing strategic outcomes with a range of stakeholders
- leading, managing, and delivering strategic engagement strategies
- effectively communicating complex information
- influencing and persuading people at all levels
- working under own initiative and as part of a larger, often cross-functional, or multidisciplinary team
- planning and organising, with attention to detail
- achieving results through others
- discretion when working on sensitive issues and confidential matters
- written and verbal communication skills
- interpersonal and networking skills
- working effectively with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures and actively encourage others to consider diversity issues in their work
You’ll have an incident management objective in your development plan, so we’ll help you find an incident role to suit you. Appropriate training will be given.
You’ll have an EA Office base location. As a national role the working location is flexible / hybrid.
We use smart tools to stay connected. Travel and overnight stays will be required at locations across the country.
Join our Candidate Call on 12th February at 12pm to find out more details about the roles, teams and assessment.
Read the Candidate Pack and Additional Information Pack for more information. Any queries contact [email protected].
#LI - DNI
Tell us about a time when you have successfully provided leadership to those more senior to you to achieve an organisational objective.
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.
Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions. More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.
Give an example where you have successfully presented a case in a way that resulted in everyone working towards the same objective.
Tell us when you have had to effectively juggle multiple priorities and used your initiative to deliver the required outcome.
Give an example of a piece of work you have successfully delivered through multiple stakeholders, both internal and external.
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.