This is an exciting opportunity to join the Strategic Water Resource Options Team within Environment and Business (E&B) as a Team Leader. Our team leads on the development of new water supply infrastructure to support long-term water resilience. 

In this role, you will provide leadership, direction and support to a multidisciplinary team working across a portfolio of complex infrastructure projects. You will ensure work is prioritised effectively, resources are aligned to programme needs, and high‑quality outputs are delivered in line with legislative, policy and regulatory requirements. 

You will lead and develop people performing a range of roles, maintaining flexibility to respond to changing programme and business priorities. The role requires close working with internal and external partners, including water companies, regulators and senior stakeholders, to support collaborative and coordinated delivery. 

Success in this role requires strong leadership, sound judgement and the ability to work across strategic, technical and organisational boundaries. An understanding of water resource planning, infrastructure delivery or regulatory processes is important, alongside excellent communication and organisational skills. 

This is a national role in support of a nationally dispersed team and can be based at any EA office. Occasional national travel and overnight stays will be required.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be asked 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 full training will be available to support you with your incident role.

The Water Resource Infrastructure Programme Team (WRIPT) sits within the Water Directorate, and supports the delivery of nationally important water supply infrastructure.

We work closely with water companies, regulators and teams across the business to provide consistent advice on new water infrastructure proposals.

The team focuses on large‑scale projects such as reservoirs, inter‑regional transfers, water recycling and desalination schemes, from early strategic planning through to preparation for consents and permits.

Experience:

• Translate government policy/legislation/regulatory requirements into clear, practical approaches for the appraisal/delivery of Strategic Resource Options, ensuring consistency across the SRO portfolio.
• Lead and support a team of SRO Leads and Coordinators, setting clear direction and priorities, and delivering outcomes through effective performance management, coaching/development.
• Build/maintain strong working relationships across the Environment Agency, Defra Group, water companies and other delivery partners to support scheme appraisal, assurance and decision‑making
• Plan, prioritise and manage team workloads within a programme/project management framework, ensuring work is delivered to time/cost and quality.
• Champion continuous improvement, new ways of working within the National Appraisal Unit, encouraging constructive challenge and driving efficiencies across appraisal/ assurance processes.
• Identify knowledge gaps, capability risks/capacity pressures and develop practical solutions, including guidance/training or changes to ways of working.
• Promote accountability, value for money and high performance across the SRO portfolio, making informed decisions on the allocation of people/resources to maximise outcomes.

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, as a national role, the working location is flexible / hybrid.

We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel; some travel and overnights may be required.

Any queries, contact [email protected]

Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions.

Interviews will be held via MS Teams during the weeks commencing 22nd or 29th June 2026

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.