City/Town
Leeds, Penrith, Preston, Rotherham, York
Region
North West, Yorkshire and the Humber
Vacancies
3
Salary Minimum
£43,198
Post Type
Permanent
Job ID
33105
Closing date
06 Apr 2026
Published date
24 Feb 2026
Grade
Staff Grade 5
Role type
Operational Delivery
Post type
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Compressed Hours
Security check
Basic Check
Job description
Are you passionate about protecting our water environment and improving the quality of Yorkshire’s, Cumbria & Lancashire surface waters?
We are seeking an enthusiastic, self‑motivated individual with experience in water quality planning to help review, challenge, and advise on stakeholder plans and permissions. Your work will ensure that activities across the region protect and enhance our freshwater environment. You will collaborate with national policy teams, area delivery colleagues, and key customers on strategic water planning, helping us respond to current pressures and future demands.
A key part of the role involves working closely with water companies to reduce the impact of sewage discharges. Knowledge or experience in any of the following areas would be beneficial:
- Price Review
- the Water Framework Directive,
- wastewater management,
- water company performance and regulation,
- river or lake water quality modelling, price reviews or asset management planning,
- Urban Pollution Management processes and standards.
Working with partners and colleagues, you will help identify optimal solutions to environmental challenges and provide advice on regulatory requirements that support our ambition to improve surface water quality for people, wildlife, and the wider environment.
IMPORTANT: we have 3 roles available, 2 are in Yorkshire and 1 in Cumbria & Lancashire.
These are area team roles and you must be based near the location listed in the advert.
Pick your top 2 location preferences
Benefits of working with the Environment Agency include:
- Hybrid and flexible working to support work–life balance
- 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays, increasing with service
- Flexi‑time, allowing colleagues to accrue and use additional hours
- Two annual environmental days for volunteering or environmental activities
- Opportunities for growth, learning, and professional development through our learning zone and supported training pathways
For more information, refer to the candidate pack attached to this advert.
The Integrated Environment Planning (IEP) team is predominantly a water planning team with specialists in water resources, water quality and river basin planning.
Working with area operational teams, national policy makers and other stakeholders, in particular water companies, we produce the environmental plans that drive Yorkshire and Cumbria & Lancashire area priorities.
Our diverse and friendly teams of advisors are at the heart of environmental decision making, facilitating integrated actions to solve complex problems.
We’re looking for someone ready to elevate their career and help shape the future of water quality. If you’re driven by environmental impact, technical leadership, and practical problem solving, this role offers the chance to make a meaningful difference.
Desirable:
- Working toward or holding membership in a relevant professional institute (e.g., CIWEM) Support from the organisation to help fund a chartership is available.
- Science‑based degree or relevant experience
Skills:
- Strong knowledge of water quality planning
- Experience working with or alongside water companies
- Ability to lead technical discussions with internal and external partners
- Demonstrated leadership within a specialist technical discipline
- Research and analytical skills
- Ability to produce proportionate, evidence‑based conclusions
- Skilled in gathering, managing, and quality‑assuring data
- Excellent planning, tracking, and delivery discipline
- Ability to work independently and within teams
- Strong task‑prioritisation and deadline‑driven delivery
- Sensitivity to internal and external customer needs
- Translate internal guidance into effective local delivery
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.
Base location: Lateral house Leeds, Foss House York, Templeborough Rotherham, Lutra House Preston and Ghyll House Penrith – these will need to be your closest offices. Flexible/job share/compressed hours/part time hours welcomed.
We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel, some travel and overnights may be required.
Any queries, contact:
Yorkshire - [email protected]
Cumbria & Lancashire - [email protected]
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.
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.
Feedback is generally not available at sift stage
QUESTION HERE: Please describe a time when you have successfully delivered in the face of considerable challenge.
More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.
QUESTION HERE: Please provide an example of when you have successfully persuaded a key stakeholder round to your point of view.
More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.
QUESTION HERE: Please describe your skills and/or experience in Water Quality planning and how they will ensure you are successful in this role
More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.
QUESTION HERE: Describe a time when you had to solve a particularly complex problem in your current/previous role.
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.