City/Town
Various
Region
National
Vacancies
1
Salary Minimum
£43,198
Position Type
Permanent
Job ID
32712
Closing date
31 Jan 2026
Published date
02 Jan 2026
Grade
Staff Grade 5
Role type
Environment & Sustainability
Security check
Basic Check
Job description
The Environment Agency are 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.
We are recruiting an Advisor to join our Water Resources Catchment Assessment team. You will be part of a small specialist team that leads on the assessment of water availability and play a key role in supporting water regulation and planning decisions.
You will work with specialists in water resources planning, hydrology and groundwater across our 14 Operational Areas to help them to assess the impact of abstraction on the environment.
You will use the data from this assessment to update our Water Resources Geographic Information System (WRGIS) - a key tool for managing water resources in England.
You will help to provide training and guidance to the Operational Areas and advise the wider business on how to interpret and use the WRGIS data and information.
You will use the WRGIS to produce reports and analyses of water availability for internal and external audiences and support a wider set of ambitious aims. These include;
- sustainable water abstraction
- planning for long-term environment needs set out in the National Framework for water resources
- protecting sensitive river environments including chalk streams
- Improving our data and systems
The Catchment Assessment Team is a dispersed team that sits within a wider Water Resources Assessment team made up Hydrology, Hydroecology and Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (river flow and temperature) specialisms.
We’re part of the Environment and Business (E&B) Directorate. We inform and deliver the government's key environmental objectives. We use evidence, expertise, engagement, and innovation to influence policy and legislation.
You will;
- have an organised mind and an eye for detail
- be happy to work in a dispersed team
- be a self-starter and be able to multi–task
- be comfortable working with technical content
- be able to communicate technical information to a variety of audiences
- have experience of using data manipulation and visualisation tools such as Excel, GIS or Power BI.
- Knowledge of Python would be advantageous
- An appreciation of water abstraction licensing and/or water resource planning would be advantageous
You’ll have a range of development opportunities and appropriate training will be provided.
You will have an Environment Agency office base location, but as a part of a national team there is flexibility around base office locations across England.
We support flexible working; however, some national travel and attendance at in-person meetings will be required on occasion in line with business need
Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. 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.
Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions.
Interviews will be held via MS Teams in February 2026.
Please read the Candidate Pack for information.
If you would like to discuss the post, please contact [email protected]
You are recommended to use the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result) , or similar, to structure your answers to the questions. More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.
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.
Give an example of when you have had to analyse and interpret data and present it in a usable format. Please describe your data management and analysis skills within your answer.
Tell us about a time when you have presented complex, technical work to colleagues either as training or knowledge sharing. How did you consider your audience and ensure your presentation was clear and engaging?
Give an example of where you have worked through a challenge and made decisions or solved problems to ensure a successful outcome was achieved. What were the main challenges and how did you overcome these.
Describe a project you have been involved in where you have had to work with others to deliver to a tight deadline. What challenges were there and how to you overcome them.
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.