Environmental Planning - Bathing Water Principal Officer

About Us

The Environment Agency has a broad and varied remit to protect and enhance the environment, with a goal to create a cleaner, safer and healthier environment for people and wildlife. Water is at the heart of all we do, drinking, washing, recreation, industry and health, our environment and economy depends on this precious resource. Clean and available water is essential and as water becomes an increasingly scarce resource, we need to do more to ensure we protect it.

Water companies must invest billions of pounds over the next five years to protect the environment from pollution. This scale of investment has not been seen for more than a generation.

We need your knowledge and experience to help us advise water companies on their plans and hold them to account for their protection of the water environment. Come be a part of the teams that ensure our environment is protected now and for future generations.

Operations Catchment Services works to secure the greatest possible outcomes across key stakeholders, influencing significant investment in the water environment. The new Bathing Water posts will be part of the OCS Water Quality team. As these are new posts you will help shape its work and embed it in the wider team culture. We take a one business approach, working closely with colleagues across the whole organisation.

What will you do:

You will lead in establishing and embedding this work stream within the team and community of practice to enable Operations to fulfil its responsibilities, which will include tasks like the assessment of Water Company proposals to meet bathing water standards. To do this, you will work very closely with Local Area Integrated Environmental Planning Teams and Head Office Water Quality Guidance Teams as well as the Water Industry. You will work alongside a Grade 5 Water Quality Officer dedicated to bathing water work.

You will quickly become the operational expert and technical leader on the Bathing Water subject area. You are flexible and ready to contribute to solving challenges, sometimes working in unfamiliar territory, without established processes or guidance to base decisions on.

You will work closely with Environment & Business (Head Office Teams) to provide support to colleagues across the Environment Agency, to find solutions that protect and enhance water quality, including participation in operational community of practice in Bathing Waters.

You will be working in a nationally dispersed team and will be expected to travel for national meetings with occasional overnight stays.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required 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 and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.

What you’ll need:

Essential

Degree in a relevant environmental discipline – for example, but not limited to – Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Engineering, GeoScience, Ecology, Environmental science, Sustainability, Data science and analytics.

5 or more years work experience in a relevant environmental discipline - for example, but not limited to - work for Water companies, Environmental or Engineering consultancy, work in a regulatory role (Government, Public Bodies and Agencies), research and education, Environmental charities.

Desirable

• A sound knowledge of water quality planning, the bathing water regulations, and an understanding of the water industry and the price review process are required.
• Experience in water quality modelling would also be preferable.
• Excellent communications and networking skills will be required as you will provide a link between the OCS Water Quality team and a range on Environment Agency colleagues looking across proposals and ensuring consistency and sharing knowledge.

What’s in it for you:

You’ll benefit from a culture that embraces difference and is inclusive where you’ll feel supported and trusted to do the right thing. We’ll invest in you and allow you to grow and shape your career. What’s more, you’ll have access to our great benefits package including:

• A salary up to £52,929
• A generous pension scheme.
• Overtime opportunities through standby and incident pay.
• 27 days holiday + 8 bank holidays for full-time employees.
• Two additional days for paid environmental outcomes giving you the opportunity to take part in community activities.
• Great career opportunities.
• Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave scheme.
• Options for flexible and / or part-time working may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

As an organisation, we strive to reflect the communities we serve, to achieve this we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, sexual orientation, and religion.

To learn more about these roles from those already in them, gain insight into the recruitment process, and have the chance to ask your questions, join us for our candidate call on:

• Wednesday 18th June at 15:00

This will be held on Microsoft Teams and is open to all applicants. For more details and to register for the session, please click on the apply button. You do not need to have submitted an application to join the call.

Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the UK's biggest environmental organisation. Join us, and together, let's tackle the challenges of a changing climate and build a more sustainable future. Apply now and embark on a rewarding and fulfilling career journey with the Environment Agency.

Please note that a reserve list will be held, and you may be offered other roles in other locations including temporary roles, which may be similarly aligned to this role.

Closing date for applications: Monday 23rd June 2025
Interview Dates: w/c 14th and 21st July 2025