Environment Agency, Area Director, Thames

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 4 weeks

Environmental

Full time

£81,000 per year

Job summary

This post is an Environment Agency post at EA Grade Deputy Director and at EA salary £81,000. It is not a post at Civil Service Pay Band 1 as indicated on the left -hand side bar of this advert. Further confirmation of the EA grade and terms and conditions can be found in the candidate pack

This is a vacancy working for the Environment Agency, part of Defra Group. EA are not Civil Servants so terms will reflect that. Anyone moving from the Civil Service will lose their CS terms and benefits starting new employment with the EA

Job description

As an Area Director, you will play a vital role in our mission to protect and enhance the environment while supporting sustainable growth, ensuring people, nature and businesses can prosper together. You’ll empower teams to deliver our five year strategy, EA2030 change for a better environment, and respond effectively to incidents, whilst ensuring that our collective efforts prioritise sustainability and inclusivity.

You will:

Lead Operational Delivery in Area: You will lead through and oversee multi-skilled individuals and navigate various legislative objectives. You will have a clear picture of the delivery priorities in the Thames Area and collaboration with others will be vital.

Engage with a Variety of Stakeholders: You will manage relationships with Ministers, business leaders, MPs, local authorities, and community members. Your ability to empathise, operate politically and communicate clearly the role of the Environment Agency will be essential.

Prioritise Health, Safety and Well-Being: Your commitment to fostering a safe work environment and effective risk management will be key to success in the role.

Embed a culture of inclusion: Your ability to role model and inspire an inclusive culture will be an integral part of the role. Enabling and encouraging diverse voices to be heard in our decision making will also be key.

Make Informed Decisions: You will need to make decisions as issues arise, using the best available evidence, understanding the consequences and escalating risks where appropriate.

Drive Innovation and Improvement: You will enable a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, ensuring we strive to be a high performing delivery body in government.

Collaborate with Peers: You will work alongside peers and national strategic teams, influencing changes that enhance operational delivery.

The Team:

Now is the time for proactive environmental stewardship. We want you to be part of this transformative journey and join our team committed to making a difference.

You will lead over 400 people working in the Thames Area, supported by a dedicated Area Leadership Team and peer group of 18 other Area Directors.

If you’re ready to help us lead the way towards a sustainable future, we want to hear from you.

Person specification

Experience/Skills Required:

We’re seeking individuals who understand the importance of strong leadership in environmental protection and community service. To succeed in this role you should possess:

Extensive Leadership Experience: Proven success in operational environments, demonstrating your ability to inspire teams to deliver.

Strategic Thinking Skills: A knack for delivering business improvements and navigating complex challenges.

Calmness Under Pressure: The ability to communicate effectively and foster collaboration even in high-stress situations.

Excellent Political Judgement: Experience working effectively with a range of stakeholders on complex, sensitive issues in a political environment.

Emotional Intelligence and Resilience: Skills to build consensus among senior stakeholders and support your team’s growth.

Commitment to Health, Safety and Well-Being: A passion for creating a culture of safety and developing others.

Awareness of Incident Management: An understanding of in crisis management and large-scale incident response will be valuable.

Benefits

Substantial pension scheme, generous annual leave, with up to two days’ paid environmental outcome days each year, flexible working patterns to allow you to achieve a good work life balance, access to a number of employee networks and forums that support our employees and help us build an inclusive culture.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the Environment Agency’s Thames Area, which stretches from Gloucestershire to Surrey.

The successful candidate will need SC clearance to carry out the role however, this can be obtained once in post

Please download the candidate pack for full details including how to apply. Closing date for applications is Sunday, 12 April 2026

We will be running a virtual briefing session for candidates on 31 March 2026. For an invitation email: DirectorofOperationsSandE@environment-agency.gov.uk If you are unable to attend a recording will be available.

Interviews will take place on 5 or 6 May 2026. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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Contact point for applicants

Salary range

£81,000 per year