Environment Group Policy SEO

Job summary

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy.

These roles sit within the Environment Group (EG). EG has seven Directorates, over 1400 staff and oversight of ten Arm's Length Bodies. We lead efforts to halt nature’s decline, improve air and water quality, work to combat climate change and mitigate its impacts, whilst enabling the Government's growth mission.

You will work with parliament, businesses, civil society and local communities to develop solutions that work. You will play an active role in shaping Defra's priorities, working creatively and collaboratively with others to deliver excellent outcomes that benefit the environment and economy.

Candidates invited to interview will be asked to indicate their preferred area/team, which we will take into account where possible:

• Strategy, Governance & Climate (SGC) leads our overall plan for nature – the Environmental Improvement Plan. It also lead our work on access to nature and green spaces – from national parks to pocket parks – and on net zero and climate adaptation.

• Environmental Quality, Infrastructure and Planning (EQIP) is responsible for clean air, and ensuring the responsible use of chemicals and pesticides in the environment. It leads regulatory reform to ensure critical infrastructure projects like roads and railways can progress while also protecting the environment.

• Biodiversity, Land Use and Investment (BLI)leads efforts to boost biodiversity by restoring important habitats and species, and to plant more trees. It leads work to bring private finance into nature.

• International Biodiversity and Climate (IBC) aims to drive a shift to a nature-positive world: reversing biodiversity loss, restoring ecosystems, tackling climate change and helping reduce global poverty. It delivers Official Development Assistance (ODA) grant programmes around the world, and leads international negotiations on behalf of the UK Government.

• Circular Economy (CE) works to maximise and preserve the value of Earth’s resources for society, the environment, and the economy by ending the throwaway model and accelerating the circular economy. This supports sustainable economic growth by stimulating investment and innovation, strengthening trade, and reducing living costs, while ensuring resources are used efficiently and responsibly.

• Marine and Fisheries (M&F) focuses on ensuring our seas are cleaner, healthier, safer, more productive and biologically diverse. This means protecting and improving the marine environment in the UK and internationally, and sustainably managing our diverse range of fisheries.

Job description

As a Senior Policy Advisor, your key responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Producing written advice briefings, including for ministers and parliament.

• Leading on development of policy through to consultation and implementation, including making legislative change where it is needed, which will have a real-world impact.

• Confidently working with others to shape and influence the opportunities and ways to deliver the impact on society, nature and growth of new and existing policies.

• Applying project management tools and techniques to set workstream milestones, identify risks, and ensure it fits with other work areas that could be impacted by your work.

• Working with evidence teams, and with other sources of evidence, to identify data gaps and ensure our policies are well supported by evidence.

• Building relationships with other teams across Defra, Devolved Administrations, other Government Departments, arm’s length bodies, businesses and voluntary groups.

• Your role may also include line management duties.

All of our teams work flexibly, and the successful candidates will need to adapt to changing priorities, which may mean working in a different team or directorate should the department need it.

Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams

We are holding drop-in sessions to give you the opportunity to speak to colleagues from Environment Group, to find out more about our work and the recruitment process. Please note that if you join a session using your personal Microsoft Teams account, your name and email address may be visible to other attendees. To maintain privacy, we recommend signing out of your account and joining the session as a guest.

Please use the link next to the date you’re attending:

• Wednesday 11 February 2026 – 12-12:45pm

Teams link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/38296570227290?p=qeFvepyKa7mP1qZeUw

• Wednesday 18 February 2026 – 6-6:45pm

Teams link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/33657205759192?p=CoBx7PBNiQP2Tmox7A

Person specification

Your personal qualities are as important as your professional experience, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are looking for proactive, enthusiastic people who can work confidently on their own initiative, communicate clearly, draw together information effectively, and are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to once in a generation change in a key sector.

If you have the skills and qualities we are looking for, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Defra values a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve and is committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued, has a sense of belonging, and is empowered to speak up and challenge openly at work.

We want everyone, whatever their background, to be able to contribute fully to our success.

Essential Requirements

The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Experience using analysis of information to develop and assess options for decision makers, drawing on expertise from others as required.

• Evidence of working confidently with multiple stakeholders, for collaboration and to deliver common goals.

• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.

• Ability to work at pace to deliver with competing deadlines, maintaining sound, timely communication and managing expectations throughout.

• Good strategic judgement to identify tensions and links between different areas of work and recognise where your work fits with wider organisational objectives.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,665, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £12,360 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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 vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide:

• A name-blind (anonymous) CV covering your previous job history, qualifications and experience. Further details around what this will entail are listed in the application form.
• A Personal Statement (750 word max) to detail your experience and highlight how you meet the essential requirements in the job advert.

Sift

A sift will be conducted against your CV and Personal Statement. A combined score will be given.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your Experience, Strengths, and the following Behaviours:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

We will test your Experience against 'Delivering at Pace' and 'Communicating and Influencing', as a combined presentation at interview. Candidates will be sent details of the presentation title before the interview.

Interviews will be held via MS Teams, and are are expected to last no longer than 60 minutes.

Further Information

Location

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment checks.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reserve List

We aim to establish a reserve list of successful candidates; those placed on the reserve list will remain eligible for appointment for up to 12 months. Offers of employment will be made in merit order as vacancies arise across relevant business areas.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to DEFRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between Government Departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Near Miss Candidates

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.

Merit Lists

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Vetting

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : EQIP Portfolio Management Office
• Email : eqpmo@defra.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here

Attachments

Defra Core Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1440kB)