Number of jobs available: 4
Region: National
City/Town: All
Building/Site: All
Grade: Staff Grade 4
Post Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: Full Time
Role Type: Operational Delivery
Salary Minimum: £29,706
Job description
The Environment Agency protects and improves water quality in our rivers, lakes and seas. In Operations Catchment Services we help make this happen. We provide a professional water quality service to our customers in environmental planning, water company account, nuclear new build and permitting teams.
We provide technical advice on water quality related topics such as water quality modelling (freshwater and marine), wastewater flow and urban drainage via our 5 technical teams. As a Grade 4 officer you may have the opportunity to move between these teams in order to provide support and resilience.
Our technical work combines freshwater / marine environmental data with discharge data, to assess new discharge proposals and support decisions that focus infrastructure investment. As a Water Quality Officer, you will support our specialists with delivering a variety of tasks across water quality (please refer to our candidate pack for more information about typical tasks in each of our teams).
As a team we share and develop our skills and establish great relationships with our customers to ensure that they receive the service they need and understand our expert advice.
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.
The team
We are a dispersed department comprising of 5 teams of technical experts that specialize in all aspects of water quality modelling and planning. We make the best use of technology to communicate and work virtually, meeting face to face when the need arises. This allows us to be flexible on location for the role. Training and mentoring support will be provided.
Experience/skills required
You need to be confident in data analysis, including software such as Excel, Access, R, and GIS. You will be able to:
• interpret monitoring data, model outputs and results;
• clearly communicate the outputs from your technical work;
• build relationships with people working in different locations;
• work effectively with external organisations;
• use influencing skills to help deliver outcomes;
• review complex reports, identifying key issues and summarising them;
• shape and embrace new ways of working to improve efficiency and productivity.
Knowledge and experience with modelling water quality in rivers, lakes or marine environments will be an advantage. You will be qualified to degree standard or have equivalent relevant experience and may be working towards membership of a professional body.
You will be comfortable with working as part of a dispersed team and are expected to travel for national meetings with occasional overnight stays.
Contact and additional information
We aim to create and maintain a diverse workforce that reflects the UK’s economically active population. Therefore, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), disabled, female and LGBT+ candidates who are under-represented across our workforce. We welcome applications from candidates seeking flexible working patterns, including part time and job share.
Please read the candidate pack for more information and for further queries speak to one of our team leaders: kate.stobart@environment-agency.gov.uk or deirdre.swift@environment-agency.gov.uk.
For information on what you can expect working for us, please explore: https://environmentagencycareers.co.uk/
Interviews will be held using MS Teams and will involve competency-based questions. For information on these competencies please see the Environment Agency capability dictionary: https://en.calameo.com/books/004433680aab41adf893b
Job description attachment 1
Job Profile – 25482.docx – 49KB
Converted File Job Profile – 25482.docx.pdf – 65KB
Job description attachment 2
Additional Information Document_WaterQualityOfficer_25482.docx – 4679KB
Converted File Additional Information Document_WaterQualityOfficer_25482.docx.pdf – 215KB
Candidate pack
Candidate Pack – 25482.docx – 1866KB
Converted File Candidate Pack – 25482.docx.pdf – 517KB
Closing Date: 12/02/2023, 23:55 hours
Level of security checks required: Basic Check
Competence 1: Data and Information Management
Description
PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection – please draw out your skills and experience in your response.
Description: Collects, analyses, interprets, records, manages, develops and shares data, material or information appropriately for a variety of purposes.
Provide an example of when you have managed technical data (e.g. analysis, interpretation) to make an informed decision or produce a report
• What was the technical nature of the data
• How did you sort the relevant from the irrelevant data?
• How did you organise your report to convey the information in the best way?
• How was the data stored for future reference?
• How would you approach a similar situation now?
You may find it helpful to research the STAR approach when formulating your response.
Competence 2: Communicates Effectively
Description
PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection – please draw out your skills and experience in your response.
Description: Listens and questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing. Understands the needs of both the technical and management audience.
Working with a wide range of customers with varying levels of technical knowledge, requires the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately. You will be expected to communicate and engage with others effectively through speech and writing.
Please describe when you have used your communication skills effectively to convey technical information and ideas clearly to others
• What was the subject matter?
• What method of communication did you use?
• How did you go about making sure that your message was understood by all recipients?
• How did you check their understanding?
• What was the result?
You may find it helpful to research the STAR approach when formulating your response.
Competence 3: Works in Teams
Description
PLEASE NOTE: Your answer will be used for interview selection – please draw out your skills and experience in your response.
Description: Works co-operatively as part of a team to achieve common goals, especially as part of a dispersed team.
Provide an example of how you have worked either within your own team or with other teams to achieve a common goal, what was the role you played and how did working co-operatively improve the outcome.
• What did the team accomplish that an individual could not?
• What was your role and personal contribution?
• What elements contributed to the success?
• Why was it successful?
You may find it helpful to research the STAR approach when formulating your response.
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.
