Senior Advisor- Groundwater Modelling - 29441

Job Description

We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job-share, so please include any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

We’re looking for an experienced Groundwater specialist with extensive experience of using and/or applying models. You will help deliver a comprehensive programme of regulatory groundwater model development, updating, and use in support of business decisions in local operations. You will lead the development of our operational groundwater modelling strategy, deliver an efficient process for commissioning groundwater modelling work, and ensure our groundwater models support regulation of groundwater to protect the environment and deliver for the businesses we regulate.

You will provide technical leadership to the groundwater modelling community, with particular focus on team leadership for the Technical Projects Team supporting Lincs & Northants and East Anglian Areas.

In this role you will drive forward changes in the way the Environment Agency uses regulatory groundwater models, working in an integrated way internally and externally towards sustainable abstraction.

A proven team player with excellent communication skills, you will be capable of influencing and advising across the organisation. Working with key stakeholders, and their technical representatives, you’ll be able to build working relationships and communicate clearly, to guide and influence what people do. You will provide technical leadership, specialist groundwater modelling technical advice, and assist ongoing research.

Primary duties include:

• Leading on development of our national operational groundwater modelling strategy, including a long-term investment plan.
• Developing a national framework contract to ensure timely delivery of our modelling programme.
• Influencing senior leaders and working with our Senior Advisors (Groundwater Skills and Resilience) to develop technical career pathways and resilience in groundwater modelling in the Environment Agency.
  
  
  

The team

You’ll join our Groundwater Team. We’re a dispersed team and work with a wide range of technical and project teams across the country.

We’re part of the Environment and Business (E&B) Directorate. We inform and deliver the government's key environmental objectives; using evidence, expertise, engagement, and innovation we influence policy and legislation, facilitate, and enhance integrated delivery and, by building trust in the Environment Agency, secure resources to do more for the environment.

Experience/skills Required

You will be:

• Enthusiastic and credible: As a senior advisor you’ll need to be a passionate and authoritative groundwater advocate.
• Proactive, self-motivated and a sure communicator
• An effective influencer, with an adaptive style, who can manage relationships successfully to create collective outcomes.
  
  
  

You will need:

• Significant industry or regulatory experience as a groundwater specialist working with or developing groundwater models.
• Technical skills in hydrogeology: e.g., constructing and interpreting conceptual and numerical models, hydrogeological risk assessment.
• Honours degree (or equivalent), and ideally a MSc level qualification (or equivalent), in geology / hydrogeology or relevant equivalent discipline.
• Detailed knowledge of groundwater modelling and practical experience in its implementation.
  
  
  

Chartership, or a commitment towards working for chartership, is very desirable.

You’ll be asked to give a 10-minute presentation in your interview. (Developing a strategic plan for groundwater modelling to support regulatory management of groundwater).

Contact and additional information

You’ll have an incident management objective in your development plan. We’ll support you to find an incident role to suit your needs and circumstances. Appropriate training will be given.

You’ll have an EA Office base location, and as a national role the working location is flexible. As this post significantly supports operational activity in our Lincs & Northants and East Anglian Areas, routine travel to these areas will be expected. Some

national travel and overnights may also be required.

See Candidate / Additional Information Pack for information. Any queries, contact mark.whiteman@environment-agency.gov.uk or Kirsten.johnstone@environment-agency.gov.uk

Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions.

Interviews will be held via MS Teams within two weeks of the closing date.

Competence 1

Scientific Knowledge

Description

Applies scientific knowledge to provide sound, science-based evidence to our internal and external customers

Please explain how your qualifications and experience provide you with the necessary scientific and/or technical knowledge to perform this role and how you develop and maintain your technical knowledge.

Competence 2

Influences and Persuades Others

Description

More information on how to answer competency questions can be found in the candidate pack.

Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.

Please tell us about a time, within a groundwater regulatory framework, when you have successfully affected, shaped or transformed the opinions of others, which led to a subsequent change in their behaviours and actions. How did you structure your engagement? What was the outcome?

Competence 3

Communicates Effectively

Description

Listens and questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing.

Please tell us about a situation where your communication skills made a difference to a situation. How did you adapt your style to that specific audience/ situation? What was the outcome?

Competence 4

Develops People

Description

Makes sure team members have the skills, knowledge and experience to successfully carry out their current role and to develop into future roles.

Please give an example of how you have motivated a diverse range of people, adapting your style to difficult situations and the people involved.

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.