Environment Agency
Sustainable Places Officer - 33058
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Sustainable Places Officer - 33058
Job Description
About the Role
Are you passionate about contributing to a sustainable environment? This is your chance to make a meaningful impact.
We’re seeking a motivated, confident, and enthusiastic person to join a team that engages with a range of customers to promote sustainable growth, securing the best possible environmental outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
You'll be one of the Environment Agency’s (EA) main points of contact with a designated group of:
- Local planning authorities
- Developers
- Other regulatory bodies (e.g., Natural England (NE), Marine Management Organisation (MMO), Historic England)
Your core tasks will include:
Planning & Consultancy Work
- Providing planning application advice
- Offering pre-application and strategic advice, including cost recovery for services
- Liaising with customers, issuing quotes and reports
- Advising on Local Development Plans (evidence, policy, and site allocations)
Collaborative & Decision-Making Roles
- Proactively engaging with local authorities and developers, working closely with colleagues to provide expert advice on:
- Flood risk
- Water quality
- Contaminated land
- Biodiversity and environmental management
- Managing and coordinating formal responses within negotiated timescales to ensure high-quality outcomes
- Advocating for climate resilience and influencing planning policies and proposals
Project & Time Management
- Meeting strict deadlines and targets under challenging work pressures
- Balancing high-volume responsibilities with exceptional service standards
About the Team
The Yorkshire Area Sustainable Places team supports EA’s strategic goals (EA2030) through: ✔ Internal collaboration – Engaging with technical teams to assess evidence and craft consolidated planning responses. ✔ External outreach – Advising councils and developers to ensure resilient development practices (e.g., integrating environmental infrastructure). ✔ Impact-focused mission – Protecting and enhancing the environment through policy guidance.
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Requirements
Essential Skills & Qualifications
- A willingness to learn, combined with enthusiasm for the environment and planning processes.
- Excellent interpersonal skills – Able to engage with diverse stakeholders (developers, local authorities, consultees).
- Strong team ethic and the ability to work independently.
- Proven ability to achieve results and proactively solve problems.
- Superior time management and organisational skills – Prioritise effectively under pressure.
- Exceptional customer service, communication, and relationship-building (both written and verbal).
- Proficiency in IT systems (Word, Excel, Microsoft Teams, UPRN databases).
Desirable Qualifications & Experience
A degree in:
- Town and Country Planning
- Geography
- Environmental Science
- Sustainability
- Geoscience
- Ecology
- Biology
OR Significant relevant experience, such as:
- Work with a developer, local planning authority, or statutory consultee (e.g., NE, MMO, Historic England).
- Experience in an EA Sustainable Places or consultee team.
- Understanding of Government’s growth agenda and development industry operations.
Responsibilities and Training
-
Responsibility for incident response as part of Incident Management. Training provided; may include additional payments for participation.
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Hybrid role with:
📍 Office location: Yorkshire Area (Leeds, York, Rotherham, Beverley) 🏠 Flexible working model: Home-office hybrid (dependent on business needs).
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Additional Information
Assessment Process
- Applications will be assessed using competency-based interviews via Microsoft Teams (starting 3rd August 2026).
- Reduced_data ("blind assessment") based on competency questionnaires.
- Feedback is sometimes provided at interview stage (not during the sift).
Declarations and Equality
- Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum job criteria.
- All working pattern requests (e.g., job-sharing) should be clearly detailed in your application.
Legal Clarification
If appointed:
- You will be excluded from the UK Civil Service (no Crown Servant status).
- No automatic redundancy entitlement under SCS arrangements.
- Check with your current HR team if eligible for redundancy protection (e.g., local government employees under the Redundancy Payments (Continuity) Order 1999).
Competency-Based Questions
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Achieves Results "Demonstrate a situation where you prioritised tasks effectively to achieve high standards and meet critical deadlines."
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Communicates Effectively "Provide an example of tailoring your communication style to suit a challenging situation (relation, age, or technical background)."
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Influences & Persuades Others "Share an instance where your argument or persuasive communication changed someone’s decision. Describe your strategy."
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Manages Self "Explain a time when you faced a high-pressure workload managing stress or conflicting priorities. How did you stay productive?"
Final Closing
[For applications/post-interview consultation, contact Zoe.Needham@environment-agency.gov.uk]
Please review the Candidate Information Pack for further details on policies and application procedures.
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