Business Support Advisor - 34145

Environment Agency; Ely; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Training opportunities

Job summary

A governmental agency in the UK is seeking three Business Support Advisors to join a new management team within Planning and Place. Candidates will support senior leadership by coordinating business needs, ensuring effective funding use, and engaging with dispersed colleagues. Applicants should possess strong communication and organizational skills. The role allows for hybrid work arrangements, promoting a flexible work culture focused on community and environmental goals.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in relevant fields.
• Ability to present complex information clearly.
• Manage tight deadlines with high standards.
• Confidence working remotely, both collaboratively and independently, as part of a geographically dispersed team.

Responsibilities

• Support the Portfolio and Business Manager.
• Assure senior leaders on progress against plans.
• Co-ordinate key business needs across governance.
• Support evaluation, monitoring and reporting requirements of the Spending Review settlement and wider EA corporate frameworks.

Skills

Communication and influencing skills

Organizational skills

Relationship building

Confidence working remotely

Job description

The Environment Agency (EA) is fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don't just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it, and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities, and our environment.

We are recruiting three Business Support Advisors for a new business management team within Planning and Place. This team will ensure we use funding effectively, and meet the evaluation, monitoring and reporting requirements of our spending review settlement and wider EA corporate frameworks.

These roles involve fast‑paced, varied work supporting the Portfolio and Business Manager and senior team members. You will help to assure senior leaders in the EA and Defra on progress against the Spending Review Delivery Plan, wider business plans and other corporate requirements. You will co‑ordinate and deliver key business needs across governance, financial forecasting, monitoring and reporting, future funding bids, risk management, benefits realisation, evaluation and monitoring, business performance monitoring and reporting, data management, and business planning.

We are seeking motivated individuals with specialist knowledge and a strong track record in any of these areas. You will work across all Planning and Place teams and with wider EA colleagues involved in business planning, so excellent collaboration, communication and engagement skills are essential.

Technical knowledge of spatial planning is not required, but it may be beneficial. Most importantly, you will bring genuine enthusiasm for supporting the organisation to deliver the government’s growth mission.

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

You will join our Planning and Place team within the Environment and Business Directorate. The team is geographically dispersed with a culture of collaborative remote working. We lead the Environment Agency’s growth and spatial planning work, delivering sustainable growth while protecting and enhancing the environment. You will join a new team committed to supporting and demonstrating how we do this.

The Environment and Business Directorate promotes a positive, inclusive, supportive culture where everyone feels valued.

Experience/skills Required

Essential

• Proven experience in one or more of the following areas:
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and succinctly to support effective decision‑making.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage tight deadlines, balance priorities, and maintain high standards of accuracy.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with dispersed colleagues across a large organisation.
• Confidence working remotely, both collaboratively and independently, as part of a geographically dispersed team.

Desirable

• Experience supporting the development or delivery of business plans or funding bids.
• Familiarity with Environment Agency business processes, policies, financial controls, and governance frameworks.
• Experience of working within governance, assurance or corporate reporting processes.

Contact and additional information

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

You’ll have an EA Office base location, as a national role the working location is flexible / hybrid.

We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel; some travel and overnight stays may be required.

Please read the Packs attached for information. Any queries, contact [e-mail]

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.

If you consent to being held on a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.

Competence 1: Communicates Effectively

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

Tell us about a time when you communicated complex information clearly and persuasively to support effective decision making. What did you do to ensure your audience understood the key points?

If a large number of applications are received, an initial sift using this lead capability may be conducted. Successful candidates will then proceed to a full sift or directly to assessment/interview.

Competence 2: Achieves Results

Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets. Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results.

Describe a time when you managed multiple deadlines and delivered high quality work in a fast paced environment. How did you prioritise your tasks and maintain accuracy?

Competence 3: Builds and Sustains Relationships

Develops and maintains effective working relationships

Describe a time when you collaborated with dispersed colleagues or partners to achieve a shared outcome. How did you build effective working relationships quickly, and what, if anything, would you do differently next time?

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.

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. Although the Environment Agency is a non‑departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.