Deputy Director Digital, Data & Evidence - 31387

Environment Agency; North East; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A public body focused on environmental issues is seeking a Deputy Director to lead the Digital, Data, and Evidence team. You will be responsible for managing digital services related to flood risk, setting strategic direction, and building a high-performing team. Applicants should have significant experience in leading technical teams and managing services for diverse customers. This position offers opportunities for strategic influence and hands-on leadership in critical environmental projects.

Benefits

Flexible working patterns

Diversity and inclusion initiatives

Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with disabilities

Qualifications

• Experience of managing digital, data, or evidence-based services.
• Significant experience leading large teams delivering services.
• Experience in strategic decision making.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Digital, Data and Evidence team to deliver technical services.
• Engage with stakeholders for service design and delivery.
• Respond to flood or environmental incidents.

Skills

Managing digital services

Leading multi-disciplinary teams

Strategic direction setting

Effective communication

Influencing senior leaders

Developing high performing teams

Managing budgets

Managing complex projects

Risk management

Education

Relevant qualifications or certifications

Job description

Deputy Director Digital, Data & Evidence - 31387

Deputy Director Digital, Data & Evidence - 31387

1 day ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Job Description

With the climate and biodiversity crisis, weather extremes and challenges to water quality and supply, the Environment Agency’s (EA) work is more critical than ever. This is the most interesting and important time to be a Deputy Director within our Flood Risk Directorate (FCRM).

Job Description

With the climate and biodiversity crisis, weather extremes and challenges to water quality and supply, the Environment Agency’s (EA) work is more critical than ever. This is the most interesting and important time to be a Deputy Director within our Flood Risk Directorate (FCRM).

We are looking for a dynamic, enthusiastic, strong leader to lead our Digital, Data and Evidence (DDE) team, delivering essential technical services including:

• Digital services to help the public understand flood risk
• Digital services to support EA's asset management
• Flood risk modelling and hydrology supporting services that enable teams across the business to better understand flood risk, manage flood assets and respond to incidents and land use planning.
• Data management and data improvements for FCRM
  
  
  

You will set the direction for service design and delivery, in line with strategies and standards set by EA strategy teams and Defra Digital, Data, Technology and Security (DDTS). You and your teams will use your expertise to inform and influence strategy and standards, and you will play a leading role in enabling strategic change including new operating models. You will represent FCRM on EA's Transformation Delivery group that co-ordinates all transformation and significant change across EA.

DDE is a newly established team, and you will need to embed the recent changes, set the vision, develop the service plans, establish the team identity and develop a high performing team.

Responding to flood or environmental 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’ll report to the Director of Innovation, Systems and Services (ISS) within the Flood and Coastal Risk Management Directorate (FCRM). There are over 400 staff in this cross-cutting service.

Your team (DDE) comprises 120 multi-disciplinary technical specialists with a range of experience. The team is geographically dispersed across England. This is a new team formed in February 2025 following a restructure of FCRM Directorate.

You’ll have eight direct reports (seven managers and one personal assistant)

Experience/skills Required

Essential:

• Demonstrable awareness, interest and experience of managing digital, data and or evidence based services
• Significant experience leading large, multi-disciplinary technical teams delivering services to a wide customer base
• Experience setting strategic direction and aligning services with organisational strategies
• Expertise at communicating and engaging effectively within a large, complex organisation including communicating technical information
• Expertise at influencing senior leaders and colleagues in a range of situations.
• Experience developing new and high performing teams and leading teams through change in times of uncertainty and ambiguity
• Experience of creating an open, inclusive, and trusting culture
• Effective management of large and/or constrained budgets
• A track record of success in establishing or managing large complex projects, programmes and/or portfolios of work
• Experience making strategic decisions that balance risk and reward in challenging and evolving situations
  
  
  

Desirable

• Relevant qualifications, certifications and/or professional accreditation
• Good understanding of digital product development practices including Agile
  
  
  

Contact and additional information

You can be based at any Environment Agency office with home working available under EA’s current working practices. Some national travel is required mainly to London, Birmingham and Bristol but also to other EA office locations where you teams will be located. Travel is planned in advance and overnight stays will be required.

For further information please contact: [e-mail]

Closing date for applications is: Sun, 27 July 2025

Candidate Assessments will take place in person at Mary Ward House, St Pancras, London on 20th & 21st August 2025

• We will be running a virtual candidate briefing session for those interested in applying for the role on Friday, 18 July 2024 from 10-11am. Invitations can be acquired by emailing: [e-mail]
  
  
  

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.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Marketing and Sales

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