Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

Environment Agency; Bristol; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Environment Agency is seeking a Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation to lead operational teams and deliver regulatory reforms. This role requires strong leadership, excellent communication skills, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders. The successful candidate will contribute to a Net-Zero economy by overseeing various regulatory schemes and collaborating with government and industry partners.

Benefits

Flexible working

Diversity and inclusion support

Guaranteed interviews for disabled applicants

Qualifications

• Proven operational leadership across large, diverse teams.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and secure commitment.
• Experience managing change and navigating regulatory challenges.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and management of operational teams.
• Translate policy into impactful delivery and build stakeholder trust.
• Manage competing priorities and deliver through others.

Skills

Operational leadership

Communication skills

Change management

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Education

Professional qualification in any discipline

Job description

Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

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Job Description

The Environment Agency is delivering a more circular and Net-Zero economy by reducing waste and carbon through regulating a range of market-based schemes. An ambitious Government programme of regulatory reforms means we are expanding our duties and our teams are growing to deliver these new regimes. The Environmental Markets & Regulation (EM&R) team in Operations oversees the regulation of schemes including Producer Responsibility Waste markets, Carbon Markets, Hazardous Waste, Chemicals, Carriers, Brokers and Dealers, and International Waste Shipments. They also deliver National Income Services.

We are recruiting an additional permanent Deputy Director to support the delivery of emerging and existing regulatory regimes driven by government reform and increasing environmental ambition.

As we navigate transitions to new regulatory policies, we seek a leader to provide strategic leadership and management of our specialist operational teams, which deliver services with high national and international impact. You will work with government, industry, and partner regulators to deliver through others, lead on operational regulatory standards and activities, and provide expert technical regulatory direction. Your excellent communication and advanced problem-solving skills will foster effective, collaborative relationships with stakeholders, manage expectations, and champion our regulatory and compliance activities.

Your leadership will promote health, safety, wellbeing, continuous improvement, and diversity, equality, and inclusion. You will bring strategic thinking, connect operational ways of working with team support, delegation, and negotiation skills.

While providing inclusive leadership, you will also contribute to wider Agency goals through the National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) Leadership Team and the Operations Executive Group, building relationships across Operations and the wider organization to ensure continued delivery for the Agency and community.

The team

Environmental Markets & Regulation is part of National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) within Operations. EM&R currently comprises 5 teams: two regulating Producer Responsibility Waste markets, one for Climate markets, one for our National Income Service, and a team overseeing hazardous waste, chemicals, carriers, brokers, and dealers. The team includes approximately 550 staff and is set to grow. We collaborate closely across Operations, Environment & Business, Legal Services, and government partners.

Experience/skills Required

• Proven operational leadership across large, diverse, and geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience delivering complex work programmes through others and implementing new ways of working.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and secure commitment from Boards, policy groups, Defra, DESNZ, industry, and regulatory bodies.
• Excellent communication skills for briefing technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, influence, and deliver through others.
• Experience managing change and navigating high-profile political and regulatory challenges.
• Ability to translate complex technical and data-driven insights into clear outcomes for stakeholders.

The role requires operating with autonomy, translating policy into impactful delivery, and navigating complex environments to represent the organization and build stakeholder trust. A professional qualification in any discipline is preferred.

Contact and additional information

Responding to incidents is central to our work. You will be required to participate in incident response and business continuity support, with full training provided.

Effective delegation and remote leadership skills are essential for managing teams nationwide. We value diversity and experiences that enhance our strengths.

This role reports to Malcolm Lythgo, Director of Operations, National Regulation & Monitoring. There will be a virtual briefing on 28th May 2025, 10-11 am. To receive an invite, contact Malcolm’s PA at [e-mail]. Virtual interviews are scheduled for 28th and 29th July 2025.

Additional notes

Applicants from the Civil Service should note that the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and does not provide continuous service. Local government employees may be eligible for continuous service for redundancy purposes. For questions, consult your HR team.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion and support flexible working and guaranteed interviews for disabled applicants who meet minimum criteria.

The Environment Agency uses government frameworks for external recruitment and does not engage directly via post, email, or phone. Interested suppliers should visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/ for more information.