Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

Environment Agency; Exeter; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The Environment Agency is seeking a Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation to lead regulatory teams and drive operational standards. This role involves strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, and managing complex regulatory frameworks. The successful candidate will promote diversity and inclusion while ensuring effective collaboration across various sectors.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Job sharing options

Guaranteed interviews for disabled applicants

Qualifications

• Proven operational leadership across large, diverse teams.
• Experience delivering complex work programmes.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and secure commitments.

Responsibilities

• Lead specialist operational teams regulating market-based schemes.
• Provide expert technical direction and ensure collaboration with stakeholders.
• Translate policy into impactful delivery in complex environments.

Skills

Operational leadership

Communication skills

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Professional qualification in any discipline

Job description

Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

We are seeking a Deputy Director to support the delivery of emerging and existing regulatory regimes driven by government reform and increasing environmental ambition. The role involves strategic leadership and management of specialist operational teams that regulate market-based schemes such as Producer Responsibility Waste markets, Carbon Markets, Hazardous Waste, Chemicals, Carriers, Brokers, and International Waste Shipments.

The successful candidate will work with government, industry, and partner regulators to deliver operational regulatory standards, provide expert technical direction, and ensure effective collaboration with stakeholders. Leadership responsibilities include promoting health, safety, wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion within the team, and contributing to wider agency goals through various leadership groups.

The team, within the National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) in Operations, currently comprises around 550 staff and is expected to grow. It works closely across Operations, Environment & Business, Legal Services, and government bodies.

Experience and Skills Required:

• Proven operational leadership across large, diverse, and geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience delivering complex work programmes and implementing new ways of working.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and secure commitment from various bodies including Boards, government departments, and industry.
• Excellent communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and lead change in high-profile environments.
• Capacity to translate technical insights into clear outcomes for stakeholders.

The role requires autonomous operation, translating policy into impactful delivery, and navigating complex political and regulatory environments. A professional qualification in any discipline is preferred.

Additional Information:

This role reports to Malcolm Lythgo, Director of Operations, and includes responsibilities for incident response and business continuity. Virtual briefing sessions are scheduled for 28th May 2025, with interviews planned for late July 2025. We value diversity and offer flexible working arrangements, including job sharing and guaranteed interviews for disabled applicants.