Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

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

Job summary

The Environment Agency seeks a Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation to lead operational teams and oversee regulatory schemes. This role involves strategic leadership, stakeholder management, and navigating complex regulatory environments. Ideal candidates will have proven leadership experience and strong communication skills, contributing to the Agency's mission of promoting a circular and Net-Zero economy.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Job sharing options

Guaranteed interviews for applicants with disabilities

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and manage specialist operational teams.
• Collaborate with government, industry, and partner regulators.
• Translate regulatory policy into impactful delivery.

Skills

Operational leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Change management

Education

Professional qualification in any discipline

Job description

Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

Job Description

The Environment Agency is committed to delivering a more circular and Net-Zero economy by reducing waste and carbon emissions through regulation of various market-based schemes. Due to an ambitious government programme of regulatory reforms, our teams are expanding to accommodate new duties. 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 manage National Income Services.

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

As we transition to new regulatory policies, we seek a leader to provide strategic leadership and manage our specialist operational teams, which deliver services with significant national and international impact. You will collaborate with government, industry, and partner regulators to ensure effective delivery, set operational standards, and provide technical regulatory guidance. Your excellent communication and problem-solving skills will facilitate effective relationships and stakeholder management, championing compliance activities.

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

In addition to leading your team inclusively, you will contribute to the broader goals of the Agency through participation in the National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) Leadership Team and the Operations Executive Group, fostering relationships across Operations and the wider organization to ensure ongoing delivery excellence.

The Team

Environmental Markets & Regulation is part of the National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) in Operations. It comprises five teams responsible for regulating Producer Responsibility Waste markets, Climate markets, National Income Service, and Hazardous Waste, Chemicals, Carriers, Brokers, and Dealers. The team currently has around 550 staff and is expected to grow. It collaborates closely across Operations, Environment & Business, Legal Services, and government partners.

Experience and Skills Required

• Proven operational leadership across large, diverse, and geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience delivering complex work programmes through others and implementing new working methods.
• 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 to enable collaboration.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and influence outcomes.
• Experience managing change and navigating high-profile political and regulatory challenges.
• Expertise in translating complex technical and data insights into clear, meaningful outcomes for stakeholders.

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

Additional Information

This role involves incident response responsibilities, with full training provided. Effective remote leadership and delegation skills are essential for managing teams nationwide. We value diversity and encourage flexible working arrangements, including job sharing. We also guarantee interviews for applicants with disabilities meeting minimum criteria.

The Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body committed to value for money, utilizing government frameworks for recruitment. For support or to become a supplier, visit this link.