Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

Environment Agency; Leyland; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Environment Agency is seeking a Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation to lead teams overseeing various regulatory schemes. This role requires strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills to navigate complex regulatory environments and build stakeholder trust. The successful candidate will work closely with government and industry to ensure effective delivery of services with significant national and international impact.

Qualifications

• Proven operational leadership across large, diverse teams.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and secure commitment from Boards.
• Experience managing change and navigating high-profile political challenges.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight and management of specialist operational teams.
• Collaborate with government, industry, and partner regulators.
• Ensure effective delivery and lead on operational regulatory standards.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem Solving

Change Management

Education

Professional Qualification

Job description

Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

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Job Description

The Environment Agency is committed to delivering a more circular and Net-Zero economy by reducing waste and carbon emissions through the regulation of various market-based schemes. An ambitious government programme of regulatory reforms is expanding our responsibilities, and our teams are growing to meet these new demands. The Environmental Markets & Regulation (EM&R) team within 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 an additional permanent Deputy Director to support the delivery of both emerging and existing regulatory regimes driven by government reform and increasing environmental ambitions.

As we transition to new regulatory policies, we seek a leader to provide strategic oversight and management of 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 and lead on operational regulatory standards, activities, and provide expert technical regulatory guidance. Your excellent communication and advanced problem-solving skills will facilitate effective relationships with stakeholders, manage expectations, and champion our regulatory and compliance efforts.

Your leadership will emphasize health, safety, wellbeing, continuous improvement, and diversity, equality, and inclusion. You will demonstrate strategic thinking, connect operational practices with supportive team leadership, delegation, and negotiation skills.

While leading inclusively within your team, you will also contribute to the broader goals of the Agency through participation in the National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) Leadership Team and the Operations Executive Group. Building and nurturing relationships across Operations and the wider organization will be key to our continued success.

The EM&R team, part of NRM in Operations, currently comprises five teams responsible for regulating Producer Responsibility Waste markets, Climate markets, our National Income Service, and Hazardous Waste, Chemicals, and Carriers, Brokers and Dealers. With approximately 550 staff, and expected growth, we work closely with 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 working methods.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and secure commitment from Boards, policy groups, Defra, DESNZ, industry, and regulatory bodies.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of briefing both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, influence, and deliver outcomes through others.
• Experience managing change and navigating high-profile political and regulatory challenges.
• Ability to translate complex technical and data insights into clear, meaningful outcomes for stakeholders.

The role requires autonomous operation, translating 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 desirable.

Contact and Additional Information

Responding to incidents is central to our work. The successful candidate must be available to respond to incidents or support business continuity during incidents, with full training provided.

Effective remote leadership and delegation skills are essential for managing specialist teams nationwide. We value diversity and inclusive leadership and welcome flexible working arrangements, including job sharing. Please specify your preferred working arrangements in your application.

We have a Guaranteed Interview Policy for applicants with disabilities whose applications meet the minimum criteria. The Environment Agency is committed to diversity and inclusion.

This role reports to Malcolm Lythgo, Director of Operations, NRM. A virtual briefing on 28th May 2025 from 10-11 am is available; contact Malcolm’s PA at [e-mail] for an invite. Virtual interviews are scheduled for 28th and 29th July 2025.

Note: The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; thus, appointment does not confer Crown Servant status or continuous service. For those in local government or similar, eligibility for continuous service for redundancy calculations may apply. Contact your HR for clarification.

We promote a diverse and inclusive workforce and encourage applications from all backgrounds. Please include any flexible working preferences in your application. We support applicants with disabilities through our Guaranteed Interview Policy.

As a Non-Departmental Public Body, we utilize government frameworks for external recruitment and do not engage directly via post, email, or phone. To become a support supplier, visit the UK government procurement site for more information.