Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

Environment Agency; Little Newcastle; 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 regulatory efforts in a growing team. This role involves strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, and managing complex regulatory frameworks to support a Net-Zero economy. The successful candidate will have a strong background in operational leadership and excellent communication skills, contributing to national and international environmental goals.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Guaranteed interviews for disabled applicants

Qualifications

• Proven operational leadership across large, diverse teams.
• Experience managing change and influencing senior leaders.
• Ability to translate complex insights into meaningful outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and management of operational teams.
• Collaborate with government and industry for effective delivery.
• Manage regulatory standards and champion compliance activities.

Skills

Operational leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

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 these 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 collaborate with government, industry, and partner regulators to ensure effective delivery, lead on operational regulatory standards, and provide expert technical regulatory direction. Your excellent communication and advanced problem-solving skills will foster effective relationships with stakeholders, manage expectations, and champion regulatory and compliance activities.

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

While providing inclusive leadership within your team, you will also contribute to the wider Agency goals through 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 ensuring ongoing success.

The team:

Environmental Markets & Regulation is part of National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) within Operations. EM&R consists of five teams responsible for regulating Producer Responsibility Waste markets, Climate markets, our National Income Service, and Hazardous Waste, Chemicals, and Carriers, Brokers and Dealers. Currently, approximately 550 staff, with plans for growth, work closely across Operations, Environment & Business, Legal Services, and government.

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 across Boards, policy groups, Defra, DESNZ, industry, and regulatory bodies.
• Excellent communication skills for briefing technical and non-technical audiences to enable delivery and collaboration.
• 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, meaningful outcomes for stakeholders.

The role requires autonomy, translating regulatory policy into impactful delivery, and navigating complex political and regulatory environments to build trust with diverse stakeholders. A professional qualification in any discipline is likely suitable.

Contact and Additional Information

Responding to incidents is central to this role. You must be available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during incidents, with full training provided.

Excellent delegation and remote leadership skills are essential for managing specialist operational teams nationwide. We value diversity and experiences that strengthen our organization.

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

Note: The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service, so successful applicants will not be Crown Servants and will not have continuous civil service status. For local government or other bodies, you may be eligible for continuous service for redundancy purposes. Contact your HR if unsure.

We are committed to diversity and inclusive employment, welcoming flexible working arrangements and providing guaranteed interviews for disabled applicants whose minimum criteria are met.

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