Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

Environment Agency; Preston; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Environment Agency is seeking a permanent Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation to oversee regulatory duties in a growing team. This executive role involves strategic management, fostering relationships, and ensuring compliance with environmental goals. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills while promoting diversity and inclusion within the agency.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Job sharing options

Diversity support

Qualifications

• Proven operational leadership across large, dispersed teams.
• Experience managing complex programs and implementing new processes.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and secure commitments.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of regulatory regimes driven by government reforms.
• Manage operational teams with national and international impact.
• Foster collaborative relationships with government, industry, and regulators.

Skills

Operational leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Stakeholder influence

Change management

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 working towards a more circular and Net-Zero economy by regulating market-based schemes to reduce waste and carbon emissions. Due to an ambitious government reform program, we are expanding our teams to deliver new regulatory duties. The Environmental Markets & Regulation (EM&R) team in Operations oversees schemes such as Producer Responsibility Waste markets, Carbon Markets, Hazardous Waste, Chemicals, Carriers, Brokers and Dealers, and International Waste Shipments, along with National Income Services.

Position Overview

We are seeking a permanent Deputy Director to support the delivery of emerging and existing regulatory regimes driven by government reforms and environmental goals. This leadership role involves strategic management of operational teams that have significant national and international impact. The successful candidate will work with government, industry, and regulators to uphold operational standards, provide technical regulatory expertise, and foster collaborative relationships. Excellent communication, problem-solving skills, and leadership are essential.

Your leadership will promote health, safety, wellbeing, diversity, and inclusion. You will connect strategic thinking with team management, delegation, and negotiation. As part of the wider Agency, you will contribute to organizational goals through various leadership groups, fostering relationships across operations and broader sectors.

Team Structure

The EM&R team, part of the National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) in Operations, currently comprises five teams managing different regulatory areas, with approximately 550 staff, and plans to grow. The team collaborates with various departments and external bodies.

Required Experience and Skills

• Proven operational leadership across large, dispersed teams.
• Experience managing complex programs and implementing new processes.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and secure commitments across multiple organizations.
• Excellent communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience managing priorities, influencing, and leading change in high-profile environments.
• Ability 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 involves incident response responsibilities, with full training provided. Effective remote leadership and delegation skills are crucial. The position reports to Malcolm Lythgo, Director of Operations, and includes participation in virtual briefings and interviews scheduled for July 2025.

Note: The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; therefore, civil service benefits do not apply. We support diversity and flexible working arrangements, including job sharing. We guarantee interviews for applicants with disabilities meeting minimum criteria.

For external recruitment, we utilize government frameworks; direct market engagement is not possible.

Additional Details

• Seniority level: Executive
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Management and Manufacturing