Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

Environment Agency; West Malling; 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 operational teams and implement regulatory reforms. This role requires strong leadership, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage complex work programmes. The successful candidate will influence senior leaders and collaborate with various stakeholders to achieve environmental goals.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Job sharing opportunities

Guaranteed Interview Policy for disabled applicants

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and management of operational teams.
• Collaborate with government and industry to ensure effective delivery.
• Translate regulatory policy into real-world impact.

Skills

Operational leadership

Communication skills

Change management

Problem-solving

Negotiation

Education

Professional qualification in any discipline

Job description

Deputy Director for Environmental Markets & Regulation - 30904

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 implement new duties and regimes. The Environmental Markets & Regulation (EM&R) team in Operations oversees the regulation of schemes such as Producer Responsibility Waste markets, Carbon Markets, Hazardous Waste, Chemicals, Carriers, Brokers, and International Waste Shipments, along with delivering National Income Services.

We are seeking to appoint an additional permanent Deputy Director to support the delivery of existing and emerging regulatory regimes driven by government reforms and environmental goals.

In this role, you will provide strategic leadership and management of our specialist operational teams, which deliver high-impact services nationally and internationally. You will collaborate with government, industry, and partner regulators to ensure effective delivery, oversee operational regulatory standards, and provide expert technical guidance. Your excellent communication skills and problem-solving abilities will be vital in building relationships, managing expectations, and championing compliance activities.

Your leadership will promote health, safety, wellbeing, continuous improvement, and diversity, equality, & inclusion. You will demonstrate strategic thinking, foster supportive teamwork, and excel in delegation and negotiation.

As an inclusive leader, you will also contribute to the wider goals of the Agency through participation in the National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) Leadership Team and the Operations Executive Group, nurturing relationships across departments to ensure continued success for the Agency and community.

The Team

Environmental Markets & Regulation is part of National Regulation & Monitoring (NRM) within Operations. The team comprises five units: two regulating Producer Responsibility Waste markets, one for Climate markets, one for National Income Services, and a team overseeing Hazardous Waste, Chemicals, and Carriers, Brokers, and Dealers. Currently, around 550 staff, with plans for growth, work closely across Operations, Environment & Business, Legal Services, and government agencies.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Proven operational leadership across large, diverse, and geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience managing complex work programmes and implementing new operational approaches.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and secure commitment across boards, policy groups, Defra, DESNZ, industry, and regulatory bodies.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of briefing both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven success in managing competing priorities, influencing others, and delivering results.
• Experience managing change and navigating high-profile political and regulatory challenges.
• Ability to translate complex technical and data insights into clear, meaningful outcomes for various stakeholders.

The role requires autonomous operation, translating regulatory policy into real-world impact, and representing the organization effectively in complex political and regulatory environments. A professional qualification in any discipline is preferred.

Additional Information

Responding to incidents is central to this role, and you must be available to respond or support during incidents. Full training will be provided. You should possess excellent delegation and remote leadership skills to manage specialist teams nationwide. We value diversity and encourage flexible working arrangements, including job sharing. We are committed to a Guaranteed Interview Policy for disabled applicants meeting minimum criteria.

This role reports to Malcolm Lythgo, Director of Operations, National Regulation & Monitoring. A virtual briefing will be held on 28th May 2025, from 10-11 am. Interviews are scheduled for 28th & 29th July 2025.