Principal Flood Risk Engineer

PublicaGroupWODC; Witney; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 74,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Agile working

Flexible working

Pension scheme

Health plan

Cycle to work

Car lease scheme

Annual leave 27 days

Job summary

West Oxfordshire District Council is seeking an experienced Flood Risk Management Lead to provide leadership and specialist advice on flood risk, drainage and Sustainable Drainage Systems. You will lead the Council’s response to flooding incidents and deliver measures that reduce risk and improve community resilience.

The role involves developing and delivering flood risk projects, managing programmes and budgets, and working with local authorities, agencies, landowners and developers.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent qualification in Civil Engineering, Flood Risk Management, Environmental Science or related discipline.
• At least five years’ relevant professional experience.
• Membership of, or eligibility for, ICE, CIWEM or equivalent.
• Knowledge of Health & Safety and CDM requirements.
• Strong problem-solving, negotiation and communication skills.
• Ability to manage change, work independently under pressure and deliver outcomes to deadlines.
• Ability to build relationships, motivate others and handle challenging situations.
• Competent use of Microsoft and Google software.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional leadership and specialist advice on flood risk, drainage and Sustainable Drainage Systems.
• Lead the Council’s response to flooding incidents and identify solutions.
• Develop and deliver flood risk management, flood alleviation and resilience projects.
• Manage programmes, budgets, consultants and contractors.
• Prepare technical reports, committee papers, funding bids and business cases.

Skills

Flood risk management

Project leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Negotiation

Change management

MS Office / Google Apps

Education

Relevant degree or equivalent

Tools

GIS

CAD

Job description

Flood Risk Management Lead

£67,116 per annum

Permanent

Witney/agile working

West Oxfordshire District Council is seeking an experienced Flood Risk Management Lead to provide professional leadership and specialist advice on flood risk, drainage and Sustainable Drainage Systems. The role will lead the Council’s response to flooding incidents, investigate causes, identify solutions and deliver measures that reduce future flood risk and improve community resilience. You will provide expert advice to Members, senior officers, and partner organisations, supporting the Council’s priorities around climate adaptation, environmental improvement and sustainable development.

You will develop and deliver flood risk management, flood alleviation and resilience projects, managing programmes, budgets, consultants and contractors effectively. The role will involve working closely with local authorities, statutory agencies, utility companies, landowners, developers and communities, as well as providing specialist advice on planning applications and development proposals. You will also prepare technical reports, committee papers, funding bids and business cases, represent the Council at relevant forums and identify opportunities to secure external funding.

The successful candidate will have a relevant degree or equivalent qualification and significant experience in flood risk management, drainage, civil engineering, environmental management or a related field. Membership of, or eligibility for membership of, a professional body such as ICE or CIWEM is desirable. You will have excellent communication, problem-solving and partnership-working skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, work under pressure and respond confidently to challenging situations. Experience of project management, external funding, major planning applications, GIS/CAD or supervising technical staff would be advantageous. A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes are required.

For more information about this role please see the Job Description/Person Specification.

What you will need

• Relevant degree or equivalent in Civil Engineering, Flood Risk Management, Environmental Science or a related discipline.
• At least five years’ relevant professional experience.
• Membership of, or eligibility for, ICE, CIWEM or an equivalent professional body.
• Knowledge of Health & Safety and CDM requirements.
• Strong problem-solving, negotiation and communication skills.
• Ability to manage change, work independently under pressure and deliver outcomes to deadlines.
• Ability to build effective relationships, motivate others and handle challenging situations.
• Competent use of Microsoft, Google and other relevant software.

Special Conditions

• You will be expected to work reasonable additional hours in line with the needs of the service.
• There may be a requirement to work at other locations to meet the needs of the business.
• Full UK Driving Licence is essential
• Ability to travel / access to a vehicle for work purposes

Vacancies can close earlier than stated if a high number of applications have been received.

What we can do for you

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working
• Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)
• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays, which increases to 30 days after five years’ service and 33 days following 10 years’ continuous service
• In addition you will have an extra two volunteering days a year for you to support a charity of your choice
• Renewed again for another year there is a Health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care
• Generous contributory local government pension scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with significant tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars
• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements

About Us

West Oxfordshire District Council is a forward-looking council, putting residents first and working in partnership to support our communities. We are delivering an ambitious Council Plan for the district that is focused on important local priorities including affordable housing, climate and ecological action, helping our economy to grow and building communities.

We also provide a range of important local services that make a positive impact to our district on a daily basis including planning, housing, waste and recycling collections, leisure centres, community safety and environmental health.

Joining West Oxfordshire District Council you will be helping us achieve our goals for the district and play a part in supporting our communities, our businesses and our environment.

Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies.

Our organisation is committed to meeting its statutory and moral duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people under 18 years of age and adults at risk who are the recipients of its services and/or activities.

Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references; proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years’ employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record.