Reservoir Regulation Leader

Environment Agency; Owston Ferry; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working patterns

Guaranteed Interview for applicants in

Disability interview guarantee

Job summary

Environment Agency is seeking an experienced and inspirational leader to head the Reservoir Regulation team and drive regulation across England, ensuring public safety under the Reservoirs Act. The role demands strategic direction, strong stakeholder engagement, and the ability to foster a high‑performing, inclusive culture.

You will influence senior stakeholders, work with Defra on reform programmes, and manage complex risks in a nationwide setting with flexible base location and travel across

Qualifications

• Expertise in Regulation, Civil Engineering, Law or similar and relevant subject to Reservoir Regulation.
• Strategic leadership — Proven experience setting and translating strategic intent into confident, high‑quality operational delivery.
• High‑performance culture — Track record of driving high performance, modelling personal accountability, and fostering psychological safety where people feel empowered and supported.
• Innovative thinking - Ability to generate creative ideas, challenge assumptions, and deliver value through new approaches
• Confident decision‑making — Skilled at making proportionate, risk‑based decisions under pressure and at pace while removing barriers to delivery.
• Influential collaboration - Able to build consensus and influence senior internal and external stakeholders to secure the best outcomes for the environment and the business.

Responsibilities

• Lead proactive stakeholder management to build trust and foster collaboration
• Set strategic priorities aligned to EA Regulatory strategy and motivate teams to deliver efficiently
• Develop and embed a culture of continuous improvement to meet changing needs
• Foster psychological safety to empower confident decision making and innovation
• Manage complex, fast-paced, multi-agency risks to uphold public safety
• Support Reservoir Safety Reform Programme with senior user input
• Provide strategic leadership translating intent into high‑quality operational delivery
• Drive high performance and accountability across the team
• Encourage innovative thinking and remove delivery barriers
• Influence internal and external stakeholders to secure optimal outcomes for the environment and the business

Skills

Regulation

Civil Engineering

Law

Strategic leadership

High‑performance culture

Innovative thinking

Confident decision‑making

Influential collaboration

Job description

Environment Agency is seeking an experienced and inspirational leader to head the Reservoir Regulation team and drive regulation across England, ensuring public safety under the Reservoirs Act. The role demands strategic direction, strong stakeholder engagement, and the ability to foster a high‑performing, inclusive culture.

You will influence senior stakeholders, work with Defra on reform programmes, and manage complex risks in a nationwide setting with flexible base location and travel across