30087 - Agriculture Regulatory Inspection Officer - Cumbria & Lancashire

Do you have a good knowledge of agriculture in England and want to improve our natural environment? Would you like to be at the forefront of agricultural change? This is an exciting opportunity as we are recruiting multiple Officers in our Cumbria and Lancashire Area to undertake regulatory inspections of farms. Agricultural practices can cause significant and chronic pollution to our precious water environment. These can be caused by leaks of slurry and silage effluent, and other materials, stored and spread on farms. We are looking for dynamic team members, including new graduates, with experience and understanding of agriculture activity, to work with farmers to increase their levels of compliance with existing environmental regulations. This will help safeguard and improve the future environment. In this role you will:

• carry out targeted farm inspections
• engage with farmers to influence them to change their practice, which may involve difficult conversations
• collect data and produce reports on findings
• be willing to undertake regulatory action when needed, including prosecutions and the serving of notices
Many are transferrable skills and training will be provided. The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don't just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment. Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract an additional payment and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role. The team As a member of the Cumbria & Lancashire Agricultural Regulation Team, you will carry out targeted farm inspections in the local area to help improve farmer behaviours with respect to their local environment. You will be part of a dispersed operational team that is integral to delivering real environmental improvements. The Environment Agency works to create better places for people and wildlife and support sustainable development.

The following skills are desirable:
• experience of working with farmers, on farms, the agriculture sector or other regulation
• an understanding of the complexities and challenges of working UK farms
• excellent communication and influencing skills
• an ability to have challenging conversations
You must have: A full UK driving licence IT skills (e.g. Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel), be comfortable using an iPad and a laptop on a daily basis, and be able to input inspection findings into systems. A willingness to take action where farms are non-compliant with regulations