Agriculture Regulatory Inspection Officer - Cumbria & Lancashire

Environment Agency, Penrith, Cumbria

Agriculture Regulatory Inspection Officer - Cumbria & Lancashire

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Environment Agency, Penrith, Cumbria

  • Full time
  • Permanent
  • Onsite working

Posted 3 days ago, 3 Jan | Get your application in today.

Closing date: Closing date not specified

job Ref: edb58491ae974c23a203b96130c7d9d1

Full Job Description

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., You will be required to hold a full driving licence and be willing to travel extensively across the Cumbria & Lancashire Area. Further information can be found in the candidate pack. Vehicle transport will be provided to allow site inspections. For enquires please contact Natalie.walsh@environment-agency.gov.uk Interviews will be hosted in person week in February. Competence 1 Achieves Results, Giving an example of how you have delivered change on a farm or other site, describe how you prioritised your workload and how you met the final deadline.
  • What was the work and timelines you were working to?
  • Did you experience any setbacks and if so, what effect did this have?
  • What was the outcome?
  • We recommend the "STAR" approach when assessing these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result). Please refer to the candidate pack attached to read the capability dictionary and further information. Competence 2 Influences and Persuades Others, Give an example of a time when you have had to bring a farmer, landowner or other customer around to your way of thinking.
  • What was the situation and what did you do?
  • What were the main challenges and how did you overcome these?
  • What was the outcome?
  • What did you learn and is there anything you would do differently if a similar situation arose in the future?
  • We recommend the "STAR" approach when assessing these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result]. Please refer to the candidate pack attached to read the capability diction and further information. Competence 3 Legislative Knowledge, The Farming Rules for Water (2018) are regulations about the prevention of diffuse pollution from farms. Describe the key challenges farmers have with complying with these regulations.
  • What do you know about the farming rules for water?
  • Why are they important?
  • What challenges to farmers face that mean compliance is difficult?
  • What would you do to help improve farm compliance with these regulations?
  • We recommend the "STAR" approach when assessing these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result). Please refer to the candidate pack attached to read the capability dictionary and further information. Competence 4 Works in Teams, As an Agricultural Regulatory Inspection Officer you will be part of a team and will need to work closely with colleagues in your team and many others. Tell us about a successful team of which you have been part, focussing specifically on:
  • What made the team successful and
  • Your personal contribution to the success of the team
  • We recommend the "STAR" approach when assessing these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result]. Please refer to the candidate pack attached to read the capability diction and further information. If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team. We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application. We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post. The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit for more information.

    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

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