Senior Managing Lawyer - Environmental Regulation (Water) - 31850

Overview

We are looking for a strong lawyer and leader for the role of Senior Managing Lawyer Environmental Regulation (Water). This role will lead and manage a team providing legal support covering environmental regulation and civil litigation in relation to water resources and water quality, including advice on environmental law and regulation, appeals, civil court challenges, judicial review and injunction applications. You will be a role model for the Environment Agency’s leadership behaviours and provide timely, risk-based and high quality legal advice and litigation in the field of water and related regulation.

Responsibilities

Lead, plan and monitor the strategic direction of the team’s contribution to support the delivery of business plans.

Develop and maintain relationships at management level; provide an intermediate escalation point on legal issues for internal Executive Managers and Managers.

Own, manage and deliver agreed cross-cutting issues on behalf of Legal and Audit Services.

Lead a team of Senior Lawyers working on environmental regulation and litigation relating primarily to water quality and resources regulation.

Advise on regulatory matters, regulatory appeals and judicial reviews in the field of water and related regulation.

Experience/Skills Required

Experience of managing and leading people.

Experience of handling complex technical issues.

Significant experience advising on judicial review; regulation, civil penalties and appeals; and public law.

Thorough and up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation or ability to get up to speed rapidly.

Confidence and experience to assimilate a new area of environmental or other law quickly; ability to collaborate with other senior lawyers on cross-cutting issues.

Ability to write detailed legal briefings for use at senior and government level, and to brief orally at director/board/government level.

Experience of working effectively at a level and/or with government.

Role details

This role is full-time or a job share that delivers full-time cover. We are committed to an inclusive workforce and welcome flexible working patterns; please include your working arrangements on your application.

Locations can be any of our main office sites: Bristol, Exeter, Birmingham, Peterborough, Warrington, Leeds, Reading. Some travel will be required. Interviews to take place in October 2025. You will be a qualified solicitor or barrister with a current right to practise in England.

Application and equality statements

We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all vacancies, including job share. We have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a who are seeking employment.

If you are applying from the Civil Service, note that the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. 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, please contact your HR team.

The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and uses Central Government frameworks and contracts for external recruitment. We are unable to engage with the market directly by post, email or phone calls. If you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts, please visit the Crown Commercial Service information page for more details.

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