Programme Lead - National

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We have an exciting opportunity to lead the Environment Agency's strategic engagement on some of the UK's most significant water infrastructure programmes.

We are seeking an experienced and influential Programme/Project Lead to act as the Environment Agency's single point of contact for a portfolio of connected Water Resource Strategic Resource Options (SROs). This is a high-profile leadership role, bringing together regulatory, technical and stakeholder interests to ensure successful progression of major water resource schemes.

As the programme's account manager, you will maintain a complete overview of each SRO, coordinating multiple workstreams and ensuring effective regulatory input at every stage of development. Working closely with Area Directors, leadership teams, water companies and partner organisations, you will shape strategic direction, align regulatory activity and help deliver sustainable solutions for future water resilience.

Key Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership by defining and communicating Area ambition for SRO schemes, balancing opportunities, risks and regulatory outcomes.

Coordinate resources and expertise, ensuring the right skills, teams and partners are engaged at the right time to support programme delivery.

Manage programme-level risks, anticipating issues early, resolving barriers and escalating concerns that could impact regulatory progress.

Build strong stakeholder relationships with water companies, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales and internal teams to drive collaboration and delivery.

Provide clear reporting and governance updates to senior leaders, programme boards, RAPID and other key forums.

Steer technical coordination, overseeing SRO Coordinators and ensuring technical requirements are understood, planned and delivered effectively.

Champion consistent communications and engagement, working with specialist teams to ensure clear, coordinated messaging and support across all channels.

This role would suit a strategic programme leader with strong stakeholder management, risk management and organisational skills, capable of bringing people together to solve complex challenges and deliver meaningful environmental outcomes.

The team

You'll join our Strategic Coordination Team that sits within the Water Infrastructure Delivery Programme.

The team is the EA point of contact into companies proposing Water Infrastructure supply schemes (reservoirs, water recycling schemes, large scale transfers and desalination) and to RAPID.

The team understands the collective need and shapes and commissions the work needed from the wider team and throughout the programme, including escalating cross cutting issues for resolution.