Head of Climate Adaptation & Mitigation

*This is a hybrid-working role, with attendance in the Chelmsford office expected to be approximately 2-3 days per month, depending on business need.

Please note we intend to invite successful applicants to interview in-person in County Hall, Chelmsford, on the 13 th or 14 th February 2025.

The Opportunity

This two year fixed term contract opportunity as Head of Climate Adaptation & Mitigation is one of the most exciting posts in the Climate sector in local government. It combines the spheres of flood reduction, nature recovery and water and environmental pollution.

The post has a multi disciplinary team that work together across sectors to find solutions to climate change. The post provides multi benefits to the communities of Essex, reducing floods, cleaning surface and river water, absorbing air pollution, enhancing biodiversity and increasing habitats, planting trees and hedges, developing multi benefit Green Infrastructure and providing green environments to improve physical and mental health.

The delivery teams include the Lead Local Flood Authority, the Capital Flood team, the Sustainable Drainage team, the Green Infrastructure team and the Essex Forest Initiative team, a total of 23 staff.

The Role

Essex is committed to ensuring it is able to ensure the county is a place where business and enterprise can flourish, where communities are supported to be more resilient, where we commit to minimise our collective environmental impact, and where strong partnerships between the public, private and voluntary sector are secured to drive joint outcomes.

The Head of Climate Adaptation & Mitigation will deliver resource sustainability and resilience programmes for the communities of Essex. This leader will ensure the Council’s statutory responsibilities, particularly Lead Local Flood Authority requirements, the Local Nature Recovery Strategy delivery and the Council Biodiversity delivery.

This leader will have significant experience of issues relating to the Natural Environment, an in-depth knowledge and understanding of surface water flood issues, green and blue infrastructure, tree and woodland management, relevant legislation relating to local nature recovery and biodiversity. Operating flexibly, adopting line and matrix management principles delivering across a broad range of outcomes.To read more about our business area, please visit: Climate, Environment and Customer Services

Service/Functional Accountabilities

• Accountable for reducing environmental impact and securing improvements to Essex’s natural environment. Ensure the impact of forthcoming legislation, regulation and policies are reflected in the Council’s, strategies and business plans.
• Work in collaboration with key environmental stakeholders ensuring that the Council’s contribution is fully valued.
• Engages with regulators and stakeholders regarding environmental legislation, regulations and policies to safeguard the interest of our customers.
• Lead a function of ‘in-house’ expertise, providing practical advice and technical support on environmental issues, building environmental awareness and providing relevant training across all levels of the Council
• Lead the Council in terms of carbon and climate change, sustainability, resilience, environment and conservation policies.
• Responsible for designing and overseeing the implementation, management and maintenance of initiatives which address critical climate change issues. Improving sustainability and promoting the importance of protecting the environment and ensuring the Council's operations are sustainable.
• Leading environmentally focused projects and initiatives, tracking progress of and taking corrective action or making recommendations.
• Develop, sustain and manage effective relationships across the Council and partners that influence and promote a coherent, aligned approach to resource management across the ECC outcomes framework.
• Delivering management information which depicts environmental performance to staff, clients and regulatory bodies.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Qualified to degree level in a relevant subject area, or equivalent by experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge within specialist area.
• Knowledge of commissioning-based service models and their application in a public and/or private sector context
• Strong leadership and behavioural skills which drive a highly performing and motivated multi-disciplinary team from diverse backgrounds, to achieve strategic objectives.
• Demonstrable achievement of outcomes for customers with a strong focus on evidence based decision making and maximising value for money.
• Evidence of success in determining and evaluating service quality and identifying opportunities to achieve efficiencies and cost reduction.
• A deep understanding of environmental issues, relevant legislation and renewable energy sources.

What’s in it for you?

• Generous Time Off: Starting with 27 days of holiday, which increases with your length of service, plus 8 bank holidays and up to 4 paid volunteer days each year to give back to your community. We also allow you to buy up to 5 days additional holiday per year.
• Secure Your Future: Benefit from enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), ensuring your financial security for the future.
• Travel: Choose between our car provision scheme or an annual allowance, worth up to £2,500 to suit your needs.
• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy the flexibility of hybrid working arrangements, allowing you to balance work with your personal life.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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For a copy of the full job description and for any queries relating to this role please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk