Head of Monitoring Environmental Law - The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)

Ensuring UK environmental law is delivering on its objectives

About us

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) is a new public body, which will be the cornerstone of the UK’s environmental governance system following our departure from the EU. From climate change to biodiversity loss, we will hold government to account on its environmental commitments. We will also offer independent oversight and advice on environmental law and other matters relating to the natural environment. 

Until is it legally established as a Non-Departmental Public Body, the Interim OEP will be a division within The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Initial challenges will include developing the OEP strategy and enforcement policy, producing an independent assessment of progress in relation to the government's 25-Year Environment Plan, and determining how the OEP will form and operate.

About the role

As Head of Monitoring Environmental Law, you will support environmental protection and improvement in a number of ways: by assessing how well environmental law is being applied, by influencing more effective application of existing laws, and by contributing the development of new, improved laws. Heading up a small, specialist team, you will take a strategic approach to determining which areas of environmental law to address and determining how assessment and reporting should be carried out to maximise effectiveness and influence. The team will set out its findings and recommendations in reports presented to Parliament and Government.

Your team will also respond to requests for advice from Ministers on a wide range of matters concerning the natural environment. This will mean drawing on resources from across the OEP as well as accessing expertise and information from outside the organisation.

About you

A strategic thinker and an experienced leader, you will combine expert knowledge of UK environmental law with political astuteness and the confidence to advise senior people. A strong track-record of analysing, developing or implementing environmental law and policy in a fast-moving and complex context is essential. Your highly developed communication skills mean you can present findings and make recommendations in a clear and compelling manner. You will also be capable of managing both people and projects effectively.

Benefits

We aim to support the professional and personal wellbeing of everyone in Defra. Our benefits include generous annual leave, a contributory pension, staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme. We also offer flexible working and a variety of learning and development opportunities.