Project Manager - Assurance (Natural Capital Ecosystem Assessment) - 31069

This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in delivering the Environment Agency’s Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) Programme — a flagship initiative shaping how we understand and manage the water environment. The Programme supports Defra's wider NCEA programme in building a ground-breaking evidence base on the state and value of our natural environment and ecosystems to transform environmental decision-making in England.

As a Project Manager responsible for assurance, you will take a lead role in driving the technical assurance of the 12 monitoring networks within the programme. You'll work alongside specialists in science, data, and operations to ensure that the networks align with programme goals, while maintaining strong working relationships across teams.

We’re looking for someone who brings energy, initiative, and tenacity. Ideally you will have experience working in science programmes or large projects, be organised and detail-oriented, and able to manage delivery across time, cost, and quality. You’ll thrive working in a complex, fast-paced environment and enjoy working with both technical and non-technical colleagues.

If you’re passionate about making a real difference for nature and society — and enjoy turning strategy into delivery — we’d love to hear from you.

The team: You will join the NCEA Programme Management team within our Environment and Business (Chief Scientist Group) Directorate and report to the EA NCEA Senior Project Manager. We are a small, kind and friendly team fully committed to improving the water environment. We support flexible working to provide a positive work-life balance and to reduce our carbon footprint.

Experience/skills Required: You should have evidence of:

• demonstrating experience of supporting the delivery of Programmes or larger projects.
• delivery of your work with a focus on quality and attention to detail.
• stakeholder focus and organisational skills.
• demonstrate experience of managing finances and procurement and building budgets in a programme environment.
• build good relationships and work collaboratively.

Desirable:

• Have experience of working with PRINCE2 principles.
• Have experience of working in ‘virtual teams’ to deliver outcomes.
• Awareness of Business change.
• Awareness of the NCEA Programme.

Contact and additional information: You’ll have an incident management objective in your development plan. We’ll support you to find a role to suit your needs and circumstances. Appropriate training will be given. As this is a national role the working location is flexible, but you’ll have an EA office base location. Some travel and overnight stays will be required.

Interviews will be held via MS Teams in late June/early July. If you consent to being held on a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.

Length of contract: Up to 31/07/26

Competence 1: Programme and Project Management - Tell us about a time when you have planned and co-ordinated activities to manage and implement projects or programmes.

Competence 2: Influences and Persuades Others - Tell us about a time you needed to influence a team of people in order to achieve an organisational goal that was not necessarily popular.

Competence 3: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems - Describe a time when you have used your experience to identify potential problems and their root causes, come up with effective solutions and arrived at a sound decision.

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.