Reservoir Regulation Manager

Job Description

We’re looking for an experienced and inspirational leader to lead the Reservoir Regulation team.

You will lead on reservoir regulation across England, enabling compliance with the Reservoirs Act in the interest of public safety.

We’re looking for an inclusive, collaborative, and driven leader that can lead teams through change whilst enabling and supporting a diverse workforce to thrive and deliver to the highest standards.

As well as being an experienced leader, you will have experience in regulation, flood risk management, civil engineering and/or legal application. You will have a proven track record of working closely with & influencing; senior leaders, industry experts, professional institutions, and external stakeholders, achieving mutually beneficial outcomes at a strategic level.

• Lead proactive stakeholder management in a way that builds trust, fosters strong relationships & creates opportunities for collaboration
• Lead the setting of strategic priorities aligned to broader EA Regulatory strategy and motivate your team to operationally deliver in an efficient manner.
• Lead, develop and embed a culture of effective continuous improvement, to optimise and support the changing needs of our business, our environment, and our stakeholders.
• Lead a culture of psychological safety that empowers confident decision making & enables innovation to thrive.
• Manage complex, fast paced, multi-agency operational risks that ensures public safety is upheld to the highest standard
• The Environment Agency is currently working with Defra to reform and modernise the Reservoirs Act 1975 to secure public safety both now and for future generations. You and your team will be pivotal in providing senior user input for the team delivering the Reservoir Safety Reform Programme.
• Strategic leadership — Proven experience setting and translating strategic intent into confident, high‑quality operational delivery.
• High‑performance culture — A track record of driving high performance, modelling personal accountability, and fostering psychological safety where people feel empowered and supported.
• Innovative thinking
  - Ability to generate creative ideas, challenge assumptions, and deliver value through new approaches
• Confident decision‑making — Skilled at making proportionate, risk‑based decisions under pressure and at pace while removing barriers to delivery.
• Influential collaboration
  - Able to build consensus and influence senior internal and external stakeholders to secure the best outcomes for the environment and the business.

You will join the Environmental Assessment & Reservoir Regulation (EARR) Department, which is part of the Flood & Coastal Risk Management (FCRM) Directorate.

You will work alongside three other SLT Managers, ensuring close collaboration and one collective senior leadership team.

The Reservoir Regulation Team is a nationally dispersed team comprising of 20 experienced, skilled, and passionate people who are responsible for the regulation of the 2140+ large raised reservoirs in England.

To excel in this prominent position, the following experience/ skills/ capabilities are expected for this role:

• Expertise
  - Significant experience in Regulation, Civil Engineering, Law or similar and relevant subject to Reservoir Regulation.
• Strategic leadership — Proven experience setting and translating strategic intent into confident, high‑quality operational delivery.
• High‑performance culture — A track record of driving high performance, modelling personal accountability, and fostering psychological safety where people feel empowered and supported.
• Innovative thinking
  - Ability to generate creative ideas, challenge assumptions, and…