National Permitting Service (NPS) for Environment Agency

1. Background

National Permitting Service is a busy department with 500+ staff located across the country delivering a permitting service for the Environment Agency. We are seeking support in the determination of permit and licence applications made under the Environmental Permitting Regulations and the Water Resources Act.

We are looking for up to 15 experienced professionals who are familiar with the activities we regulate to deliver permitting directly for waste, installations, water quality or water resources.

This request is being made in response to increasing workloads across the National Permitting Service and a desire to initiate a step change in our work load and enhancement to our customer service.

2. Scope of Permitting Work

We are looking for professionals with a proven track record. The role involves the technical determination of permit applications and production of appropriate decision documents that demonstrate the decision making process. Full training on systems and ways of working will be given but a high level of current knowledge of the permitting process for these types of activities is expected.

Successful candidates can work from home or one of our offices within our existing teams based at offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield, Nottingham or Warrington. Infrequent attendance at one of these offices for training or support may be required. Staff will be managed as part of the existing teams and performance expectations will be set and monitored against in line with our current procedures.

3. Experience/skills required

Consultants are expected to be graduates (or have significant experience) in a relevant field.

Previous regulatory experience would be very welcome. In addition we’re looking for candidates who are:-

• Conversant with environmental permitting legislation or equivalent
• Good organisational and decision making skills with the ability to prioritise tasks effectively
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage a varied workload
• Thorough understanding of risks and mitigation measures needed
• Good written and oral skills to be able to influence and negotiate with a wide range of applicants

We would be particularly keen to hear from specialists in the following areas

Decarbonisation

Net Zero

Dewatering

Heat Pumps

Groundwater

Estuarine/Coastal environments

Ammonia impact assessment

Nutrient Neutrality

Hydrogeologists:

The team

The Geoscience Technical Team provides specialist technical support to the National Permitting Service, as well as leading other national technical projects such as leading on the regulation of closed landfills.

Experience/skills required

We’re looking for 1 or 2 hydrogeologists or geotechnical engineers with extensive risk assessment experience. You’ll be qualified to at least degree standard (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline, a chartered member of a relevant organisation and possess proven ability and/or knowledge of:

• Analysis of groundwater data– quality assurance and interpretation of geological and hydrogeological data;
• Groundwater risk assessment – interpretation and modeling of groundwater risk
• Negotiation with landfill operators and their representatives
• Data management – record keeping, basic database and spreadsheet management
• Other key requirements for this job include an understanding of landfill gas management and control, EPR permitting, excellent communication skills, along with a passion for problem solving and delivering outcomes.
• Working knowledge of LandSim and GasSim
• Dependent on technical background, a working knowledge of other modelling packages, for example: slope stability modelling.

The team

The financial provision team are a specialist team within the National Permitting Service supporting our landfill permitting. They ensure that financial provision is put in place prior to the commencement of disposal operations and should be available for as long as the landfill poses a hazard and in particular to maintain and monitor the site during the aftercare phase until the permit is surrendered.

The majority of FP arrangements are made by the following mechanisms:

• renewable bonds
• cash deposited in an Escrow account
• cash deposited with the Environment Agency
• Local authority deeds
• Trust based investment portfolios
• Parent company guarantees

Experience/skills required

We are looking for ad hoc financial support to be able to assess company accounts and consider the viability of new FP mechanisms proposed by operators of landfill sites. This could include but is not limited to;

• Forensic analysis of parent company/group accounts and the financial relationship between companies within the group structure
• Determining the net tangible worth of a parent company
• Determining an unacceptable net tangible worth of a parent company to act as a ‘trigger’ to require an alternative method of FP being put in place
• Assessing the suitability of new FP mechanisms – this could include investment products

Location

The team is dispersed but occasional attendance at an office may be required at one of our offices located in either Bristol, Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield or Warrington.