33149 - Senior Environmental Crime Officer (Water Industry)
| Posting date: | 20 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £43,198 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 01 February 2026 |
| Location: | Canterbury |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 5 days per week |
| Company: | Environment Agency |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 33149 |
Summary
Are you ready to take on a role that makes a difference? Join the Environment Agency’s water industry regulation teams and help lead the fight against growing and increasingly complex environmental crime.
We continue to change the way we regulate water companies. Whilst we recognise their crucial role in managing the water cycle - collecting, treating and returning water to the environment - it’s essential they do so without causing environmental harm.
As a Senior Environmental Crime Officer, you’ll play a vital role in tackling serious non-compliance within the water industry. Your responsibilities will include:
Taking the lead on complex investigations, targeting illegal activities and using your knowledge of the water industry to ensure investigations are focused, conducted to the required standard and delivered at pace.
Gathering intelligence, disrupting offenders and using a full range of enforcement tools to bring activities into compliance, or stop them altogether.
Constructing and supporting robust case files, often working in partnership with legal teams and other enforcement bodies.
You’ll also focus on crime prevention, drawing on your expertise of the industry to identify patterns, anticipate risks and disrupt criminal operations before they escalate.
You’ll work closely with internal regulatory teams, national enforcement and intelligence colleagues and a range of external partners including the police and local authorities. Your leadership within the team will help improve performance, support continuous improvement and encourage the sharing of best practice.
Acting as an advisor to your Team Leader, helping to manage and allocate resources to ensure an efficient and effective approach to your wider team’s work.
The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment.
The team
The water industry enforcement team is dedicated to addressing serious and complex performance issues. Based in our Southern Water enforcement team, you will work closely with water companies to achieve these aims.
You will be mainly office based, with occasional travel to support investigations and enforcement across your hub. You will have a designated office base, but flexibility is essential to meet changing priorities and support teams in other locations as required.
Experience/skills required
We’re looking for an experienced individual with a background in environmental crime enforcement and investigation.
Experience in conducting multiple investigations and preparing high-quality case files for serious offences.
An understanding of the water industry, including our regulatory powers and how they can be applied effectively.
Strong knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act, Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and water management law.
Experience working within an intelligence-led environment, with the ability to use intelligence to inform and shape enforcement activity.
A proactive and creative approach to disrupting offenders and applying sustained pressure to bring about compliance.
Strong partnership working skills, with experience collaborating with legal professionals, internal teams and external enforcement bodies.
The ability to lead by example - inspiring and motivating others through personal accountability and enthusiasm.
Strong organisational skills, with the ability to make best use of available resources.
A full UK driving licence.
We continue to change the way we regulate water companies. Whilst we recognise their crucial role in managing the water cycle - collecting, treating and returning water to the environment - it’s essential they do so without causing environmental harm.
As a Senior Environmental Crime Officer, you’ll play a vital role in tackling serious non-compliance within the water industry. Your responsibilities will include:
Taking the lead on complex investigations, targeting illegal activities and using your knowledge of the water industry to ensure investigations are focused, conducted to the required standard and delivered at pace.
Gathering intelligence, disrupting offenders and using a full range of enforcement tools to bring activities into compliance, or stop them altogether.
Constructing and supporting robust case files, often working in partnership with legal teams and other enforcement bodies.
You’ll also focus on crime prevention, drawing on your expertise of the industry to identify patterns, anticipate risks and disrupt criminal operations before they escalate.
You’ll work closely with internal regulatory teams, national enforcement and intelligence colleagues and a range of external partners including the police and local authorities. Your leadership within the team will help improve performance, support continuous improvement and encourage the sharing of best practice.
Acting as an advisor to your Team Leader, helping to manage and allocate resources to ensure an efficient and effective approach to your wider team’s work.
The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment.
The team
The water industry enforcement team is dedicated to addressing serious and complex performance issues. Based in our Southern Water enforcement team, you will work closely with water companies to achieve these aims.
You will be mainly office based, with occasional travel to support investigations and enforcement across your hub. You will have a designated office base, but flexibility is essential to meet changing priorities and support teams in other locations as required.
Experience/skills required
We’re looking for an experienced individual with a background in environmental crime enforcement and investigation.
Experience in conducting multiple investigations and preparing high-quality case files for serious offences.
An understanding of the water industry, including our regulatory powers and how they can be applied effectively.
Strong knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act, Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and water management law.
Experience working within an intelligence-led environment, with the ability to use intelligence to inform and shape enforcement activity.
A proactive and creative approach to disrupting offenders and applying sustained pressure to bring about compliance.
Strong partnership working skills, with experience collaborating with legal professionals, internal teams and external enforcement bodies.
The ability to lead by example - inspiring and motivating others through personal accountability and enthusiasm.
Strong organisational skills, with the ability to make best use of available resources.
A full UK driving licence.