Environment Group Policy SEO
| Posting date: | 04 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £42,665 to £50,495 per year |
| Additional salary information: | National: £42,665-£46,765 London: £46,060-£50,495 For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’. |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 23 February 2026 |
| Location: | Bristol |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 446146/1 |
Summary
These roles sit within the Environment Group (EG). EG has seven Directorates, over 1400 staff and oversight of ten Arm's Length Bodies. We lead efforts to halt nature’s decline, improve air and water quality, work to combat climate change and mitigate its impacts, whilst enabling the Government's growth mission.
You will work with parliament, businesses, civil society and local communities to develop solutions that work. You will play an active role in shaping Defra's priorities, working creatively and collaboratively with others to deliver excellent outcomes that benefit the environment and economy.
Candidates invited to interview will be asked to indicate their preferred area/team, which we will take into account where possible:
- Strategy, Governance & Climate (SGC) leads our overall plan for nature – the Environmental Improvement Plan. It also lead our work on access to nature and green spaces – from national parks to pocket parks – and on net zero and climate adaptation.
- Environmental Quality, Infrastructure and Planning (EQIP) is responsible for clean air, and ensuring the responsible use of chemicals and pesticides in the environment. It leads regulatory reform to ensure critical infrastructure projects like roads and railways can progress while also protecting the environment.
- Biodiversity, Land Use and Investment (BLI) leads efforts to boost biodiversity by restoring important habitats and species, and to plant more trees. It leads work to bring private finance into nature.
- International Biodiversity and Climate (IBC) aims to drive a shift to a nature-positive world: reversing biodiversity loss, restoring ecosystems, tackling climate change and helping reduce global poverty. It delivers Official Development Assistance (ODA) grant programmes around the world, and leads international negotiations on behalf of the UK Government.
- Circular Economy (CE) works to maximise and preserve the value of Earth’s resources for society, the environment, and the economy by ending the throwaway model and accelerating the circular economy. This supports sustainable economic growth by stimulating investment and innovation, strengthening trade, and reducing living costs, while ensuring resources are used efficiently and responsibly.
- Marine and Fisheries (M&F) focuses on ensuring our seas are cleaner, healthier, safer, more productive and biologically diverse. This means protecting and improving the marine environment in the UK and internationally, and sustainably managing our diverse range of fisheries.
As a Senior Policy Advisor, your key responsibilities may include but are not limited to:
- Producing written advice briefings, including for ministers and parliament.
- Leading on development of policy through to consultation and implementation, including making legislative change where it is needed, which will have a real-world impact.
- Confidently working with others to shape and influence the opportunities and ways to deliver the impact on society, nature and growth of new and existing policies.
- Applying project management tools and techniques to set workstream milestones, identify risks, and ensure it fits with other work areas that could be impacted by your work.
- Working with evidence teams, and with other sources of evidence, to identify data gaps and ensure our policies are well supported by evidence.
- Building relationships with other teams across Defra, Devolved Administrations, other Government Departments, arm’s length bodies, businesses and voluntary groups.
- Your role may also include line management duties.
All of our teams work flexibly, and the successful candidates will need to adapt to changing priorities, which may mean working in a different team or directorate should the department need it.
Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams
We are holding drop-in sessions to give you the opportunity to speak to colleagues from Environment Group, to find out more about our work and the recruitment process. Please note that if you join a session using your personal Microsoft Teams account, your name and email address may be visible to other attendees. To maintain privacy, we recommend signing out of your account and joining the session as a guest.
Please use the link next to the date you’re attending:
- Wednesday 11 February 2026 – 12-12:45pm
Teams link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/38296570227290?p=qeFvepyKa7mP1qZeUw
- Wednesday 18 February 2026 – 6-6:45pm
Teams link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/33657205759192?p=CoBx7PBNiQP2Tmox7A
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