Environment Agency Deputy Director, Thames Strategy & Partnerships

This post is an Environment Agency post at EA Grade Deputy Director and at EA salary £81,000 - £85,000. It is not a post at Civil Service Pay Band 1 as indicated on the left -hand side bar of this advert. Further confirmation of the EA grade and terms and conditions can be found in the attached candidate pack

This is a vacancy working for the Environment Agency, part of Defra Group. EA are not Civil Servants so terms will reflect that. Anyone moving from the Civil Service will lose their CS terms and benefits starting new employment with the EA

The Environment Agency are seeking a Deputy Director, Thames Strategy & Partnerships to join our Thames Programme Delivery Directorate. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of flood resilience for London, the Thames Estuary and the wider River Thames through leadership of some of the UK's most significant and ambitious infrastructure programmes.

Reporting to the Director of Thames Programme Delivery, you will play a pivotal role in developing the long-term strategy, business cases, funding approaches and partnerships required to support the future of the Thames Estuary 2100 programme and major investment across the River Thames. At a crucial stage in programme development, you will help define the pathway for multi-billion-pound investment decisions that will protect communities, infrastructure and economic growth for generations to come.

This is a highly influential role operating at the intersection of policy, strategy, infrastructure and government. You will lead engagement across Whitehall, working closely with HM Treasury, Defra and other government departments to secure support for future investment programmes and Spending Reviews. You will also build trusted relationships with Ministers, local authorities, delivery partners and industry leaders to help shape the future of one of the UK's most important resilience programmes.

We are looking for an exceptional strategic leader with experience of developing major programmes, securing investment and operating in complex stakeholder environments. You may have gained your experience in central government, infrastructure, transport, energy, environmental resilience or another major project setting. Most importantly, you will bring strategic judgement, political awareness and the ability to navigate complex challenges while maintaining focus on long-term outcomes.

The role offers the opportunity to lead major feasibility and options development work, influence national investment decisions, and help shape the future delivery model for programmes that are expected to become increasingly prominent within government's major projects portfolio. It is an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the resilience of London and the Thames Estuary in the face of climate change

For more information, please see our candidate pack

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the Environment Agency on this appointment.

For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit roles.saxbam.com using reference OBRZS. Applications should be received by noon on Wednesday, 28 Oct 2026.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.