The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) is a new public body, being established with the principal objective of contributing to environmental protection and improving the natural environment. It will support Parliament in holding government to account on its environmental commitments and will help improve environmental governance through independent oversight and advice on environmental law and other matters relating to the natural environment.
The Interim Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will be division within Defra, which will provide independent oversight of the government’s environmental progress on a non statutory basis, in advance of the full OEP being legally established. The Interim OEP will exist from July 2021 and will be led by the designate OEP board, chaired by Dame Glenys Stacey. Natalie Prosser will be the Interim CEO-designate. Its key functions will be as follows.
• Develop the OEP strategy including its enforcement policy.
• Produce and publish an independent assessment of progress in relation to the implementation of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.
• Receive complaints about public authorities’ compliance with environmental law, entering into dialogue with specific authorities about complaints against them (while not taking any formal enforcement action pending the necessary legislative provisions taking effect).
• Determine approaches for how the OEP will form and operate, establishing its character, ways of working and voice.
The interim OEP will transition into the OEP once the OEP is legally created.
The natural environment is important for everyone and we aim for our teams to reflect the diversity of our society. Your personal qualities will be as important as your professional experience and applications are welcomed from all backgrounds.
Please note that in line with prevailing Government advice, roles may be home-based until Covid-19 restrictions are eased.
Job description
The Environment Bill will create a new, independent statutory body with the principal objective of contributing to environmental protection and the improvement of the natural environment. It will provide the necessary legal authority to implement long-term environmental governance.
The Head of Business Strategy and Planning provides key corporate services for the OEP. You will support the Board, Directors and Senior Leadership Team with strategic and business planning activities, providing practical and creative input in the development of new initiatives, the design of current and future strategic and operational plans and will bring discipline to the strategic decision making process to manage the effective use of OEP resources.
You will be responsible for preparing, co-ordinating and overseeing creation of the Corporate Strategy for the OEP. You will be responsible for the corporate plan, annual report, and business and workforce planning. You will ensure that other OEP reporting is consistent with the high standards and independence required for the OEP. You will lead a team to provide the Board Secretariat service and manage the Private Offices for the OEP Chair and Chief Executive.
You will be responsible for organisation design and the operating model for the OEP through organisation wide working and oversight of cross-cutting issues. You will manage the strategy, governance and planning service effectively to develop and manage development of business plans and then assess their performance against plans and timelines, using Key Performance Indicator approaches.
You will be responsible for the day to day relationship with Defra, developing briefings for Defra Ministers as required, and manage the regular ministerial performance reviews required for Defra ALBs, whilst maintaining the independence of the OEP.
You will lead your team in an agile and flexible way to provide these services to the business.
