At the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), we inspire our farmers, growers and industry to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Working at AHDB, you won’t just be helping our farmers produce the food we eat and look after our environment, you’ll be helping shape the future of food production and leaving a legacy for the next generation.

Based in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, we are currently recruiting for a Senior Environment Manager with a specialism in Crop Nutrition and Soil Science, with hybrid working. This position has responsibility to lead the management of the environment program and team members in support of all sector councils and levy payers, responding as a subject specialist and forming ongoing business relationship both in the UK and abroad to help inform national policy and legislation.

We are looking for a suitably qualified individual with expert knowledge in RB209 Crop Nutrition, soil health and a robust understanding of soil science, along with proven experience of leading a team and developing strategy and goals to meet Regulatory and Legal compliance milestones and requirements for the business.

Responsibilities:

• Owns and shapes environment programme, and contributes to the organisational level strategy, policy, goals and KPIs and builds the commitment and engagement
• Provides operational and line management of staff within the environment team, including direct line management of the environment scientists
• Acts as a reference point and nationally recognised expert within their field, contributing to thought leadership and innovation that influences change and advancement of the industry and/or profession whilst also acting as an ambassador for AHDB
• Integrates sector needs and coordinates relationships with other parts of the organisation to achieve long term industry leading performance
• Proactively identifies opportunities and solves complex and sometimes unique performance issues and trends, that impact organisation/sector performance and that may require a timely change of direction by the sector boards to resolve
• Connects externally and internally to generate new ideas, identify best practices and to promote sharing; contributes to multidisciplinary UK or international change projects or initiatives with significant impact to achieve agreed milestones and objectives; evaluates and benchmarks our progress internally and externally
• Shapes and interprets National and International policy and legislation, to interpret and comply with emerging legislation
• Maintain positive relationships with National Regulators and develop strategy and goals to meet Regulatory and Legal compliance milestones and requirements
• Work with levy payers and Knowledge Exchange (KE) teams to understand the challenges facing UK agriculture and ensure that industry needs are identified and evaluated within the context of the AHDB’s strategy
• Promotes AHDB funded research and disseminate key messages and findings of research projects

Essential Criteria:

• Relevant degree in biological, agricultural, or related discipline. A post graduate qualification would be an advantage although not essential
• Strong track record in, building, leading and managing successful teams, people management, coaching and mentoring, and a positive approach to personal/career development
• High level of professional skills in Environment, Agriculture, Sustainable Business and Regulatory experience built through deep and broad experience across multiple sectors relevant to our business
• Exceptional levels of personal resilience and ability to adapt and flex approaches to engaging, collaborating with and influencing different internal and external stakeholders whilst still achieving credible results
• Ideally be a member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), IEMA and/or working towards Chartered Environmentalist Status but not essential
• FACTS/BASIS qualified for the RB209 Crop Nutrition role or other equivalent industry qualifications preferred

Benefits – here are just a few things we offer to attract and retain the right people 

• An extensive benefits package including 33 days annual leave plus one privilege day (inclusive of Bank Holidays)
• A single private medical health scheme
• Life assurance cover (4 x salary)
• A market-leading defined contribution pension scheme with Legal & General
• Excellent training and development opportunities and an agreed development plan
• Applause Awards – every three months we celebrate employees who embrace our values; the core moral principles that are at the heart of everything we do
• Ambitious in Agriculture Awards – annual awards announced at staff conference in December
• Access to government Childcare Voucher Scheme
• Perkbox membership – this gives you a huge number of online discounts and savings

Please note we reserve the right to close the vacancy early should we receive a significant number of suitable applications.