Catchment Engineer; Ouse Area

37 HOURS PER WEEK - although part-time would be considered.

ANNUAL SALARY: £55,000 - £65,000 (Depending on qualifications and experience) plus attractive benefits package including:

• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
• 26 days holiday, rising in increments to 29 days after 6 years continuous service, (plus Bank Holiday)
• Essential Car User Allowance

The Upper Ouse Water Management Board is a local public authority that manage flood risk and land drainage within its catchment. The Board has permissive powers to undertake water management activities within their Internal Drainage District. The purpose of delivering this work is to reduce flood risk to people and property and to manage water in a way that meets the local needs of business and agriculture whilst also dealing with its obligations and commitments to the environment.

The Board maintains an arterial drainage network and exercises a general power of supervision over all matters relating to water level management within their district whilst conducting their work in accordance with a number of general environmental duties and promoting the ecological wellbeing of their districts.

The Board is newly constituted Board (order made January 2026, effective April 2026) further to the amalgamation of three pre-existing Boards who have worked together since 2001 from their shared base in Stewartby, Bedfordshire.

The role is focused on leading expert proactive engagement with new development and third-party works within the Board’s catchment including major developments such as urban expansions, Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects and Universal Studios.

The post holder will be responsible for leading the Board’s regulatory role, ensuring that development is carried out sustainably within the Boards’ Drainage District and upland catchment area.

The role will include the following tasks and objectives:

• Lead, supervise and coordinate the Board’s regulatory role in determining applications for Land Drainage Consents, required as per the Land Drainage Act 1991 including the Board’s Byelaws. This includes insuring all consent applications are processed in accordance with adopted policies, with due regard for relevant adjacent legislation and drafting / issuing legally compliant Land Drainage Consent documentation and application of relevant conditions.
• Lead on engagement with third party works by advising applicants and the Local Planning Authority on development proposals including Nationally Strategic Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and Special Development Orders (such as Universal Studios) in the Board’s catchment. Provision of advice to Local Planning Authorities and applicants to promote best practice, ensure the Board’s requirements are met and reduce the impact of development on flood risk locally.
• Lead the Board’s efforts to ensure third party compliance with the Land Drainage Act 1991 (plus Byelaws) including leading the organisation’s investigation of reports/complaints of non-compliance / infringements and both formal and initial enforcement proceedings.
• Work alongside the WMA Chief Operating Officer to ensure statutory compliance with the Reservoirs Act. This includes acting as the named contact within the DEFRA Prescribed Form of Record (The "Blue Book"), the primary point of coordination between the Panel Engineer, Supervising Engineer and the Board, for managing and coordinating inspections and visits, managing and procuring any works arising from inspections, preparing, testing and maintaining the emergency flood plan and reservoir safety documentation.
• Interpretation and analysis of detailed planning / development proposals and consent applications (including technical designs, plans and model outputs) to assess the likely impact of proposals on flood risk / drainage. This includes major infrastructure schemes.
• Leading the Board’s response to general drainage enquiries from external customers such as public authorities, landowners and the general public, including drainage enquiries following flood events impacting private networks.
• Preparing and presenting reports for items to be considered by…