Strategic Business Services Manager

Job Description

The Environment Agency’s mission is to protect and enhance the natural environment, ensuring we leave the world in a better state than we found it. As part of our journey to becoming a net zero organisation, Defra Group Fleet Services (DGFS) plays a critical role in leading our transition to a more sustainable fleet.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Environment Agency’s Fleet department as part of a high performing leadership team responsible for providing strategic direction for fleet services across the Environment Agency, Defra, and its arm's length bodies.

In this role, you’ll play a key part in bringing together the department’s leadership team, helping to shape and assure priorities, and leading on strategic areas of work. You’ll collaborate across the department and wider Corporate National Services directorate to ensure our finances, corporate compliance, risk management, and business planning are clear, well governed, and aligned to our goals. You’ll also contribute to a wider community of business managers, supporting initiatives that help the organisation thrive.

We’re looking for someone with strong influencing and relationship building skills, and experience of working with senior leaders. You’ll be a proactive problem solver, comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment, and confident managing a broad portfolio with multiple priorities. You’ll be organised, adaptable, collaborative, and committed to supporting our people, customers, and the environment. You’ll champion diversity and promote the health, safety, and wellbeing of colleagues.

In return, you’ll work alongside talented, passionate, and values driven colleagues who are dedicated to public service and environmental protection.

We value diversity and actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

This role includes participation in an incident role, and you’ll be required to make yourself available to support incident response or business continuity activities as needed.

• Strategic thinking and planning skills, with the ability to see the bigger picture.
• Excellent communication and engagement skills, including drafting clear communications for diverse audiences.
• Confident influencing and advisory skills, enabling you to work effectively at all levels.
• A proactive and adaptable approach, staying calm during periods of ambiguity or rapid change.
• The ability to build, maintain and leverage a wide professional network.
• A collaborative mindset, with experience of delivering outcomes through others.
• Experience in business planning, programme management and financial management.
• A proven track record in leading change and embedding new ways of working, ensuring improvements are sustained.
• Strong problem‑solving and critical thinking abilities, using research, data and context to inform decisions.
• A continuous improvement mindset, with a focus on achieving high quality.
• Previous experience leading and managing a team, creating an inclusive, supportive and high performing environment.

The role can be based in any Environment Agency office in England, with hybrid working supported. There is a requirement for some travel and for you to attend face‑to‑face team meetings, 121s with direct reports on a monthly basis and collaborative events in locations around the country.

Please contact Tony Stevens on tony.steve if you would like to discuss the role. There will be a MS Teams briefing session on 5 Feb at 12 pm. If you would like to attend this, please contact matt.dawki to book a place.

Description
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Understands the Environment Agency’s business processes and how to maximise the use of resources in an efficient and effective way.

Question
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Please tell us about a time you’ve successfully managed a piece of work or a project that involved planning, using organisational resources effectively, and delivering good value for money.

Description
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Identifies and seizes the opportunity to create, introduce and implement new or improved methods, processes and ways…