Senior Advisor National Strategy, Transformation and Assurance Directorate.
It’s a rare chance to make decisions today that will protect and improve places for generations.
Your unique viewpoint helps strengthen the organisation and ensures our work reflects the communities we serve.
I trained as a Town and Country Planner after completing my degree in Geography and Urban Policy. I saw an opportunity to join the Environment Agency’s planning department, bringing together my desire to protect the environment with my passion for shaping how the country develops. That combination really drew me to the organisation.
Twenty years on, I’ve had the opportunity to take on a wide variety of roles, including leading the Sustainable Places Team, managing our Environment Management teams, and contributing to work across our national functions. Throughout my journey, the organisation has consistently supported and encouraged me to reach my full potential.
I came into the profession through a pioneering programme called the Positive Action Training Highway (PATH), which was created to provide training and work experience in planning and housing related fields for people from ethnic minority backgrounds who were under-represented in these areas.
In Sustainable Places, we are always looking for ways to engage with and connect to the communities our work affects. To meet the ambitions in EA2030 particularly around working more closely with partners and serving with care we need future talent that reflects the diversity of our environment and our communities. A more diverse workforce strengthens our ability to respond to environmental challenges and helps us deliver better outcomes for the people we serve.
The organisation is incredibly supportive. If you want to pursue a technical route, you are given access to the training and development you need, tailored to your learning style through your personal development plan. If you aspire to become a leader in the organisation or even one day the CEO there is support for that too. There are also opportunities to try out different parts of the Environment Agency to find what truly interests you. And at every stage, you are encouraged to seek mentors and sponsors who can help guide your career journey.
When I joined the Environment Agency, I didn’t see many faces or stories like my own. Over the last twenty years, I’ve aimed to change that not just for myself, but for those coming after me. I hope the organisation we see today, more diverse and open than the one I entered, reflects in some part the work I’ve put into championing inclusion and helping others recognise that the Environment Agency can be a place to grow, succeed, and reach their full potential.
If you’re thinking of joining Sustainable Places, my advice is simple: go for it. It’s a team where you can shape the future of our communities and where your voice matters. Be open to learning, be prepared to challenge assumptions, and trust that your unique perspective adds value. The work is meaningful, the people are supportive, and every project is an opportunity to make a lasting difference to the environment and to people’s lives.
