Defra Reviews
Updated 10 Mar 2020
Clear All
Full-time, Part-time
English
- Administrative
- Arts & Design
- Business
- Consulting
- Customer Services & Support
- Education
- Engineering
- Finance & Accounting
- Healthcare
- Human Resources
- Information Technology
- Legal
- Marketing
- Media & Communications
- Military & Protective Services
- Operations
- Other
- Product & Project Management
- Research & Science
- Retail & Food Services
- Sales
- Skilled Labor & Manufacturing
- Transportation
- Worldwide
- United Kingdom - All Cities
- - England
- - London Area
- - Bristol Area
- - Darlington Area
- - Exeter Area
- - Leeds Area
- - Manchester Area
- - Reading Area
- - Slough Area
- - York Area
- English
- French
- German
- Dutch
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Italian
Recommend to a Friend
Approve of CEO
Tamara Finkelstein
3 Ratings
Pros
"An employer who truly values flexible working and allowing the employee to work around their own needs" (in 17 reviews)
"Calm, interesting issues, good work-life balance" (in 11 reviews)
Cons
"Senior management do not give appropriate amounts of responsibility to those who deserve it, very hierarchical" (in 4 reviews)
"Brexit dominates senior management" (in 4 reviews)
"Defra"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation and Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Defra full-time for less than a year
Pros
Good working culture. Great office space in London. Friendly people
Cons
Can be quite a quiet office
Defra2020-02-03"Friendly Team"
StarStarStarStarStarI worked at Defra full-time
Pros
Very generous and friendly way of transitioning into public sector procurement.
Cons
Not as agile as the private sector - lots of red tape
Defra2020-03-10"Flexible working"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation and Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookI worked at Defra part-time for more than 8 years
Pros
Able to work from home remotely
Cons
Difficult to progress whilst being a part timer
Continue readingDefra2020-03-09"Fine if you like the civil service"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation and Benefits
- Senior Management
I worked at Defra part-time for more than a year
Pros
Lots of flexibility about working patterns and locations, good pay for public sector, staff generally friendly, opportunities for career progression if you work out how to 'play the game', potential for interesting and rewarding work
Cons
Debra has expanded massively since the Brexit referendum and hasn't coped well with the influx of people, many have been assigned roles that don't fit their skills. The hotdesking feels a bit soullless. And all the disadvantages of large civil service organisations: having to be neutral about the topics you're working on, huge bureaucracy, constant sense of others scheming their way up career ladders.
Continue readingDefra2020-02-05"Friendly place where you can do lots of different jobs"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation and Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookI have been working at Defra full-time for less than a year
Pros
People are largely driven by their contribution to society's benefit. Lots of different jobs on offer
Cons
It is chaotic and wasteful
Defra2020-01-03"Good place to work"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation and Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Defra full-time for more than a year
Pros
Nice people, nice culture, very flexible approach to home working
Cons
Sometimes slow to get decisions made and lack of individual accountability
Defra2019-12-05"Very nice place to work"
StarStarStarStarStarI have been working at Defra full-time for less than a year
Pros
Incredible people Great work-life balance Average salary
Cons
Sometimes it is slow to get things done
Defra2019-11-11"Interesting and varied work"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation and Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsNeutral OutlookNo Opinion of CEOI worked at Defra full-time for more than 10 years
Pros
Get to work on hugely important issues. Good work life balance.
Cons
Low pay. Lots of office politics.
Continue readingDefra2019-11-01"Comfortable"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation and Benefits
- Senior Management
RecommendsNegative OutlookApproves of CEOI have been working at Defra full-time for more than a year
Pros
Flexi working Good employment benefits Busy environment
Cons
Current political climate Still a little bias toward northern workers
Defra2019-10-23- Helpful (4)
"Not recommended"
StarStarStarStarStar- Work/Life Balance
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
- Compensation and Benefits
- Senior Management
Doesn't RecommendNeutral OutlookNo Opinion of CEOI have been working at Defra full-time for more than 3 years
Pros
Flexible working hours, home working
Cons
Defra recently created a single ICT team by merging hundreds of staff from agencies that are part of the broader Defra network of organisations. These include ICT staff from the environment agency, rural payments agency, natural England and others. The culture is biased towards environment agency staff who have promoted out of all proportion to other staff, often regardless of ability. The culture is autocratic and staff are fearful of speaking out and are choosing to leave instead. There is serious inequality and career progression is based upon whether your face fits rather than ability. It comes as no surprise that so many are leaving and there is a serious recruitment and retention problem.
Continue readingDefra2019-08-26
Join the Defra team
Found 58 reviews