The Rural Payments Agency (RPA)
Who we are:
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and a delivery agency for the 25 Year Environment Plan. As the only accredited paying agency in England, we have responsibility for making direct aid and rural development payments, of over £2 billion annually to farmers and rural businesses in England.
RPA is committed to world class farming and land management for the environment, food, and rural resilience. We are a voice for farmers and land managers, and by encouraging sustainable and profitable farming, we help British agricultural and rural communities create a better place to live.
We are a dispersed team based in offices across England, including Reading, Carlisle, Exeter, Newcastle, Workington and York. We employ around 2,800 people, many of whom live in the communities we serve.
A few words from Paul Caldwell, RPA’s Chief Executive Officer
“I’m really pleased you are taking an interest in the Rural Payments Agency. I’m Paul Caldwell and I’ve been the Chief Executive since 2017. I think this is one of the most exciting times to be joining us! RPA is at an important moment of change and transformation, in what we deliver and how we do it, and we’re looking forward to bringing new people along with us.
“This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining the agency with plenty of opportunities for personal development and career progression.”
Career Entry at RPA
Whether you're just starting out in your career, returning from a break, or making a career move, there is a vast range of jobs and careers available at the RPA, from working in the operational delivery profession, to project management and customer service. Apprenticeship opportunities are not only available to those recruited into a specific apprenticeship role, but also to RPA’s permanent members of staff as a development opportunity.
Apprenticeships and Qualifications
At RPA we are passionate about helping colleagues develop in their professional careers. We support a range of learning and development opportunities from apprenticeships through to Operational Delivery Profession qualifications. Whether you’re interested in project management, customer service or data analytics, we’ll help you find a qualification that’s right for you.
Annette Milbourn, Operational Delivery Apprentice says: ‘I feel valued and supported. I’ve had the opportunity to be heard at meetings and events, and feel part of an organisation that brings out the best work from me. I have equal opportunity to progress my career and have support with my parental responsibilities.’
Our values
We want to make RPA a great place to work and we are doing the work we need to do to achieve this. Part of our ambition is to be the most diverse and inclusive employer by 2025, and this means working to remove barriers and ensuring we reflect the wider UK population at every level of the workforce.
Our VERITAS values are the foundation on which our behaviours are built. They guide the way we do things in RPA and are fundamental to making sure RPA is a great place to work.
VERITAS stands for Visible, Engaging, Respectful, Inclusive, Trusted, Accountable and Supportive.
