Job title: Water Technical Specialist
Position type: Permanent
Job reference: 403312
No. Vacancies: 1
Location: Birmingham (B5 4UA) or London (E14 4HD) based with hybrid working
Salary: £57,783 - £70,000
Closing date: Sunday 18 May 2025 at 23:55
Join Ofwat as a Water Treatment / Supply Technical Specialist in our Cost Assessment Team.
About Us
We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales. Our work has genuine significance – no other organisation does the work we do. It’s unique and meaningful: keeping our water flowing; ensuring water bills don’t cost a penny more than needed; holding water companies to account. Come and work at the source of everyday life.
The Role
The Cost Assessment team is key to the delivery of PR24. We are an enthusiastic mix of economists and water sector specialists that are leading on the assessment of expenditure for the current price review. As part of this, we lead on assessment of cross industry strategic planning frameworks such as drainage and wastewater management plans (DWMPs), water resources management plans (WRMPs), and environmental programmes, such as the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP).
We lead on a large number of policy areas, including how we can maximise the delivery of best value, how to ensure that companies focus on the long term and anticipate and adapt to change, how best to reduce sewer flooding and improve drought and wider resilience. The team works closely with the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), Environment Agency (EA) and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) on water supply issues. These are big issues for the water sector and beyond, and our contributions are vital
• Apply your technical expertise and/or operational insights to act as subject matter expert and provide support and advice to cost assessment and the wider organisation.
• Produce high-quality documents, review the work of others, and contribute to external publications.
• Lead on policy design and the delivery of procedures and processes to ensure thorough and effective assessment of company plans during the price review (PR29) and beyond.
• Undertake data analysis and critically evaluate the analysis conducted by professional peers.
• Collaborate with external stakeholders, including the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), Environment Agency (EA), Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Water Companies, Defra and any other relevant bodies.
• Work closely with colleagues across Ofwat to align with other areas of work, such as outcomes and asset management and operational resilience.
• Manage and plan resource of both internal staff (including at least one Senior Associate), and consultant resources.
About You
Below are some of the key essential experience, skills & knowledge required for this post:
1. Water technical expertise gained within either water sector engineering, water/environmental science, capital programmes, asset/operational management and/or business planning.
2. Experience of policy development and implementation and/or designing and delivering procedures and processes within relevant field.
3. Experience of building and maintaining constructive working relationships internal and external stakeholders, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively to deliver desired outcomes.
4. Highly numerate with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience of analysing and accurately interpreting a range of data and insights to inform evidence-based decisions and solutions for complex problems.
5. Excellent communication (oral and written) skills, including the ability to communicate complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
6. Previous experience of building and leading high-performing teams with an inclusive leadership style.
Attributes
• Creating clarity
• Delivers outcomes
• Adaptable thinker
Attributes as per Ofwat’s Framework for Success for Principal Grade. You can read more about our attributes here.
Why Join Us
• Meaningful Impact: Contribute to our purpose to drive water companies to deliver more for customers and the environment.
• Innovative Work Environment: We embrace agile working and a culture of trust, flexibility, and collaboration.
• Development Opportunities: Gain valuable experience and develop your skills in a supportive and dynamic setting.
• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy the flexibility of working from home combined with meaningful collaboration in our London or Birmingham offices.
Other Benefits
• Excellent employer pension contribution of over 28%
• 25 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 with each year of service, plus bank holidays and an extra 2.5 days of privilege leave.
• Access to exclusive discounts on a variety of goods and services, including retail outlets, theatre tickets, holidays, insurance, and a gym membership.
• Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies.
• Up to 3 volunteering days per year.
• Recognition vouchers scheme rewarding your hard work.
• Generous shared parental leave and pay supporting your family life.
