See job eligibility requirements: Water Specialist (Demand Management)

Ofwat (Water Services Regulation Authority)

Birmingham, UK 🇬🇧

London, UK 🇬🇧

Home-based/Remote

Reference number

279019

Salary

£35,328 – £52,660

For further details on salary please read the attached Candidate Pack

Job grade

Other

Senior Associate

Contract type

Fixed Term
Loan
Secondment

Length of employment

2 Year Fixed Term Contract, or Loan/Secondment of up to 2 years

Business area

OFWAT – Company Performance and Price Reviews – PR24

Type of role

Analytical
Engineering
Environment and Sustainability
Science

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Location

Birmingham (B5 4UA) or London (E14 4HD) based with hybrid working

About the job

Job summary

Ofwat (The Water Services Regulation Authority) is a non-ministerial government department. We regulate the water sector in England and Wales.
Safe, reliable and sustainable water and wastewater services are essential for our day-to-day lives, our well-being, and our natural world. Our role is to help the sector build trust and confidence with customers, the environment and wider society.

We are forward-thinking, creative, innovative and ambitious. We actively encourage autonomy, collaboration and innovation and there’s a real adult culture fostered by trust, flexibility and respect. 
In 2023 we were awarded ‘Smarter Working Maturity’ recognition for the way that Ofwat has embraced new and modern ways of working, reflecting the spaces we provide, technology we have deployed and the culture and leadership we have embedded to empower choice and flexibility for our people.

Please read the attached “Candidate Information Pack” to find more about why you should join Ofwat.

Company Performance and Price Reviews Cluster

The Company Performance and Price Reviews cluster is responsible for developing the approach to, and delivery of, future price reviews including the next price review in 2024 (PR24). In December we published ‘Creating tomorrow, together: our final methodology for PR24 Overview – Ofwat,’ which sets out how we will drive companies to deliver more for customers and the environment.  The methodology reflects our four key ambitions for the review:

  • focus on the long term,
  • deliver greater environmental and social value,
  • reflect a clearer understanding of customers and communities, and
  • drive improvements through efficiency and innovation.

Job description

The Team and The Role

The Cost assessment team is key to the delivery of PR24. We are an enthusiastic mix of economists and technical water sector specialists that are leading on the assessment of expenditure for the next price review. As part of this we work on the cross industry strategic planning frameworks such as water resources management plans (WRMPs) and the environmental programmes, including the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP). We also lead work on a large number of policy areas such as how we can maximise the delivery of best value, how to ensure that companies focus on the long term and adapt to and anticipate change, how we can move towards net zero efficiently, and how best to reduce sewer flooding and improve drought and wider resilience. These are big issues for the water sector and beyond and our contributions are vital.

We are seeking Water Specialist – Demand Management (Senior Associate Band) to join our Cost assessment team. We are particularly interested in engineers, scientists, or asset managers that have a background and experience in demand management activities and investment (leakage, water efficiency, metering, data analysis/reporting)

The role will work across several key areas of PR24 cost assessment work which could include:

  • Supporting the development of approaches to assessing company water expenditure for PR24 and how we benchmark costs and benefits including taking into account wider impacts, such as net zero, environmental benefits and climate change;
  • Assessing the quality and ambition of company’s business plans submitted for PR24;
  • Assessing elements of company business plans at the next price review. This includes the assessment of specific areas of water enhancement expenditure such as investment to address drought resilience in particular through demand management activities;
  • Applying of a range of data analysis and investment appraisal techniques including development of benchmarking models and undertaking detailed reviews of company proposals;
  • Engaging with water companies, other regulators and wider stakeholders throughout the PR24 process; and
  • Supporting the development of the approach for future price reviews.

Key role deliverables

As a Senior Associate, Water Specialist you will be expected to:

  • Design policy and deliver procedures and processes to ensure thorough and effective cost assessment of company plans at the next price review (PR24) and beyond.
  • Apply technical expertise to provide support and advice to areas of economic regulation across the organisation.
  • Use oral and written communication skills to influence and persuade both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Undertake data analysis and critically evaluate analysis or products of professional peers.
  • Produce high-quality documents and contribute to external publications.
  • Work closely with colleagues across Ofwat to align with other areas of work.

Person specification

The successful candidates are expected to have the below attributes, skills, experience and knowledge.

Essential Experience, Skills and Knowledge

 ·        Graduate qualification and/or equivalent professional experience in engineering, science, or similar technical specialism.·        Demand management experience in roles within water sector engineering, capital delivery, asset management and/or business planning.·        Highly numerate with strong analytical skills, with ability to clearly present the results to technical and non-technical audiences.·        A high level of technical competency, including being able to work autonomously, without detailed supervision.·        Good written and oral communication skills, which you can use to persuade both internal and external stakeholders.·        Experience designing and delivering procedures and processes.

Attributes:

 ·        Committed learner·        Creating clarity·        Delivering outcomesYou can read more about Attributes in Ofwat’s Framework for Success.

Benefits

  • A generous Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
  • 25 days annual leave (increasing to max 30 with each year of service) plus bank holidays and 2.5 days privilege leave days
  • access to exclusive discounts on a range of goods and services such as retail outlets, theatre tickets, holidays, insurance and gym membership;
  • flexible working arrangements;
  • fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies;
  • up to 3 volunteering days per year
  • paid sick leave
  • generous shared parental leave and pay
  • cycle-to-work scheme;
  • season ticket loan for travel between home and office;
  • regular professional development;
  • health and wellbeing initiatives

Things you need to know

Selection process details

How to apply

Applicants should apply through the Civil Service Jobs website. You will be asked to create an account and complete an application form, including a personal statement. If you are unable to make an electronic application, you may submit your application on paper. Please contact us to find out how at recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk

Selection timetable

  • Closing date 11.55 pm on 16th April 2023
  • Sifting W/C 17th April 2023
  • Interview date(s) W/C 24th April 2023

Assessment process

At sift stage we will assess your application and personal statement against some of the essential Skills, Experience, and Knowledge, listed in the professional requirements section above.
In your application, please describe clearly how your skills, experience, and knowledge meet the essential criteria.  As part of the application, you will be required to write a personal statement on the following topic:  Please describe your demand management experience in roles within either water sector engineering, capital delivery, asset management and/or business planning.

In the event of receiving a large number of applications, a pre-sift may take place on just the following lead criterion:

  • Demand management experience in roles within water sector engineering, capital delivery, asset management and/or business planning.

Interview Stage & Presentation

We will test against Attributes, as well as Skills, Experience, and Knowledge (set out in the professional requirements section) during the interview process. You can read more about Attributes in Ofwat’s Framework for Success.

As part of the interview process, we will require a short presentation. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates upon invitation to interview.

Please note that the interviews will be conducted via video conferencing software such as Microsoft Teams.

Please read the attached “Candidate Information Pack” for details on terms and conditions.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
  • relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
  • relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
  • certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

  • Name :Polly Stefanova
  • Email :recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk

Recruitment team :

  • Email :recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Ruth Noake, Head of Talent & OD, Corporate Enablers (People), Ofwat, Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4UA in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from us you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

Candidate Pack – SA Water Specialist March 2023 Opens in new window(pdf, 743kB)

POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

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