Reference number
403312
Salary
£57,783 – £70,000
Please read the attached Candidate Pack for more details on salary and pensions.
Job grade
Other
Principal
Contract type
Permanent
Loan
Secondment
Length of employment
This is permanent appointment. However, we will consider loans and secondments of up to 2 years.
Business area
OFWAT – Price Review – Cost Assessment Team
Type of role
Engineering
Operational Delivery
Policy
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
We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales.
We have an opportunity for a Water Treatment / Supply Technical Specialist to join our Cost Assessment Team within our Price Review Directorate.
The Price Reviews Directorate is responsible for developing the approach to, and delivery of future price reviews including the recently completed PR24, and the next price review in 2029 (PR29). The development and delivery of a price review goes beyond setting the revenue limits and outcomes that we expect from companies. It also includes examining how we can make greater use of markets and incentives to deliver better outcomes for customers and the environment. Importantly, it covers what we want water companies to deliver for the next five years and beyond and assessing how best they should deliver this
You can find out more about why you should join Ofwat, our strategy, values and our framework for success in the attached Information for Candidates Pack.
Job description
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.
You will have the opportunity work across several exciting and key areas of PR24 work which could include:
- Leading on analysis and responses in your technical area as part of any PR24 appeals process.
- Supporting the development of the approach for tracking delivery of investments, engaging companies throughout delivery and analysing returns to determine whether companies remain on track for delivery.
- Developing the PR29 process and key policies so that we build on lessons learnt from PR24.
- Engaging with water companies, other regulators (in particular the DWI) and wider stakeholders in the lead-up to and throughout the PR29 process.
- Assessing elements of company business plans and other evidence submitted for price review 2029. This includes the assessment of specific areas of water enhancement expenditure such as investment to deliver drinking water quality and security improvements.
We will consider a variety of professional backgrounds such as water sector engineering, water/environmental science, capital programmes, asset/operational management and/or business planning. You may have previous experience in water supply process management, design, or delivery, water resilience scheme investment planning, design or delivery (e.g. network reinforcement, interconnectivity, reservoir storage and water treatment works investment), or water production operations. This can also include experience in water company emergency planning, physical and cyber security activities, and investment planning.
Key deliverables:
In this role you will be expected to:
- 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.
Person specification
To be successful in this role you will need the below essential attributes, experience, skills and knowledge:
Experience, skills and knowledge
- Lead criterion: Water technical expertise gained within either water sector engineering, water/environmental science, capital programmes, asset/operational management and/or business planning.
- Experience of policy development and implementation and/or designing and delivering procedures and processes within relevant field.
- Experience of building and maintaining constructive working relationships internal and external stakeholders, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively to deliver desired outcomes.
- 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.
- Excellent communication (oral and written) skills, including the ability to communicate complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Previous experience of building and leading high-performing teams with an inclusive leadership style
Attributes
7. Creating clarity
8. Delivers outcomes
9. Adaptable thinker
Attributes as per Ofwat’s Framework for Success for the relevant salary grade. You can read more about Attributes here.
Benefits
Why You Should Join Us:
We’re forward-thinking, creative, innovative, and ambitious. We constantly push the boundaries and embrace new ways of working.
With us, your work matters, your voice is heard, and your impact is felt. Ours is a culture of trust, flexibility, autonomy, collaboration, and innovation. We all want positive change for water customers, the environment, and the future of water.
But for us, change is more than what happens on the outside – we’ve always pushed boundaries internally, too. From becoming the first Civil Service organisation to achieve ‘Smarter Working’ status, to gaining our prestigious ‘Smarter Working Maturity’ award, we’ve consistently demonstrated our commitment to embracing innovative ways of working. Our people do their best work when given freedom over where, when, and how they work. Which is why we trust our teams to balance meaningful collaboration in the office with the flexibility of working from home.
You will also benefit from:
- Excellent employer pension contributions of nearly 29%.You can find further details about pension schemes under Terms and Conditions in the Candidate Pack.
- 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 - Flexible working arrangements that suit your lifestyle
- Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies
- Up to 3 volunteering days per year
- Recognition vouchers scheme
- Generous shared parental leave and pay
- Enhanced sick pay
- Regular development opportunities
- Health and wellbeing initiatives
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- Season ticket loan for home-to-office travel
- Free eye tests and contribution to lenses/spectacles for VDU users
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to apply
Apply through the Civil Service Jobs website where you’ll be asked to create an account and complete an application form (CV and personal statement). If you’re unable to make an electronic application, please contact recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk and we will support you in completing your application.
Please see the candidate guidance on our website for more detail and tips on how to best make your application and prepare for interview.
Please ensure you have submitted your application in full ahead of the deadline listed below. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to consider late applications.
Selection timetable
- Closing date: 23.55 on Sunday 18 May 2025
- Sifting: Week commencing 19 May 2025
- Interview date(s): Week commencing 2 June 2025
Assessment process
Sift Stage
We operate a blind sifting model to eliminate bias. All candidate identifying information will be removed from applications.
At sift stage we will assess your application (CV and personal statement) against essential criteria 1 to 4 listed above. Please ensure you provide enough evidence in your application form to demonstrate how you meet the criteria.
*In the event of receiving a large number of applications, a pre-sift may take place on just the lead criterion.
Use your personal statement to address the lead criterion and tell us more about your water technical expertise (gained within either water sector engineering, water/environmental science, capital programmes, asset/operational management and/or business planning).
Please ensure that anything submitted as part of your application is factually accurate, and you are not presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by AI, as your own.
** Please note that if a high volume of candidates meet the minimum pass mark at sift stage, we will only progress the highest scoring candidates to interview. Candidates not invited to interview, who have achieved the minimum pass mark, will be placed ‘on hold’ until the final stage of the assessment process is completed. Should the role/s remain unfilled, candidates placed ‘on hold’ may be invited to interview in merit order.
Interview Stage – Transparent Interviews and Presentation
At interview stage we will test against essential skills, experience, knowledge and attributes set out above.
Our transparent interview process involves candidates receiving a selection of attribute-based questions in advance. This has been proven to help neurodiverse candidates and others to perform better at interview and is part of our inclusive culture.
You can read more about attributes and our Framework for success here.
As part of the interview process, we will require a short presentation. Further details will be provided to candidates upon invitation to interview.
Please ensure anything you present in your interview answers is factually accurate, and you are not presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by AI, as your own. You may expect follow up questions.
Please note that the interviews will be conducted via video conferencing software (Microsoft Teams).
It may be necessary for a second stage interview, which will be communicated to the successful candidates, if required.
If the assessment process identifies more appointable candidates than roles available, a reserve list will be created for 12 months from which further appointments in merit order can be made.
If you have any queries about any aspect of this role, selection process, or you require any reasonable adjustments please email recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk
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 the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
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 :recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk
- Email :recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email :recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk
Further information
Complaints procedure – The process of recruitment and assessment embraces the principles of fair and open competition and best practice. The first is to maintain the principle of selection for appointment to the Civil Service on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. The second is to promote an understanding of the https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-code/the-civil-service-code which sets out the constitutional framework in which all civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold, and to hear and determine appeals made under it. 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 recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk 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 Water Technical Specialist Opens in new window (pdf, 706kB)
