Water Resources Specialist

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 Resources Specialist to join our Water Supply Team within RAPID and Environmental Planning Directorate.

The water sector is entering a new chapter. Following the Independent Water Commissions Final Report and subsequent White Paper - 'New Vision for Water', the UK government has set out a bold new direction - one that brings together expertise from across the sector to deliver better outcomes for customers and the environment.

Ofwat is working in collaboration with the government and other regulators to help establish a new body for England, combining our strengths with those of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency, and Natural England. Were also continuing to engage with the Welsh Government to support future decisions for Wales.

While these changes take shape, our mission remains the same: to hold water companies to account, drive performance, and ensure the sector delivers real value for customers, communities, and the environment. If youre passionate about making a difference, this is a unique moment to join us and help shape the future of water, and together we can continue to make a positive impact.

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.

We are looking for a Water Resources Specialist to join our Water Supply Team at Senior Associate level. The Water Supply team is dedicated to improving investment planning and tracking delivery of source to tap activities. This includes supporting the delivery of best-value water resources solutions, co-ordinating smart meter rollout, tracking leakage and water efficiency whilst advocating for innovation solutions, addressing policy gaps in resilience investment, and supporting the large scheme gate and delivery plan assessments.

The sector is facing unprecedented challenges, and we want someone who relishes the opportunity to apply their skills and experience to improve our water environment. Whilst there are specific policy areas you will lead on, you will also play an important role in driving the collaborative work programme across Governments and with other regulators to improve future water resources management.

This is an exciting role in an expanding team. You will have the opportunity to support with the development of new planning frameworks developed under Defra's White Paper on a new vision for water. You will work with wider governments, regulators and a varied range of stakeholders on national water resources policy and investment policy, including our preparations for water resources manage plans for 2029 (WRMP29) and the 2029 price review (PR29). This includes utilising forums such as the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), bringing together partner regulators (Drinking Water Inspectorate, Environment Agency, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales).

You will also work to assess and monitor delivery of supply schemes through current WRMP24 and PR24 price control deliverables (PCDs), and support the progression of strategic resource options (SROs) in the RAPID programme. Your work on this area will hold companies to account on their delivery on behalf of customers and the environment.

Key deliverables:

In this role you will be expected to:

• Lead on the delivery of water resources planning (including supply, efficiency, and cost assessment) policy projects and programmes, including on elements of communication, engagement, monitoring, reporting and investment decisions.
• Lead work with our partner regulators and government on the evolving strategic planning frameworks, including water resource management plans, business plan links, and new planning frameworks developed through Defra's White Paper on a new vision for water.
• Support wider water resources efficiency policy developmentworking with government, other regulators, water companies and wider stakeholders.
• Contribute to the RAPID and Environmental Planning directorate strategy and the Price Review directorate more broadly as required.
• Support growth of the team and line management of additional staff(Associates and/or Graduates).

To be successful in this role you will need the below essential attributes, experience, skills and knowledge:

Experience, skills and knowledge

1. Lead criterion: Experience in water resources planning (including supply schemes, efficiency or environmental strategy). This can be regulatory, technical or policy experience gained within the water sector.
2. Lead Criterion: A graduate-level qualification in a relevant field (e.g. environmental science, public policy, environmental management, water resources, engineering, geography, or a closely related discipline).
3. Academic or professional experience of wider environmental issues and good knowledge/understanding of those related to the water industry.
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. Experience of building and maintaining constructive working relationships with a diverse set of internal and external stakeholders to understand their needs, expectations, and priorities, and to influence and collaborate effectively to deliver desired outcomes.
6. Excellent communication (oral and written) skills, including the ability to communicate complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences in order to inform policy making, decision making or recommendations.

Attributes

7. Creates Clarity

8. Makes Relationships Count

9. Delivers outcomes

10. Champion and Leader of Change

Attributes as per Ofwat's Framework for Success for the relevant salary grade. You can read more about Attributes here.