About the job

Job summary

We have an opportunity for an Executive Office Assistant to join our Executive Office, Board Secretariat, and PA Team. 
 
We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales.

We are at the source of everyday life. We help the sector build trust and confidence with customers, the environment and wider society: keeping water flowing, bills affordable and helping ensure the health of our rivers and waterways. We push hard to improve day-to-day water company performance for customers, including on leakage, sewer flooding and customer service. We drive the sector to take a longer-term view and to take steps now to protect and enhance the environment, using digital and data innovations and making sure our water supplies are secure for future generations. Through our five-yearly price reviews, we oversee billions of pounds of investment into the water sector across England and Wales. 

Our work is high-profile and fast-moving, within a dynamic and agile environment. The work that you’ll be involved in every day will help us to deliver our strategy, to make us the regulator we want to be and help the sector to deliver for customers and society. 

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 Executive Office, Board Secretariat and PA Team is part of the Office of the Chief Executive, which is a group of cross cutting teams. The Executive Office's goal is to ensure that the Chair, Chief Executive and Board Members receive a full and resilient administrative service. 

We’re looking for an Executive Office Assistant to join our Executive Office, Board Secretariat, and PA Team. The team plays an important role in supporting the Executive in shaping our price reviews to ensure water companies provide the services customers pay for.

The Executive Office Assistant role will offer opportunities to collaborate across teams in Ofwat and engage with external stakeholders. It is a busy team that works at pace supporting Ofwat to deliver it's strategic objectives.

As a key member of personnel for the London office, this role requires 3 days per week office attendance. Typically Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Key Deliverables

In this role you will be expected to: 

• Assist Teams in organising events and away-days, including booking external venues. You'll use our booking system and ensure best value for money in all events / travel bookings.
• Build, develop and effectively maintain relationships with key stakeholders (internal and external).
• Assist Teams in the organising of large meetings, including booking rooms and equipment.
• Assist Colleagues with the booking of travel and accommodation using Ofwat's designated travel booking system to ensure best value for money.
• Work closely with the other members of the Executive Office, Board Secretariat and PAs to provide a resilient and comprehensive support.
• Ordering Stationery, consumables, and other equipment for the London Office.
• Support the Board Secretariat in the London office with Board meetings, committee meetings, this includes the greeting of visitors, providing refreshments.
• Act as the point of contact for our outsourced IT service provider within the London Office.
• To demonstrate the highest degree of confidentiality and accuracy in all record keeping.

Person specification

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

Experience, skills and knowledge 

• Lead Criterion: Proven diary management experience.
• Lead Criterion: Previous experience of arranging events and/or large meetings. 
• Flexible and adaptable with the ability to work under pressure within a rapidly changing environment and deal with competing demands.
• Demonstrable experience of working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong IT skills and proficient in the use of Microsoft software suite, specifically, Outlook, Word, and MS Teams.
• Excellent time management and prioritisation skills.
• Ability to work autonomously, while keeping others up to date with progress, risks, issues and linkages as appropriate.

Attributes 

• Builds Trust
• Delivers Outcomes
• Promotes Collaboration

Attributes as per Ofwat's Framework for Success for Attribute Band. 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 28.97% (around £7,891 to £9,270 per annum for this role). You can find further details about pension schemes under Terms and Conditions in the Candidate Pack.
• 27.5 days leave (25 days annual leave + 2.5 days privilege leave) increasing to max 32.5 days with each year of service, plus bank holidays
• 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.
• Generous shared parental leave and pay.
• Enhanced sick pay.
• Regular development opportunities.
• Health and wellbeing initiatives.
• Season ticket loan for home-to-office travel.
• Cycle-to-work scheme.

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 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 14 July 2024
• Sifting: week commencing 15 July 2024
• Interview date(s): 22 & 23 July 2024

Assessment process

Sift Stage

At sift stage we assess your application against key essential skills, experience, and knowledge, listed in the professional requirements section above. 

In your application, please state clearly how your skills, experience, and knowledge meet the essential criteria.

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

• Proven diary management experience.
• Previous experience of arranging events and/or large meetings.

In your personal statement, please tell us how your skills and experience meet the lead criterion, with examples if appropriate. 

You may find the STAR method useful in structuring your personal statement. 

Interview Stage

We will assess your Experience, Skills and Knowledge as well as Attributes (set out in the professional requirements section) at Interview Stage.

You can read more about Attributes in Ofwat’s Framework for Success.

As part of the interview process, we may 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.

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.

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 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.