About the job

Job summary

We’re Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority – a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales. 

As the economic regulator of water and wastewater companies in England and Wales, our role is to enable, incentivise and hold companies to account for providing the very best for customers, communities and the environment now and in the future. We also oversee the markets in the water sector to ensure they’re working for customers.   

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

We have an exciting opportunity for experienced Capital Projects / Infrastructure Analysts with broad experience in the development and delivery of large capital projects. You may come from a variety of professional backgrounds and are likely to have experience in regulatory policy or delivery of major infrastructure projects gained working in Government, regulators, utilities or contracting sector. You'll play an important role in delivering our strategy and will be deployed in the Major Projects team, part of the Major Projects and Markets Directorate, who facilitate the development and delivery of major water and wastewater infrastructure projects, primarily through competitive delivery models such as Ofwat's Direct Procurement for Customers model  (DPC) or the Specified Infrastructure Projects Regulations (SIPR) as used in the delivery of the Thames Tideway Tunnel project.

With projects ranging between several hundred million pounds and several billion pounds, the team works with water companies on some of the largest and most complex infrastructure projects the sector has seen in the last thirty years. This is, therefore, a unique and exciting opportunity for someone with experience of infrastructure projects looking to work on some of the most important capital projects in the water sector, as well as gain experience in new delivery models. For further information about the team and their work, please read the attached 'Candidate Information Pack'. 

You will be expected to uphold high standards of delivery and collaborate with water and wastewater companies to support them to deliver the best value for customers from the major infrastructure projects and strategic water resource schemes being proposed. 

You will have a degree of autonomy and responsibility, having ample opportunities to develop and consolidate your skill set. You are expected to be a self-starter and do not require detailed supervision from senior colleagues. You will continue to hone your judgement and be expected to exercise it responsibly in line with our strategy and ways of working. You will also be developing and using your ability to persuasively communicate and engage with stakeholders, both internally and externally. You'll provide support to colleagues across the organisation, proactively sharing skills and knowledge, and equally will be supported by coaching and mentoring.

The infrastructure projects that the team work on, are vital to meeting current and future customers' needs, and this role has a direct impact on ensuring companies are delivering for customers.

Key deliverables:

As a Senior Associate, you'll lead small workstreams or projects, collaborating on diverse infrastructure initiatives. Your role involves managing projects using efficient processes, such as Ofwat's Direct Procurement for Customers framework and custom gated processes.

Some of the key areas of work are expected to include: 

• supporting the delivery of work in a specific area of policy related to major infrastructure projects.
• supporting the management of major projects through Ofwat's various processes, including management of our expert advisors.
• analysing companies' submissions to us including analysing complex commercial, financial and technical proposals– providing effective scrutiny and challenge and preparing recommendations for senior management including Board.
• support engagement with water and wastewater companies on their large infrastructure projects, including proposed commercial models and procurement strategies; cost and risk estimation; and related technical issues.
• providing wider support to the Major Projects team in delivering its programme of work, including interfaces with RAPID and PR24.

Our culture is collegiate and will require you to collaborate with others and work seamlessly across Ofwat and beyond (e.g. with colleagues in RAPID) to ensure an end-to-end policy framework is in place to deliver high quality and successful outcomes for the projects and programmes in question. 

Person specification

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

Essential Criteria - Experience, skills and knowledge 

• Lead Criterion: Experience of large capital and infrastructure projects, possibly in a commercial or technical capacity, including ability to understand complex commercial and financial concepts. 
• Educated to degree or post graduate level in a numerical, technical, or other relevant discipline or equivalent experience. 
• Experience of carrying out a relevant role within a regulated business, water sector supply chain organisation, consultancy, Government, or in another similarly relevant position.   
• Ability to analyse complex data, including interrogating financial models, and present options and recommendations to senior management 
• Experience of working effectively in multi-disciplinary teams 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex analysis and issues to non-technical audiences.  
• Highly numerate with strong analytical skills. 
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team. 

Essential Criteria - Attributes 

• Building Trust
• Making Relationships Count
• Adaptable thinker
• Creates Clarity
• Delivers Outcomes

You can read more about our Framework for success Attributes at Senior Associate grade here - Our Framework for Success (sharepoint.com)

Benefits

Why You Should Join Us: 

We are forward-thinking, creative, innovative and ambitious. We actively encourage autonomy, collaboration and innovation and we have a unique culture fostered by trust, flexibility and respect.

With us, your work matters, your voice is heard, and your impact is felt. Ours s a culture of trust, flexibility, autonomy, collaboration, and innovation. We all want positive change for water customers, the environment, and the future of water.  

You will also benefit from:

• Excellent employer pension contributions, for this role ranging from £9,968 to 
  £13,677. 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 January 2024
• Sifting: Week commencing 15 January 2024
• Interview date(s): Week commencing 29 January 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: "Experience of large capital and infrastructure projects, possibly in a commercial or technical capacity, including ability to understand complex commercial and financial concepts."

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.