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.   

We are looking for a Climate Change Adaption & Resilience Specialist to join our growing Environment Team. The team is focussed on delivering the environmental policy objectives of our strategy and engaging and collaborating with key environmental stakeholders. We are committed to working in partnership with Government, regulators, industry, and our environmental stakeholders on key environmental policy projects including:

• strengthening the water sector’s approach to climate change and adaptation and its net zero 2030 ambition.
• exploring how we can use natural capital accounting methods.
• driving environmental improvements and holding companies to account.
• considering how to bring about change in how people use water.
• encouraging and facilitating nature-based solutions.

Job description

As a specialist in climate change adaptation and resilience, you will play a key role in the delivery of the environmental policy objectives of our strategy, by developing and implementing our approach to climate change adaption and resilience and engaging with the water industry on its Net Zero ambitions.

This is a varied role that will draw upon a range of skills – from policy development and systems thinking, to project management and stakeholder relations. Excellent communication skills, and an ability to work effectively across organisational boundaries and challenge the status quo are essential. You should also be comfortable working at pace in an agile environment.

An excellent understanding and experience of climate change adaption and resilience, and programme responses are necessary for this role. You will be comfortable representing Ofwat and communicating Ofwat policy to environmental stakeholders including government officials, water companies and others. You will provide advice and make recommendations, ensuring Ofwat understands and can incorporate climate change policy into its work, proactively sharing skills and knowledge.

As a Senior Associate you will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and will be expected to take responsibility for your work areas. You will have ample opportunities to further develop and consolidate your skill set. You will continue to hone your judgement and be expected to exercise it responsibly in line with our strategy and ways of working.

Key deliverables:

In this role you will be expected to:

• Engage with water industry climate change adaptation and resilience, developing and communicating Ofwat’s position.
• Develop and implementing Ofwat’s approach to climate change adaptation and resilience.
• Play a key role in reporting on the impacts of, and our proposals for adaptation to, climate change.
• Provide expert advice on climate change across the organisation as is required.
• Supporting the environment team’s work and policy projects more broadly as is required.
• Forge excellent links across the water sector in relation to climate change policy, including with water companies, environmental groups, government, and other regulators.
• Influence and manage strategic policy relationships with water companies, environmental groups, government, and other regulators on environmental issues relevant to Ofwat’s work.
• Work collaboratively flexibly, and at pace with colleagues across different workstreams and clusters to ensure joined up and consistent representation on environmental and climate change issues and priorities across all areas of Ofwat’s work.
• Look beyond the water and wastewater sector, and where necessary other utility sectors, for creative and novel ways to meet the environmental challenges the sector faces.

Person specification

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

Experience, skills and knowledge

• Academic and/or professional experience in climate change adaptation and resilience [Lead Criterion].
• Up-to-date knowledge of climate change adaptation and resilience policy and programme responses.
• Proven experience in policy analysis and policy delivery.
• Experience of working on a programme of analysis and evidence gathering to support robust decision making and influencing on policy issues.
• Proven experience in a data analysis and data monitoring including strong analytical and research skills with the ability to cut through complexity and apply knowledge to support decision making.
• Experience of working flexibly and collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams to bring policy expertise and solutions to problems and deliver joined up strategic thinking.
• Strong communicator and able to effectively communicate complex issues to non-technical audiences.
• Experience of effective and efficient planning, including prioritisation and delegation.

Attributes

Attributes as per Ofwat’s Framework for Success Senior Associate Grade. You can read more about attributes here. Whilst we aim for Ofwat employees to adopt all attributes, the ones below are essential for this post:

• Promotes collaboration
• Adaptable thinker
• Delivers outcomes

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 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. We know our people do their best work when given freedom over where, when, and how they work. Which is why we trust them to do exactly that.  

You will also benefit from:

• Excellent employer pension contributions, for this role ranging from £10,000 to £11,900.
• 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.

Candidates may also be interested in another 

Selection timetable

• Closing date: 03 March 24
• Sifting: WC 04 March 24
• Interview date(s): WC 11 & 18 March 24

**Please note, candidates interested in this vacancy might also be interested in another Senior Associate position currently advertised for a Climate Change Mitigation Specialist. 

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: 

• Academic and/or professional experience in climate change mitigation.

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 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.

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.