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 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.

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. 

The Team

We're looking for a Head of Information Governance to lead a small and friendly team. The Information Governance team sits within the Office of the Chief Executive Directorate alongside the following functions: Legal, Governance and PMO, Communications, the Chief Economist's Unit, and our Executive Office, Board Secretariat and PAs. Each of these teams serves a cross-cutting function within Ofwat. 

The team is responsible for: 

• Information Governance Management
• Data protection and GDPR compliance generally
• Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulations responses
• Serious incident reporting for personal data breaches
• Internal reviews of our management of investigations and complaints
• Records Management, meeting our obligations under the Public Records Act

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

You will be responsible for the Information Governance function within Ofwat, embracing all the above functions, as well as identifying and growing the skills of the team and wider Ofwat in meeting our responsibilities under freedom of information legislation and in relation to records management. You will be responsible for shaping the approach to Information Governance across Ofwat and contributing to the development of our digital capability in relation to the capture and use of company information led by our Sector Performance team. You will play an important role in supporting the development and implementation of refreshed data policies and governance, improving our data maturity to enable successful delivery of Ofwat's Data Strategy.

You will provide expert advice, leading necessary reviews of relevant policies and standards, driving and testing compliance with our UKGDPR and DPA requirements and ICO guidelines. You’ll have a broad portfolio of work and will take ownership of a range of specific policies and procedures, taking responsibility and accountability for their success. You’ll ensure that we’re delivering on our strategic objectives to time and to budget, and in line with our ways of working. You will also be a People Leader responsibilities for three individuals.

You’ll be expected to have good judgement and to exercise it across complex issues responsibly in line with our strategy and ways of working. You’ll be a role model for the Ofwat ways of working and be expected to provide support to colleagues across Ofwat proactively sharing skills and knowledge, and equally will be supported with coaching and mentoring. Effective stakeholder engagement will also be critical for your success.

Key Deliverables

In this role you will be expected to lead on:

Information Governance and Records Management

• Develop and implement an Information Governance strategy and associated policies/processes for Ofwat and maximise the value of Ofwat’s assets in line with this strategy;
• Lead the development of our cadre of Information Asset Owners/Coordinators to enable them to fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively within their Directorates, including as these roles develop further to support implementation of our Digital and Data Strategies.
• Lead in reviewing and updating IG policies and operational documentation in line with legislative changes.
• Engage with Directorates to raise awareness and embed the TNA Selection Policy, retention and disposal policy, end-to-end records management life cycles, and Information Asset Registers across the business.
• Support joint projects and wider organisational development work in line with Ofwat’s data and digital strategies and open data ambitions, providing specialist advice in relation to the requirements and implications of new systems (including for our overarching data and information governance), products and services, and leading on digital preservation practice.

Freedom of Information and Data Protection

• Lead Ofwat's compliance with all applicable data protection laws, including the Data Protection Act 2018 and UKGDPR, providing specialist advice and guidance, and ensuring the appropriate and secure use and sharing of personal data.
• Oversee responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests, Subject Access Requests and lead on internal reviews of our management of investigations and complaints.
• Be responsible for serious incident reporting for personal data breaches.

Continuous improvement

• Lead and co-ordinate continuous improvement work across all of our information governance functions, including the development and implementation of training and awareness programmes for colleagues across Ofwat.

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: Experience of and ability to manage and lead organisational change from an Information Governance perspective.
• Lead criterion: Experience of aligning Information Governance compliance with an organisation's strategies.
• Experienced Information Governance (Knowledge and Information Management) professional with extensive practical expertise in organisational compliance including under DPA 2018, FOIA 2000, EIR 2004 and PRA 1958
• Professional accreditation/Chartership in one of the Knowledge and Information Management professional bodies (CILIP, IRMS or ARA) or relevant work experience.
• Experienced People Manager/Leader enabling and supporting a team to thrive.
• Proficient knowledge and experience in end-to-end records management, including understanding the lifecycle of records and the role of Information Asset Registers in effectively managing and protecting information assets, enabling Information Asset Owners to understand their value.
• Experience in using systems such as Excel, SharePoint, EDRMS and Microsoft Teams as well as being comfortable with using new, innovative and emerging technology, such as AI, for current and future operating models.

Attributes 

• Delivers Outcomes. 
• Champion and leader of change.
• Promotes collaboration.
• Builds the team.

Attributes as per Ofwat's Framework for Success for Principal 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 £15,900 to £23,150 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.

Please see the candidate guidance on our website for more detail and tips on how to best make your application. 

Selection timetable

• Closing date: 04 Aug 24
• Sifting: week commencing 05 Aug 24
• Interview date(s): week commencing 19 Aug 24

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 criteria: 

• Lead criterion: Experience of and ability to manage and lead organisational change from an Information Governance perspective.
• Lead criterion: Experience of aligning Information Governance compliance with an organisation's strategies.

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

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.