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 at the source of everyday life. 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, our values and our Framework for Success in the attached Candidate Pack.

Job description

We are seeking 3x Infrastructure Analysts to join our growing Major Projects Team and have a real input into some of the exciting projects we work on and accompanying policy issues. The team, part of the Major Markets and Projects directorate, has a wide remit, working with the industry with projects ranging between several hundred million pounds to several billion pounds, to ensure companies are developing and delivering them in a timely and efficient manner to ensure customers and the environment are protected. These projects are vital to meeting current and future customers' needs, and the whole team has a direct impact on ensuring companies are delivering for customers.  

This is a unique and exciting, once in a career, opportunity for someone with experience of infrastructure projects or project finance looking to work on some of the most important capital projects in the water sector, as well as gain experience in new delivery models. 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 over thirty years. This is a chance to create a lasting impact for customers across England and Wales for generations to come and create a legacy.

To hear more about this directly from our amazing Major Projects Team, please access the link here - Major Projects careers - YouTube.

You will play a key role in not only delivering Ofwat's strategy, but also in the development of our approach to the delivery of major infrastructure projects by leading small workstreams or projects. You will be proactive and respond flexibly to the needs of the organisation by facilitating the development and delivery of major water and wastewater infrastructure projects across England and Wales, primarily through competitive delivery models such as Ofwat's Direct Procurement for Customers (“DPC”) model or the Specified Infrastructure Projects Regulations (“SIPR”) as used in the delivery of the Thames Tideway Tunnel project. You will also interface with projects that have been approved through the RAPID (Regulator's Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development) process.

The successful candidate may come from a variety of professional backgrounds and is likely to have experience in regulatory policy, delivery of major infrastructure projects or project finance gained from working in Government, regulators, utilities or the contracting sector. You will have a broad understanding of utilities in the UK, with a special interest in the development and delivery of major infrastructure capital projects.

Key deliverables:

• Lead the delivery of a project and/or a specific area of policy related to major infrastructure projects.
• Lead the management of a small number of major projects through Ofwat's various processes, including management of our expert advisors.
• Analyse companies' submissions, including the analysis of complex commercial, financial, and technical proposals, providing effective scrutiny and challenge, and preparing recommendations for senior management including Ofwat’s Board.
• Lead the 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.
• Provide wider support to the Major Projects team in delivering its programme of work, including interfaces with RAPID and PR24.

***If you want to find out more and hear about these opportunities directly from the team, sign up to our Live Q&A here, taking place on Tuesday 19 March 2024 at 12.00 pm. 

Person specification

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

Experience, skills and knowledge 

• Lead Criterion: Knowledge and experience of working on large infrastructure projects, possibly in a commercial or technical capacity within a regulated business, water sector supply chain organisation, consultancy, regulators, Government, or in another similarly relevant position.
• Experience and/or knowledge of the private financing of public or regulated infrastructure.
• 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.
• Ability to effectively plan, prioritise and deliver projects, while working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent presentation and communication (oral and written) skills, including the ability to communicate complex analysis and issues to non-technical audiences.  
• Highly numerate with strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience of identifying, analysing, and accurately interpreting a range of data and insights to inform evidence-based decisions and solutions for complex problems.

Attributes 

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

Attributes as per Ofwat's Framework for Success for Senior Associate Band. You can read more about our attributes here.

Benefits

Why You Should Join Us: 

We are forward-thinking, creative, innovative and ambitious. We constantly push the boundaries and embrace new 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. 

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. 

You will also benefit from:

• Excellent employer pension contributions, for this role ranging from £10,004 to £13,550. You can find further details about pension schemes in the terms and conditions below.
• 25 days’ annual leave (increasing to 30 with each year of service) plus bank holidays and an extra 2.5 days of privilege leave
• 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
• Recognition vouchers scheme
• Generous shared parental leave and pay
• Enhanced sick pay
• Regular development opportunities
• Health and wellbeing initiatives
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Season ticket loan for home-to-office travel
• Free eye tests and contribution to lenses/spectacles for VDU users

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 01 April 2024
• Sifting: week commencing 02 April 2024
• Interview date(s):week commencing 08 April 2024 and week commencing 15 April 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:

• Knowledge and experience of working on large infrastructure projects, possibly in a commercial or technical capacity within a regulated business, water sector supply chain organisation, consultancy, regulators, Government, or in another similarly relevant position.  

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.

***Note that “near-miss” candidates (candidates who have performed well at interview stage but haven’t scored high enough for the advertised Senior Associate band) may be considered (in merit order) for an Associate, Infrastructure Junior Analyst post – a band lower than Senior Associate. Further details will be provided to candidates as needed.

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 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.