About the job

Job summary

We’re Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, responsible for regulating water and wastewater services 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.

You can find out more about Ofwat, our Values and our Framework for Success in the attached Candidates Pack. 

The Communications Team

The communications team is key to Ofwat. We use communications for the delivery of our strategy, working across the business to encourage effective engagement amongst our own people and with external audiences.

We build stakeholder relationships by providing transparency and effectively managing our brand; we build trust by telling Ofwat's story and how we deliver benefits and better outcomes for customers and the environment; and we use our expertise to ensure our we get the right messages to the right audiences in the most effective way.

Job description

We have an opening for an experienced Press Officer to join our Communications team!  This is an exciting role which will see you building our profile and reputation, developing proactive campaigns and leading reactive media handling.

You will need to establish yourself as credible and reliable with all parts of the organisation – including the leadership team. You will have the ability to understand often complex, technical policy and turn it into accessible, compelling messages.

You will help develop and deliver a media relations strategy, building on our overall communications strategy and ensuring that we use the media effectively to reach our target audience.

Key objectives:

In this role you will be expected to:

• Oversee the press office function within Ofwat, acting as the primary point of contact for the media – national print, broadcast and trade
• Work closely with the relevant policy leads, to build proactive opportunity such as national broadcast interviews, op-eds, features etc.
• Lead our reactive media handling. You will draft lines to take, statements and press releases
• Coordinate closely with press offices in Ofwat’s key stakeholders including other regulators and government departments, ensuring timely sharing of information and insights
• Ensure that Ofwat’s senior leadership are briefed on any relevant news stories or emerging issues
• Be responsible for preparing senior colleagues in advance of broadcast or print media interviews. This will include drafting comprehensive briefing notes and prep interview sessions
• Build strong relationships with key journalists across national print, broadcast and trade media
• Manage Ofwat’s external media monitoring service and provide monthly media metrics and analysis for Ofwat’s Board
• You will also provide wider support to Communications team, as required.

*Ofwat operates an ‘out-of-hours’ media enquiry service. You will manage the ‘out-of-hours’ rota and also to take part in it, including occasionally at weekends and public holidays.

Person specification

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

Experience, Skills and Knowledge:

• Lead Criterion: Previous experience in leading media relations activities in a high-profile organisation.
• Experience in reactive communications and ability to proactively recognise opportunities to raise Ofwat’s profile
• Experience of horizon scanning; identifying issues and challenges in the external environment and developing appropriate responses
• Strategic thinking and ability to plan ahead
• Excellent writing skills, including a flair for turning complex technical material into compelling content for news outlets
• Ability to challenge and influence internal and external stakeholders.

Attributes: 

Attributes as per Ofwat’s Framework for Success for Senior Associate Grade. You can read more about attributes here.

• Delivering outcomes (in a dynamic environment)
• Building trust (with stakeholders internally and externally)
• Promoting collaboration
• Being a champion and a leader of change

Benefits

Why you should Join Ofwat:

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.

We strive to ensure our people feel connected and valued, where their voice matters. You will be provided with the space and support to shape your future while taking greater control of your own growth and development.

You will also benefit from:

• excellent civil service pension scheme with employer contribution of min 27.1%  for this role ranging from (£9,842 to £13,950)
• 25 days annual leave (increasing to max 30 with each year of service) in addition to 10.5 bank holiday and privilege leave days
• access to exclusive discounts on a range of goods and services such as retail outlets, theatre tickets, holidays, insurance and gym membership;
• fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies;
• up to 3 volunteering days per year;
• recognition vouchers;
• enhanced shared parental leave and pay;
• enhanced sick pay;
• cycle-to-work scheme;
• season ticket loan for travel between home and office;
• health and well-being initiatives

Things you need to know

Selection process details

How to apply

Applicants should apply through the Civil Service Jobs website.  You will be asked to create an account and complete an application form (CV and personal statement). 

If you are unable to make an electronic application or have any question, please contact us via recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk and we will be happy to help.

Selection timetable

• Closing date: 23:55 on 07 January 2024
• Sifting: Week Commencing 08 January 2024
• Interview date(s): Week Commencing 15 January 2024 and Week Commencing 22 January 2024

Assessment process

Sift Stage

At sift stage we will assess your application against some of the essential skills, experience, and knowledge, listed in the professional requirements table above. Please ensure you describe how you meet the essential criteria in your application.

As part of your application, you will be required to write a personal statement. Please use your personal statement to tell us more about your previous experience in leading media relations activities in a high-profile organisation. (Lead criterion)

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

Interview Stage

We will test against attributes, as well as skills, experience, and knowledge (set out in the professional requirements section) during the interview process. You can read more on Ofwat’s  attributes described here in our Framework for Success.

As part of the interview process, we will require a short presentation or task. Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates upon invitation to interview.

Please note that the interviews may be conducted via video conferencing software (Microsoft Teams) or in person.

It may be necessary for a second stage interview, which will be communicated to the successful candidates, if required.

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.