About the job

Job summary

About us

CCW is the passionate independent voice, representing water consumers in England & Wales. We support thousands of people each year, providing free advice and support helping people to resolve their complaints with their water company in an easy, caring way. We champion everyone’s needs and interests, completing and showcasing research that influences water companies, government, and the regulator to make change happen.

Our values:

We expect and support all CCW colleagues to embody and celebrate CCW’s values through Positive Energy, Respect for all, Innovative spirit, Delivery of our promises and being Engaged as one (PRIDE).

What you’ll be doing

Reporting to the Head of Policy Delivery, the Senior Policy Leader is responsible for leading, developing and implementing CCW’s policies in a specific area of subject matter expertise, in accordance with our vision, programmes and campaigns.

Lead a policy programme of work in a specific area of policy responsibility that supports the delivery of CCW’s Forward Work Programme and Operational Business Plan.

To use our policy positions to secure improvements for water consumers, through leading relevant campaigns and/or initiatives, directly influencing senior stakeholders at a national and company level. 

Through being a recognised and trusted expert in a key area of policy, lead CCW’s major policy work into a sector-leading position and be the source of industry best practice.

Disseminating policy knowledge and expertise within CCW in order to inform and upskill colleagues; recognising and sharing good practice across the sector.

Keeping CCW briefed on external policy developments or operational issues related to their policy area; proactively identifying and responding to new or emerging policies or issues, seeking opportunities for CCW to lead.

Exploring and implementing innovative ways to influence policy and practice, including thinking beyond current practices.

To have strong relationships with external stakeholders relevant to the area of policy.

To lead specific programmes and projects on behalf of the Director of Policy, Research and Campaigns, as required.

Job description

Key Duties & Accountabilities:

Key duties & accountabilities

 

The post holder will be CCW’s policy lead on matters relating to company finances. This includes but is not limited to:

Assessing companies’ year on year price proposals and supporting tariff structures, steering CCW's position on the acceptability of them and leading conversations where challenge is needed. The post holder will be expected to report to the CCW Board on companies’ emerging charging proposals.

Examining Ofwat and water companies’ annual and interim accounts and annual performance reports to identify areas of financial performance where there is a legitimate customer interest angle. The post holder will own the repository of financial information and will be expected to develop/update this annually.

Annually summarising companies’ financial performance, including where companies have gained incentive rewards and penalties.  The post holder will advise CCW colleagues about the implications for customers, to inform constructive conversations with companies about their performance and where improvements are needed.

Advising the Board, Executive and Policy team of issues with company financial performance to inform discussions with Ofwat, water companies and other stakeholders, particularly if the regulatory framework appears skewed to company/shareholders to the detriment of customers.

Advising Policy team colleagues of issues, trends and observations from company financial performance that can inform other areas of policy such as charging and tariffs, and how the water sector is regulated.

Keeping abreast of other regulatory frameworks to inform CCW’s work and challenge on financial performance.

Leading on areas of Ofwat’s Periodic Review of water company charges. This will include weighted average cost of capital, totex efficiency, incentives.

Working with companies on understanding their plans to trial and implement alternative charging structures with the dual aim of addressing affordability issues whilst also providing the right pricing signals that reflect the continuing costs of supply and the challenges of water scarcity.

Providing data analysis, modelling and insights on a broader range of issues to support our policy work, complementing the work of our insights team.

Leadership

For area of responsibility: lead work for area of expertise in line with expectations in CCW’s Leadership Charter and deliver a service to internal and external ‘customers’ that is viewed as excellent.

Have a clear understanding of Policy Managers’ workloads and liaise with Head of Policy and Heads of Company Engagement to ensure effective prioritisation of resources and delivery.

Ensure both the Work Progress Report and the Policy Managers’ notes are updated on a monthly basis and to a high standard of completeness and accuracy.

Share priorities and knowledge, in a proportionate way, with the rest of the organisation so they understand what is happening in area of responsibility, through establishing and leading communities of practice.

Provide leadership and strategic input in all matters relating to their lead policy area, and positively contribute to wider policy development.

Be an active and effective member of the CCW senior leadership team, contributing to all discussions/decisions; taking the lead in matters relating to their policy area.

Promote equality of opportunity and embed diversity and inclusion across the organisation.

Champion the ongoing modernisation of CCW’s working practices. Continuously review business policies and processes to identify new and more imaginative ways of working; in order to deliver a more effective, efficient and professional operation.

Policy Development and Implementation

Support the development and delivery of the Policy and Research’s Forward Work Programme outputs and targets, in a way that:

focusses on customers’ strategic priorities;

delivers outputs and outcomes in a way that is recognised by key stakeholders, internally and externally;

continues to motivate the team to deliver their best;

gives opportunity to all staff across CCW to input views and ideas

Develop and deliver a clear plan and long-term strategy for lead policy area that is continuously assessed and updated to reflect evolving priorities and policy changes.

Responsible for relevant policy development activities, ensuring that CCW’s positions are not only reflective of the current state of play, but also set the agenda on our priorities.

Provide relevant policy input into price review; secure price review policy changes, support for policy managers to influence business plans and robust analysis of business plans / Ofwat’s determinations. 

Ensure that the Policy Handbook is kept up to date on a continuous basis.

Influencing the Agenda

Identify and work with the Evidence and Insights team to develop and commission projects to deliver valuable insights. Use the outputs from those projects to influence (and help others to influence) governments, regulators, companies and other stakeholders, as required.

Through assimilation and analysis of the latest data, insights, or consumer perceptions, produce robust conclusions that can be used to influence our own policy and the positions of others.

Work with partner organisations on policy projects of mutual benefit

Lead, shape and quality-assure all consultations within lead work area and ensure wider implications and work areas are considered. 

Create and quality assure relevant Board papers on lead area. 

Lead the identification and sharing of best practice in key policy areas.

Respond to requests for expert briefing and information from senior internal and external stakeholders (e.g. Executive or Government Ministers) as required.

Form, or contribute to, messages for all media activity for lead area of work.

Work with wider CCW team to promote our messaging on a range of subjects in order to influence; governments, regulators, companies and other stakeholders, and to ensure CCW’s position is clear to customers.

Speak authoritatively and engagingly at conferences and with broadcast and in written media on behalf of CCW.

Campaigning

Leading the delivery phase of campaigns related to areas of policy expertise.

Driving campaign development within CCW, delivering new ideas to take forward our policy agenda.

Work to integrate our campaigns across CCW, ensuring that communications on our campaigns are clear and consistent for external stakeholders.

Help promote awareness and participation, across the organisation, for CCW’s campaigns. Suggest initiatives that promote an equal opportunity for others to be involved with development and delivery of our campaigns.

Act as a spokesperson, as needed, for CCW’s campaigns that are aligned to lead area.

External Stakeholders

Establish and maintain productive working relationships, developing partnerships and joint working as necessary.

Create and run communities of practice for lead area of work.

Plan, expand and lead stakeholder engagement with all relevant parties and expand our collaboration with parties for lead area of work.

Represent CCW in meetings, panels and at conferences.

Carry out other duties within the scope of the role as required by the Director of Policy, Research and Campaigning.

Management of Resources:

Financial Resources (budgets for which the jobholder is responsible)

This post would have no direct research or consultancy budget.

Human Resources (staff for whom the jobholder is directly responsible)

This post would have no formal line management responsibilities. For campaigns and programmes for which post holder would lead they would manage staff, with up to six people in each project team.

Equipment

Laptop/tablet

Mobile phone

Contacts and Communication:

(indicate significant others, both internal and external, giving reason for the contact)

1. Internal

Daily contact the Director of Policy, Research and Campaigning

Daily contact with Senior Policy Leaders

Frequent contact with wider Policy and Research team

Frequent contact with Executive team members and their teams

Regular contact with wider staff

1. External

Regular contact with water companies

Regular contact with other consumer bodies and NGOs.

Regular contact with water sector and government stakeholders at a senior level.

Appearances at conferences and on national / local media

 

Person specification

Who we’re looking for

As Senior Policy Leader for finance, you will be able to demonstrate:

• In depth understanding of financial structures and models;
• Experience of comparing financial performance between businesses;
• Proven ability to translate complex financial material into user friendly language.
• Policy development skills.
• Leadership and strategic input on lead policy areas.
• Price review input to influence company business plans.
• Financial interrogation.
• Influencing the agenda.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Collaboration with partner organisations on mutually beneficial policy projects.
• Campaign management.
• Experience and knowledge of regulated environments.
• Ability to represent CCW effectively with external stakeholders.
• Willingness to travel around England and Wales.

Flexibility to work occasionally outside normal office hours.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,350, Consumer Council for Water contributes £12,785 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This recruitment is being managed by our recruitment partners, Greenbean. For full details of how to apply please go to 

CCW · greenbean (greenbeanrpo.com)

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.