Location
Central London

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£70,000 per annum

About the Role
We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales. We have an opportunity for an Operational Performance Principal to join our Operational Performance and Data Strategy Team within the Delivery Directorate.

The water sector is entering a new chapter with a bold government direction aimed at delivering better outcomes for customers and the environment. We are collaborating with fellow regulators and governments to shape the future of water governance in England and Wales, including the creation of a new regulatory body for England.

Our mission remains to hold water companies to account, drive performance, and ensure the sector delivers real value for customers, communities, and the environment. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a positive impact and help shape the future of the water sector.

The Operational Performance Principal role sits within the Delivery Directorate, which supports Ofwat's objective to be an assertive voice in strategic and investment decision-making for the sector. The Directorate drives sector and company performance by proactively challenging companies using data and operational expertise.

In this role, you will work closely with colleagues across Ofwat to identify areas where analysis and insight are needed, develop approaches to extract insights, and communicate findings to influence strategic goals. You will play a key role in delivering our strategy and respond flexibly to organisational needs.

A key responsibility is contributing to the annual Water Company Performance Report (WCPR) and supporting the implementation of the Turnaround Oversight Regime to monitor and hold companies accountable for poor performance.

This role requires water sector expertise but applications from diverse backgrounds such as operations, asset management, engineering, scientific, technical, regulation, and economics are welcome.

You will also need strong analytical skills, problem-solving ability, excellent communication, stakeholder management experience, and the capability to manage consultants and external support effectively.

Ofwat offers an agile working environment with opportunities to support other directorates and adapt to shifting priorities.

Experience
Excellent knowledge of the water sector, including how Ofwat monitors and measures company and sector performance to hold companies to account.
Relevant experience in areas such as operations, asset management, engineering, scientific, technical, regulation, or economics.
Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to use performance information to appraise improvement plans, make recommendations, and apply challenge.
Experience using quantitative and qualitative data to generate actionable insights and present conclusions to influence policy and senior leaders.
Proven ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, including external organisations, to deliver high-quality insights.
Demonstrated capability to lead, plan, and manage projects under challenging circumstances, including managing workloads, leading others, and meeting deadlines.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, able to engage a wide range of audiences.

About you
Deliver outcomes effectively and consistently.
Champion and lead change within your team and organisation.
Adaptable thinker, able to respond flexibly to evolving priorities and challenges.
Committed to continuous learning and development.
Strong stakeholder management and coaching skills to support colleagues and share knowledge.

Qualifications
Relevant professional qualifications or equivalent experience in the water sector or related fields are desirable but not mandatory.
A commitment to professional development and learning within the role and wider directorate is expected.