Join Ofwat’s Cost Assessment Team as a Principal Wastewater Networks Specialist We have 1 permanent role available, but it is also open to loans and secondments of up to 2 years. *Office Location: London (E14 4HD) or Birmingham (B5 4UA) with hybrid working* About Us We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales. Following the Independent Water Commission’s final report, the UK government has set out a bold new direction - one that brings together expertise from across the sector to deliver better outcomes for customers and the environment. We are working in collaboration with the government and other regulators to help establish a new body for England, combining our strengths with those of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency, and Natural England. We’re also continuing to engage with the Welsh Government to support future decisions for Wales. While these changes take shape, our mission remains the same: to hold water companies to account, drive performance, and ensure the sector delivers real value for customers, communities, and the environment. If you’re passionate about making a difference, this is a unique moment to join us and help shape the future of water, and together we can continue to make a positive impact. The Role The Independent Water Commission published their final report on the review of the water sector regulatory system on 21 July 2025. While we are entering a period of change, Ofwat still has a lot of important work to do. We remain focused on the day job and ensuring that the £104 billion investment package that we have approved delivers the maximum benefits for customers and the environment. The creation of the new regulator may take up to two years to finalise, during which time we will work closely with the government and other regulators to create a plan for a smooth transition. This role has an important and valuable contribution to enable us to deliver on our goals and regulatory commitments. We are seeking a Wastewater Network Specialist (engineer, scientist, or asset manager) to join our Cost Assessment Team at Principal level. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for someone with a background in engineering, wastewater, or operational/asset management, looking to work on the development and delivery of current and future price reviews. You will not only gain experience working within the regulatory environment, but also have the chance to work and engage with multiple key stakeholders within the water sector. You will have the opportunity to step into a role that is full of influence and exciting challenges. These could include but are not limited to offering meticulous engineering insights and advice across Ofwat that shapes our policies and helps us to achieve our objectives, and taking the lead on areas of engagement with water companies, regulators and wider stakeholders. Ofwat is a learning organisation, and you will have ample opportunities to further develop your knowledge and experience, as well as consolidate your skillset. We have a well-supported, agile working environment, and have a trust-based culture intended to help empower you and enable and support you to succeed within Ofwat. In turn, you will be expected to provide support to colleagues across the organisation, proactively sharing skills and knowledge, and equally will be supported by coaching and mentoring. Key deliverables In this role you will be expected to: Lead on delivery tracking and reconciliation for all aspects of wastewater networks. Lead on policy design and delivery of procedures and processes to ensure thorough and effective cost assessment. Provide thought leadership by demonstrating expertise and acting as a subject-matter expert in cost assessment (focusing on wastewater networks) and related areas. Apply technical expertise to provide support and advice to areas of economic regulation across the organisation. Collaborate with and effectively influence internal and external stakeholders, including the Environment Agency (EA), Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Water Companies, and any other relevant bodies. Critically evaluate and challenge analysis or products of professional peers. Produce high-quality documents, review the work of others, and contribute to external publications. Work closely with colleagues across Ofwat to align with other areas of work. Manage and plan resource of both internal staff, and consultant resource. About You Below are some of the key essential experience, skills & knowledge required for this post: Lead criterion: Relevant technical experience within engineering, science, capital programmes, asset management and/or business planning, working at a senior level. Experience of developing policy and/or designing and delivering procedures and processes. Numerate with analytical skills, including experience of analysing and accurately interpreting a range of data and insights to inform evidence-based decisions and solutions for complex problems. Proven ability to solve complex analytical problems, and the ability to present the results to both technical and non-technical audiences. Excellent written and oral communication skills, which you can use to persuade both internal and external stakeholders. Experience of thought leadership, including the ability to generate and disseminate innovative ideas and act as a subject-matter expert on water sector engineering design and delivery and related areas. Why You Should Join Us: People Centric: Our people are at the heart of Ofwat and everything we do - we ensure all voices are heard and treat each other with respect; you'll be given the autonomy and the support to do your role in the best way. Innovative Work Environment: We embrace agile and new ways of working and have a culture build on trust, flexibility, and collaboration. Development Opportunities: Gain valuable experience and develop your skills in a supportive and dynamic setting. Work-Life Balance: Enjoy the flexibility of working from home combined with the benefits of in person collaboration in our Birmingham offices. Good employer pension contributions 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. Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies. Up to 3 volunteering days per year. Recognition vouchers scheme rewarding your hard work. Generous shared parental leave and pay supporting your family life. Follow the link to Apply for full details about the role, please ensure you have submitted your Applications in full before the below deadline. Closing date: 23.55 on 19 October 2025.