Join Ofwats Water Resources Team & RAPID Directorate as Water Efficiency and Innovation Lead *Office Location : Birmingham (B5 4UA) or London (E14 4HD) 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. Our work has genuine significance no other organisation does the work we do. Its unique and meaningful: keeping our water flowing; ensuring water bills dont cost a penny more than needed; holding water companies to account. Come and work at the source of everyday life. The Role This is an exciting time to join the team. Reducing demand for water is essential, especially during the first decade of the current water resources management plans (WRMPs). Water companies are scaling up investment in the shift to smart metering (£1.7billion of new investment and over 10 million smart meters being installed). The review of final WRMPs projects ~450 million litres of water per day will be saved due to metering by 2049-50 and ~50% households and businesses will have a smart meter by 2030. However, there are risks if not delivered. Ofwat has also launched a £100 million water efficiency fund to help deliver a transformative, sustained, and measurable reduction in water demand across England and Wales. The aim of the fund is to stimulate a transformative, sustained, and measurable reduction in water demand across England and Wales by using a range of water efficiency approaches. We want to encourage collaboration and innovation that would not, and historically has not, otherwise happened. This is a unique opportunity for someone with experience of smart metering, water efficiency, or innovation within the water sector and/or experience of implementing a smart metering programme within the utility or energy sectors. You will lead a small team responsible for the development of specific areas of water resource and water efficiency strategy and policy. This includes driving the development of smart metering strategies and shaping the delivery of the £25 million Water Efficiency Lab innovation challenges. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with wider government departments, regulators, and with a varied range of stakeholders on key policy issues. This includes the Smart Water Metering Delivery Group (SWMDG) governance, bringing together Ofwat, Environment Agency (EA), Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs), MOSL (Market Operator Services Limited), CCW (Consumer Council for Water), water companies, and others to develop standards and regulation to coordinate the national rollout. To find more details about the role and deliverables please click Apply. About You Below are some of the key essential experience, skills & knowledge required for this post: Lead criterion: Experience in water efficiency, innovation, or smart metering - technical, policy, or planning - gained within the water sector, and/or experience implementing a smart metering programme within the utility or energy sectors. Experience of policy development and implementation, and/or designing and delivering programmes of work within a relevant field. Experience of building and maintaining constructive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including the ability to influence and collaborate effectively to deliver desired outcomes. Highly numerate with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience of analysing and accurately interpreting a range of data and insights to inform evidence-based decisions and solutions for complex problems. Excellent communication (oral and written) skills, including the ability to communicate complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences. Previous experience of building and leading high-performing teams with an inclusive leadership style. Why You Should Join Us: Meaningful Impact: You will be joining a team with a sense of mission at its core aiming to build a lasting legacy for future generations by securing our long-term water resilience. 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 London or Birmingham offices. Fantastic employer pension contribution of nearly 30%. 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 18 August 2025