Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS)
Stirling
Remunerated at £361.00 per day (reviewed annually) up to a maximum total fee of £37,544.00 per financial year
The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) is Scotland’s economic regulator for the water industry. Its role is to hold Scottish Water to account, ensuring it delivers high-quality services at the lowest reasonable cost. WICS sets charge caps and performance standards that protect customers and drive continuous improvement in water and waste services. This approach has enabled Scottish Water to invest more per person than anywhere else in the UK while maintaining some of the lowest household bills and achieving consistently high standards of service.
This is an exciting moment to join WICS. The Strategic Review of Charges for 2027-33 comes at a pivotal point, with climate change, ageing infrastructure, and the transition to net zero shaping the future of the sector. The Chair will help guide the Board in making decisions that will influence investment, performance, and service for decades to come. A new leadership team and dedicated staff bring ambition, expertise, and energy to this vital work. Joining WICS means helping shape a strong, forward-looking regulator, safeguarding value for customers, and contributing to the long‑term resilience of Scotland’s water system.
There is also a significant opportunity to contribute to the UK national conversation about the future of regulation, including responding to new thinking such as the Cunliffe Review and the broader movement for public sector reform.
CHAIR ROLE
ACCOUNTABILITY
The Chair and the Board are accountable to Scottish Ministers.
You will provide assurance to the Scottish Ministers that WICS is fulfilling its statutory obligations and managing high levels of propriety and regularity.
Leading the Board
You will play a key role in leading the Board to:
* shape the organisation’s vision;
* set the strategic direction and monitor performance that will result in WICS succeeding in its statutory obligations;
* hold the Chief Executive and Leadership Team to account;
* ensure financial stewardship and compliance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual;
* set charge limits to protect the interests of customers, facilitating the meeting of ministerial objectives and providing for long‑term financial sustainability;
* work alongside and collaborate with the industry quality regulators (Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Drinking Water Quality Regulator), consumer representatives and the Scottish Government;
* monitor and regulate the retail market for non‑household customers to respond to the needs and choices of customers in the most efficient manner;
* maintain the highest standards of corporate governance, propriety and regularity;
* approve a statement of accounts for the Body for each financial year on the basis determined by the Scottish Ministers.
The work of the Chair
In addition your role will include:
* preparing for and chairing Board meetings and ensuring that the Board has the ability to carry out its functions effectively;
* undertaking regular and effective assessment of the performance of non‑executive Board members and the Chief Executive;
* leading representation and links with Ministers and Scottish Parliament, including at Parliamentary committees if required;
* leading the Board's approach to succession planning to ensure the Board is effective in meeting future challenges.
INFORMATION SESSION
Further information regarding the Board and the Chair role will be available at an online session on MS Teams at 18:30 on the evening of 31 March 2026. To receive the link for this session please email Karen Major in the Scottish Government at karen.major@gov.scot.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information about the Board and the Chair role, please email Jo Blewett in the Scottish Government at Jo.Blewett@gov.scot who will be happy to help you. Further information about WICS can be found at Water Industry Commission for Scotland | WICS.
Aspen www.aspenpeople.co.uk are supporting the process to appoint the Chair and you can contact them at Donogh O'Brien on 07795 812574 or at dobrien@aspenpeople.co.uk or Katharine Price on 07899 791508 or at kprice@aspenpeople.co.uk.
REMUNERATION AND TIME COMMITMENT
This position is remunerated at £361.00 per day (reviewed annually) up to a maximum total fee of £37,544.00 per financial year. Remuneration is non‑pensionable and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.
The Chair is expected to work a maximum of two days per week to perform their functions effectively.
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
We are looking for individuals who can meet each of the areas listed below in the context of an economic regulatory business. By the end of the appointment process, the successful applicants must demonstrate evidence of all four of the essential criteria below:
* Ability to provide strong leadership.
* Ability to Chair a Board.
* Demonstrates understanding of board governance in a public body context, including an understanding of the role of WICS as affected by the public sector reform agenda.
* Direct experience in influencing and building strong and effective relationships and driving collaboration.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
For the online application, you must provide evidence of all three essential criteria:
* Ability to provide strong leadership.
* Ability to Chair a Board within the parameters of good governance, including balancing evidence and views and providing constructive challenge.
* Demonstrates understanding of board governance in a public body context, including an understanding of the role of WICS as affected by the public sector reform agenda.
Your response for all three criteria should form a statement of evidence which should be no more than 1500 words in total. The fourth criterion will be tested at interview.
As part of your online application please also attach a tailored career/life history in the attachments section. This should include information from your professional, personal and voluntary experience relevant to the role(s). The selection panel are not looking for a full CV, but a tailored career/life history that is relevant to this Chair role.
You may wish to include:
* Dates
* Brief information about the organisation
* Information about your role and experience
Your response should be no more than 500 words in total.
Any information in excess of the limits stated will not be taken into account in assessing your application.
Full details are contained in the Applicant Information Pack.
Completed applications must be submitted by 5.00 pm on Monday, 27 April 2026.
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