Details
Reference number
428775
Salary
£54,235 - £66,356
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
Job grade
Grade 6
Contract type
Permanent
Business area
CCFW - Policy
Type of role
Policy
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time
Number of jobs available
1
Contents
* Location
* About the job
* Benefits
* Things you need to know
* Apply and further information
Location
Birmingham, West Midlands (England), B2 4BH : Cardiff, Wales, CF10 1EP
About the job
Job summary
CCW is the independent voice for water consumers in England and Wales. At a time when the water sector is under intense scrutiny, our mission to champion the rights of customers has never been more vital. We're here to ensure consumers are heard, protected, and prioritised by decision-makers in the industry.
CCW is looking for a strategic and influential Head of Policy (household) to help lead our organisation through these times of change in the industry and make sure that customers' interests are at the heart of future developments.
* CCW needs someone with the extensive professional experience and personal drive to shape our policy agenda and get improvements delivered at pace while the sector landscape is changing. We need someone who knows the water industry inside out and knows how things get done in this sector.
* We're looking for someone with the creativity to anticipate future sector challenges and spot opportunities for CCW to drive positive change for consumers in England and Wales.
* CCW is not a huge organisation, and there's a lot to do across many themes. So we need someone with solid judgment about where to spend our resources to get the best results for customers.
Job description
What you'll be doing:
Job purpose
CCW is looking for an experienced and highly motivated Head of Policy (household) to lead our policy development, influencing and advocacy work. This is a critical leadership role, responsible for shaping the strategic direction of the organisation's policy agenda, ensuring it effectively represents consumer interests and drives positive change in the water sector.
The successful candidate will be a thought leader with a deep understanding of the water regulatory landscape, the knowledge to develop and deliver policy changes and a passion for consumer advocacy.
You will be skilled at building relationships with key stakeholders, including governments, regulators, water companies and potential collaborators, to achieve impactful outcomes for water customers.
Key duties and accountabilities
Policy development and implementation
* Develop and lead the organisation's policy strategy, identifying key priorities and areas for intervention to best serve the interests of water consumers in England and Wales, in accordance with CCW's statutory remit and its annual Forward Work Programme
* Oversee the development of robust, evidence-based policy positions, reports and recommendations on a wide range of issues affecting water customers (eg affordability, service quality, environmental performance, resilience)
* Anticipate future policy challenges and opportunities in the water sector and proactively develop strategies to address them, with CCW working alone or in collaboration with other organisations
* Work at pace to fully exploit any opportunities provided by the changing nature of the water industry in England and Wales. Respond to emerging and sometimes rapidly evolving policy positions where CCW may not previously have an agreed position.
* Use CCW's data and insight to influence (and help others to influence) governments, regulators, companies and other stakeholders
* Work closely with colleagues across CCW, including the Executive, Consumer Relations, Company Engagement and Communications teams, to drive the policy changes we want
* Devise an approach to policy delivery for CCW that fully exploits the organisation's resources and provides best value for money for billpayers
* Explore and implement innovative new ways to develop policy and campaigns and to influence policy and practice
* Build strong and influential relationships with external stakeholders at a senior level, including government, regulators, other consumer organisations, third-sector organisations etc
* Provide policy analysis to governments, other government agencies etc
* Lead specific programmes and projects as required
* With appropriate training and support, represent CCW authoritatively and engagingly at eg conferences and with the media – national and regional
Leadership
* Lead, manage and inspire policy analysts, displaying CCW's values and the behaviours in our leadership charter
* Provide expert guidance and support to the policy team, ensuring the quality and impact of their work
* Foster a culture of high performance, productivity and proactive collaboration
* Manage external agencies that provide CCW with multi-disciplinary scientific research, evidence and analysis on specific policy areas via call-off contracts
* Provide leadership and strategic input in all matters relating to policy, based on a sound assessment of the evidence, sector trends, threats and opportunities
* Own CCW's policy handbook and ensure it is always up to date so anyone in our organisation can find out what all our current policies are at any given time
* Share priorities and knowledge, in a proportionate way, with CCW colleagues so they understand our policy positions, policy and campaign development
* Act as deputy to the Director of Communications and Policy as required
* Be a proactive and collaborative part of CCW's senior leadership team that helps steer and develop our organisation and our people
* Promote equality of opportunity and embed diversity and inclusion across the organisation
Carry out other duties within the scope of this role as appropriate/as requested
Person specification
Essential criteria
Attainments
* Demonstrable track record of successfully influencing policy and achieving tangible outcomes
* Extensive senior-level experience in policy development and influencing at a regulatory body, government department, consumer organisation or relevant industry sector
* Experience and in-depth knowledge of the policy-making process and regulatory frameworks (including devolution) that govern the water sector, and the economic, regulatory, social and environmental challenges and opportunities
* Proven experience in stakeholder engagement and building effective relationships
* A strong understanding of the challenges faced by consumers
* Strong experience of leading projects, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results to agreed deadlines and budgets
Skills and abilities
* Ability to develop and implement long-term policy strategies aligned with organisational objectives
* Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesise complex information and draw sound conclusions
* Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences
* Highly developed influencing, negotiation and persuasion skills
* Ability to work collegiately with other organisations while holding to CCW's own well thought-out and evidenced policy positions
* Creative and innovative to spot opportunities/examples in a wider landscape than just water or utilities
* Proven leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate and develop a high-performing, productive team that can work at pace
* Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline (eg economics, law, public policy, environmental science) OR equivalent demonstrable professional experience
* Ability to work effectively under pressure and adapt to changing priorities
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £54,235, Consumer Council for Water contributes £15,711 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Annual leave entitlement starting at 25 days rising by one annually to a maximum of 30 days, plus 10.5 Bank Holidays and Privilege leave.
Benefits include Civil Service Pension, Flexitime with up to an extra 24 days off per year, Generous Annual Leave provision, Flexible Working Options, Retailer and Healthcare discounts/cashback, Travel Season Ticket Loans, Bicycle Loans, Employee Assistance Programme and much more.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is being externally managed by Gatenby Sanderson. For full details of how to apply please use the apply tab below.
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)
* 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
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code 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 .
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .
Apply and further information
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
* Name : Laura Turley
* Email :
Recruitment team
* Email :
Further information