Casework Senior Associate

Job summary

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 a Casework Senior Associate to join our Casework Team within Casework, Enforcement and Customers Directorate.

The water sector is entering a new chapter. The government has set out a bold new direction, bringing together expertise from across the sector to deliver better outcomes for customers and the environment. We are collaborating with fellow regulators to respond to recommendations in The Independent Water Commission Report, the Welsh Government’s response to the Green Paper, Shaping the Future of Water Governance in Wales, and the Government’s White Paper, A new vision for water.

Ofwat is working with the government and other regulators to help create a new body for England, bringing together our strengths with those of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency and Natural England. We are also continuing to work with the Welsh Government to support decisions on the future arrangements 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.

You can find out more about why you should join Ofwat, our strategy, values and our framework for success in the attached Information for Candidates Pack.

Job description

The team

This role is based in the Casework team within Ofwat's Casework, Enforcement & Customers Directorate.

The Casework team is the "front door" for many of the customers and stakeholders who contact Ofwat with enquiries or complaints about the sector or their water company. Where we have the legal powers to do so (typically under the Water Industry Act 1991, or the Competition Act 1998), we investigate and resolve customer disputes or water company failures, to ensure that water and wastewater companies meet their legal obligations to their customers, society, and the environment. Our work also involves providing an important point of contact for customers seeking information about Ofwat's role and how we do our work as a regulator.

The Casework team also assesses applications from companies wanting to be granted a licence to serve customers in the water sector. In deciding on these applications, we aim to ensure that customers can benefit from having a choice of provider, whilst being sufficiently protected for the provision of their water and wastewater services.

The role

As a Senior Associate in the Casework team you will initially work on one of our workstreams. You will either respond to our more complex customer enquiries and complaints that Ofwat receives and lead and/or oversee investigations, where we have legal powers to determine a dispute between a customer and their water company. Or, you will lead the assessment of licence applications we receive from companies wishing to operate in the water sector. You may also have responsibility for line managing staff. As you settle into your role, you may rotate from one workstream to another or work across both workstreams.

The successful candidate will have strong customer service and planning skills; be able to identify and assess relevant information to make evidence-based recommendations; and be great at working with others to gather and share information clearly in writing or verbally.

You will be responsible for managing a varied caseload of customer enquiries and dispute cases and/or licence applications. Alongside leading the delivery of pieces of work yourself, you will provide guidance and support to others in the team as well as overseeing their work.

You will be expected to take strong ownership of the work you are responsible for, demonstrating Ofwat’s SAILOR values and ways of working.

Key deliverables:

Provide a high-quality service to customers and stakeholders contacting Ofwat. This will require you to:

1. • Use strong active listening skills to ensure you understand and effectively respond to questions and concerns raised with us by customers and stakeholders.
   • Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of customer contacts and stakeholder engagement you have responded to via our case management system.
   • Work collaboratively with subject matter experts where needed to understand issues and prepare appropriate and timely responses.
   • Prioritise and manage your work effectively and support colleagues in the team to do the same, to ensure that higher risk work is identified, prioritised and managed appropriately.

Lead the successful delivery of licence application assessments, complex complaints and investigations into customer disputes. This will require you to:

• • Plan and prioritise your work to meet deadlines, work in line with our process and governance requirements, and maintain complete case files. Support colleagues in the team to do the same.
  • Identify, gather and analyse a range of relevant data and information to ensure all relevant lines of enquiry have been undertaken and support robust decision-making.
  • Clearly and concisely present objective, evidence-based conclusions and recommendations, and to convey complex information to a range of audiences both verbally and in writing.
  • Engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders to identify and gather the inputs and information you require to ensure our decisions are well-considered, timely and reflect relevant links and impacts in Ofwat's wider work.
  • Consider and manage options, costs, benefits and risks arising from your work, escalating these where appropriate.

Support continuous improvement in our ways of working. This will require you to:

1. • Actively participate in finding and delivering solutions to challenges that might arise in our work, and in enabling and encouraging better and more efficient ways to achieve our team's objectives.
   • Identify and flag trends and insights from our work and reflecting on lessons learnt to inform future ways of working and our continuous improvement.
   • Keep abreast of Ofwat’s key announcements and wider trends and developmentsthat might impact on our team's work.
   • Play a role in enabling the success and well-being of our whole team, by seeking out and sharing knowledge; taking account of different individuals' needs and views; supporting each other in managing and adapting to changing workloads and priorities; leading on the development of resources and training, celebrating success; and providing constructive feedback to support our learning and growth.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need the below essential attributes, experience, skills and knowledge.

Experience, skills and knowledge

1. Lead criterion: Significant experience of working under pressure in a regulatory environment, effectively planning, prioritising and managing a varied and changing workload to meet different, and often tight, deadlines, whilst ensuring quality standards are met.
2. Significant experience of gathering and analysing complex information to make evidence-based recommendations and conclusions to decision makers.
3. Experience of leading or supporting colleagues in demand-led casework, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment.
4. Experience of using information and insights to consider and resolve risks and issues to support the effective delivery of work.
5. Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work with internal and external stakeholders to deliver a common objective.
6. Experience of leading and implementing improved ways of working within Casework teams

Attributes

7. Adaptable thinker

8. Builds the team

9. Delivers outcomes

Attributes as per Ofwat's Framework for Success for the relevant salary grade. You can read more about Attributes here.

Benefits

Why You Should Join Us:

Our people are at the heart of Ofwat, and our People Strategy defines the goals that keep this focus central to everything we do. Our 2025 People Survey highlights several key strengths. Nine in ten colleagues say that they are treated with respect and that Ofwat values individual differences. The same proportion say that their work is meaningful and that they are being trusted to carry out their roles effectively. 79% of our people rated their manager highly, and 85% described their team environment as positive.

• Excellent employer pension contributions of nearly 29%.You can find further details about pension schemes under Terms and Conditions in the Candidate Pack.
• 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
• Flexible working arrangements that suit your lifestyle
• Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies
• Up to 3 volunteering days per year
• Recognition vouchers scheme
• Generous shared parental leave and pay
• Enhanced sick pay
• Regular development opportunities
• Health and wellbeing initiatives
• Cycle-to-work scheme
• Season ticket loan for home-to-office travel
• Free eye tests and contribution to lenses/spectacles for VDU users

Moving to Ofwat from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Find out more at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

How to apply

Apply through the Civil Service Jobs website where you’ll be asked to create an account and complete an application form (CV and personal statement). If you’re unable to make an electronic application, please contact recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk and we will support you in completing your application.

Please see the candidate guidance on our website for more detail and tips on how to best make your application and prepare for interview.

Please ensure you have submitted your application in full ahead of the deadline listed below. Unfortunately, we won't be able to consider late applications.

Selection timetable

• Closing date: 23:55 on 08 November 2026
• Sifting: Week commencing 09 November 2026
• Interview date(s): Week commencing 23 November 2026

Assessment process

Sift Stage - Blind Sifting

We operate a blind sifting model to eliminate bias. All candidate identifying information will be removed from applications.

At sift stage we will assess your application (CV and personal statement) against essential criteria1,2,3 and 4 listed above. Please ensure your application provides sufficient evidence to demonstrate how you meet these criteria. Use your personal statement to summarise how your skills, experience and achievements demonstrate that you meet each of the criteria.

*Please note that in the event of receiving a large number of applications, a pre-sift may take place on just the lead criterion. The lead criterion for this role is as follows:

• Lead criterion: Significant experience of working under pressure in a regulatory environment, effectively planning, prioritising and managing a varied and changing workload to meet different, and often tight, deadlines, whilst ensuring quality standards are met.

** If a high volume of candidates meet the minimum pass mark at sift stage, we will only progress the highest scoring candidates to interview. Candidates not invited to interview, who have achieved the minimum pass mark, will be placed 'on hold' until the final stage of the assessment process is completed. Should the role/s remain unfilled, candidates placed 'on hold' may be invited to interview in merit order.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. For further information on appropriate/inappropriate use of AI see the Civil Service guidance. Please note this guidance refers to ' Civil Service Success Profiles' Civil Service assessment framework. At Ofwat we do not use this in our assessments - please refer to our Framework for Success as listed above.

Interview Stage - Transparent Interviews and Presentation

[COPY FROM CANDIDATE PACK]

At interview stage we will test against essential skills, experience, knowledge and attributes set out above.

Our transparent interview process involves candidates receiving a selection of attribute-based questions in advance. This has been proven to help neurodiverse candidates and others to perform better at interview and is part of our inclusive culture.

You can read more about attributes and our Framework for success here.

You will be required to complete an untimed written task in advance of the interview. This will follow the form of a hypothetical case study in which you will need to respond. Further details will be provided to candidates upon invitation to interview.

Please ensure anything you present in your interview answers is factually accurate, and you are not presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by AI, as your own. You may expect follow up questions.

It may be necessary for a second stage interview, which will be communicated to the successful candidates, if required.

If the assessment process identifies more appointable candidates than roles available, a reserve list will be created for 12 months from which further appointments in merit order can be made.

'Near-miss' candidates (candidates who have performed well at interview stage but haven’t scored high enough for the advertised Senior Associate band) may be considered (in merit order) for an Associate grade post – a band lower than Senior Associate. Further details will be provided to candidates as needed.

If you have any queries about any aspect of this role, selection process, or you require any reasonable adjustments please email recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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) (opens in a new window)
• 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 (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk
• Email : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk

Further information

Complaints procedure - The process of recruitment and assessment embraces the principles of fair and open competition and best practice. The first is to maintain the principle of selection for appointment to the Civil Service on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. The second is to promote an understanding of the https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-code/the-civil… which sets out the constitutional framework in which all civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold, and to hear and determine appeals made under it. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from us, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk

Attachments

Candidate Pack - SA Casework Oct 26 Opens in new window (pdf, 718kB)