Policy Lead - Business Retail Market

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 Principal Policy Lead to join our Business Retail Market Team within the Markets and Changing Directorate.

The water sector is entering a new chapter. Following the Independent Water Commission’s Final Report and subsequent White Paper - 'New Vision for Water', 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.

Ofwat is 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.

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

We are looking for a Policy Lead to join our Business Retail Market Team at Principal level. The team has a multi-faceted programme of work aimed at improving the Business Retail Market so that it delivers better outcomes for customers, society and the environment. The team aims to do this through initiatives on regulatory customer protections, improving company performance, and monitoring and enforcement work. All our work here involves extensive engagement with external stakeholders.

Now is a particularly exciting time to join the team as we are at an important juncture in the development of the market – we have recently established revised customer protections. Work is underway to improve supplier of last resort arrangements in the market and to review retail price caps for the Business Retail Market. We are also stepping up our market monitoring and work to ensure companies comply with their obligations with respect to customer protections.

As a Principal in the Business Retail Market team, you will lead and support a number of strategically important workstreams. These are likely to include leading Ofwat's role in understanding and monitoring and where relevant strengthening customer protections, improving trading parties' support for the market, and working with industry and stakeholders to deliver change. As you will be part of a small and dynamic team, you will also work flexibly across the team's various functions relating to the Business Retail Market. You will also represent Ofwat on industry Committees and Working Groups as appropriate.

We seek a Principal who can lead work from a policy perspective. Given the role is related to competitive retail markets, we would also particularly welcome candidates who have some knowledge or experience of economics or applying economic principles in a regulated context and/or regarding competitive markets.

Key deliverables:

In this role you will be expected to:

• Lead or contribute to the development of policy and process to support delivery by the Business Retail team and working across Ofwat as appropriate. This will include, for example, leading policy and analytical work regarding our approach and decisions on customer protections.
• Help deliver the portfolio of code modification decisions and/or policy projects. This may include managing processes and team members, and developing policy recommendations, with a view to ensuring Ofwat decisions on Code modifications are made and presented in a robust manner.
• Provide visible leadership and guidance to members of the Business Retail team. You will be expected to support, empower and be a role model for junior members of the team, to help them develop skills and experience and to continue to support all members’ professional development. As a leader in Ofwat, you will also role model our values and ways of working and be an active contributor to the corporate activities that make Ofwat a great place to work.
• Act as a People Leader and/or Project Manager, taking on budget management responsibilities and, where appropriate, people management responsibilities in line with Ofwat’s Governance Framework.
• Create and champion an inclusive working environment that supports growth, well-being and continuous improvement in our delivery.
• Strongly contribute to Ofwat’s wider leadership, by engaging, contributing and supporting our work to make Ofwat a great place to work.

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 criteria 1: Skills and experience in formulating, presenting, and writing clear and concise evidence-based advice to inform policy making, decision building and recommendations, for a range of audiences and to encourage and respond to constructive challenge to build confidence in decision-making. This would ideally be from a public policy or regulatory policy background.
2. Lead criteria 2: Knowledge or experience of markets, competition and regulation, and the benefits markets and competition can deliver for customers. This would ideally include the identification and application of relevant economic, legal and policy frameworks and requirements.
3. Outstanding analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience of identifying, analysing and accurately interpreting a range of information and insights to inform evidence-based decisions and solutions for complex problems.
4. Ability to effectively plan, prioritise and deliver large projects and programmes of work both directly and by managing multi-disciplinary teams, and where necessary external advisors/consultants.
5. Experience of building and maintaining constructive working relationships with a diverse set of internal and external stakeholders to understand their needs, expectations, and priorities, and to influence and collaborate effectively to deliver desired outcomes.

Attributes

6. Delivers Outcomes
7. Champion and Leader of Change
8. Makes Relationships Count
9. Adaptable Thinker

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 at the centre of everything that we do. In our annual People Survey 2024, we outperformed the Civil Service (CS) People Survey benchmarks in all 10 areas.

Almost four in five of our people would recommend Ofwat as a great place to work. Nine in ten say that they are treated with respect and that Ofwat respects individual differences. Nine in ten also say that the work they do is interesting and that they decide how they do their work. That’s great but it’s important to us to build an environment that is not only fair, inclusive and empowering but also collaborative. Here, nine in ten of our people say that their team works together to find ways to improve what we do, and that their manager is open to their ideas.

You will also benefit from:

• 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 14 July 2026
• Sifting: 15 – 20 July 2026
• Interview date(s): 29, 30 July & 3, 4, 5 August 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 criteria 1, 2, 3, and 4 listed below:

1. Lead criteria 1: Skills and experience in formulating, presenting, and writing clear and concise evidence-based advice to inform policy making, decision building and recommendations, for a range of audiences and to encourage and respond to constructive challenge to build confidence in decision-making. This would ideally be from a public policy or regulatory policy background.
2. Lead criteria 2: Knowledge or experience of markets, competition and regulation, and the benefits markets and competition can deliver for customers. This would ideally include the identification and application of relevant economic, legal and policy frameworks and requirements.
3. Outstanding analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience of identifying, analysing and accurately interpreting a range of information and insights to inform evidence-based decisions and solutions for complex problems.
4. Ability to effectively plan, prioritise and deliver large projects and programmes of work both directly and by managing multi-disciplinary teams, and where necessary external advisors/consultants.

Please ensure you provide sufficient evidence in your application to demonstrate how you meet the criteria listed above. In your personal statement, explain how your experience, skills, and knowledge demonstrate that you meet these requirements.

*Please note that in the event of receiving a large number of applications, a pre-sift may take place on just the lead criteria.

** 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.

Interview Stage - Transparent Interviews and Presentation

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.

Please note that the interviews will be conducted via video conferencing software (Microsoft Teams).

As part of the interview process, we will require a written task to be completed and submitted ahead of the interview. 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 Principal band) may be considered (in merit order) for a Senior Associate grade post – a band lower than Principal. 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 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

BC1197 Principal Policy Lead - Business Retail Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 708kB)