Senior Associate Commercial Adviser, Major Water Infrastructure Projects

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 Senior Associate Commercial Adviser to join our Major Projects Team.

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 Senior Associate, Commercial Adviser role makes an important contribution to delivering Ofwat’s strategic objectives and regulatory commitments across the major water infrastructure portfolio.

You will join our growing Major Projects Team at Senior Associate level, working with the Commercial Lead across Ofwat’s £50bn pipeline of major water and wastewater infrastructure projects.

You will help develop and implement Ofwat’s commercial approach, including cost estimating, benchmarking, commercial strategy for procurement and tendering, contract strategy and commercial assurance. You will help develop and embed the frameworks, processes, methodologies and standards that provide a consistent, evidence-based approach to commercial decision-making and value for money across the full lifecycle of major water infrastructure projects.

You will lead, advise and supervise external suppliers delivering commercial assurance, setting clear requirements, providing technical direction and applying constructive challenge to ensure high-quality outputs. You will use assurance findings to strengthen Ofwat’s commercial frameworks and enable continuous, progressively deeper assurance as projects develop through their lifecycle and gates. You will also provide commercial analysis and advice to Ofwat project leads in preparing assurance reports and governance, supporting informed decision-making on Major Water Infrastructure Programme projects.

You will provide commercial advice across optioneering, business case development, procurement, tendering, contracting, construction and commissioning. This will include projects delivered through competitive models such as the Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) model and Specified Infrastructure Projects Regulations (SIPR), as used in the Thames Tideway Tunnel project, as well as projects progressing through the RAPID (Regulator's Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development) process.

Key deliverables:

In this role you will be expected to:

• Play a key role in developing and implementing our approach to cost, schedule, benchmarking, commercial strategy and commercial assurance. This will include developing the processes, methodologies and end-to-end approach for commercial assurance and benchmarking, including our benchmarking models and Cost & Commercial Playbook, helping establish consistent standards for major projects and building confidence with stakeholders and investors.
• Be at the heart of the delivery of Major Projects by applying our commercial standards, providing commercial advice and challenge, and helping drive value for customers across the project lifecycle.
• Lead, advise and supervise external commercial advisors and suppliers, setting clear requirements, providing technical direction and constructive challenge to maximise the value and quality of their input. You will build effective, trusted relationships across our team, with companies and delivery partners, establishing yourself as a respected commercial professional.
• Oversee our approach to managing relationships with advisors and contractors, promoting best practice in procurement, tendering and contract management, and contributing to training, guidance and process improvement where required.
• Engage in and support the delivery of the Major Projects & Markets' strategy and approach, in line with our SAILOR values. This includes collaborating with Directors and other Principals in maturing our ways of working, assurance approaches, and key standards and guidance with regard to direct procurement for customers and specified infrastructure project regulations.
• Inspire and promote learning, knowledge sharing and commercial capability across Ofwat, RAPID and the wider water sector, bringing together evidence, market insight and lessons from projects to continuously improve our commercial approaches. You will share knowledge, coach colleagues and support the development of Associates and Senior Associates through collaboration, role modelling and appropriate development opportunities.
• Support with maintaining and evolving a diverse and inclusive culturewithin the organisation where our people are representative of the communities we serve, and everyone is valued, treated fairly, and empowered to thrive. You will also support our people to sustain a work life balance and get the best from hybrid working.

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: A relevant professional qualification or equivalent experience in commercial management, estimating, quantity surveying or cost management (e.g. RICS), with experience working on complex infrastructure projects or programmes, cost estimating, benchmarking, commercial assurance and commercial strategy for procurement and delivery.
2. Experience of applying and contributing to the development of, commercial methodologies, frameworks and evidence-based approaches to cost, schedule, benchmarking, risk and commercial assurance across the project lifecycle.
3. Able to provide credible commercial advice, constructively challenge assumptions and translate complex information and analysis into clear, evidence-based recommendations to support project and senior decision-making.
4. Experience of providing commercial input into procurement, tendering and contract strategy, including risk allocation and the management of commercial risk and opportunity, with an understanding of their impact on cost, schedule and value for money.
5. Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships, engage effectively with a range of stakeholders and constructively manage different or conflicting views.
6. A collaborative approach that promotes knowledge sharing, coaching and continuous improvement, supporting colleagues and the development of commercial capability.

Attributes

7. Champion & Leader of Change
8. Builds the Team
9. Promotes Collaboration
10. 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.

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 04 October 2026
• Sifting: Week commencing05 October 2026
• Interview date(s): Week commencing 19 October 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 & 4 above. Please ensure you provide enough evidence in your application form to demonstrate how you meet the criteria.

Use your personal statement to address the below criteria and tell us how your experience, skills and knowledge meet the criteria below:

1. Lead criterion: A relevant professional qualification or equivalent experience in commercial management, estimating, quantity surveying or cost management (e.g. RICS), with experience working on complex infrastructure projects or programmes, cost estimating, benchmarking, commercial assurance and commercial strategy for procurement and delivery.
2. Experience of applying and contributing to the development of, commercial methodologies, frameworks and evidence-based approaches to cost, schedule, benchmarking, risk and commercial assurance across the project lifecycle
3. Able to provide credible commercial advice, constructively challenge assumptions and translate complex information and analysis into clear, evidence-based recommendations to support project and senior decision-making.
4. Experience of providing commercial input into procurement, tendering and contract strategy, including risk allocation and the management of commercial risk and opportunity, with an understanding of their impact on cost, schedule and value for money.

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

** 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 short presentation. 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

BC1202 Candidate information pack, Senior Associate Commercial Adviser Opens in new window (pdf, 702kB)