Senior Associate Enforcement

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 fourSenior Associates Enforcement to join our Casework and Enforcement Team within the Casework, Enforcement & 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

These four roles are based in the Casework and Enforcement Team, within Ofwat's Casework, Enforcement & Customers Directorate. The Casework and Enforcement 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 helps individual customers resolve disputes with their water company, to investigating water company failures, which can result in imposing multi-million-pound fines where a water company has failed to meet its legal obligations.

TheseSenior Associate roles have an important and valuable contribution to enable us to delivery on our goals and regulatory commitments.

The roles will particularly focus on the delivery of the team's enforcement activities. This will include supporting the effective and efficient delivery of enforcement investigations and action, to hold water companies to account where they have failed on obligations Ofwat is responsible for enforcing. Successful candidates will lead the delivery of small-scale investigations delivered by our team, including where we have legal powers to determine a dispute between a customer and their water company.

The successful candidates will have strong analytical skills, being able to collate and assess large volumes of complex information and data to identify what is relevant to our investigation and why. They will be able to quickly get to grips with new and varied subject areas, including the relevant legal obligations, policy expectations, data sources and the strategic context in which they sit. They will be proactive in asking questions of other team members, subject matter experts and the companies we investigate, to build the case team's understanding of what has happened and why; how that fits with the legal obligations water companies have; and the steps companies must take to put things right.

The successful candidates will have strong organisational skills that enable them to plan, prioritise and deliver their work effectively to enable the swift progress of investigations. Being able to collaborate effectively will be essential, as you will work as part of multi-disciplinary teams, bringing together case leads, lawyers, technical and communications specialists and where appropriate external consultants.

It will be essential that candidates can clearly structure and present their analysis to demonstrate evidence-based conclusions and recommendations. This will include preparing materials appropriate for senior management, board members, and non-technical and public audiences.

The successful candidates will be expected to take strong ownership of the work they are responsible for, demonstrating Ofwat’s SAILOR values and ways of working. Ofwat is a learning organisation, and there will be opportunities to further develop your knowledge and experience. We have a well-supported, agile working environment, and a trust-based culture intended to help empower you and enable and support you to succeed within Ofwat.

Key deliverables:

The successful candidates for this role will be expected to:

1. Support the delivery of enforcement investigations (under the Water Industry Act 1991 and the Competition Act 1998). This will require you to:

• Identify, gather and systematically assess large amounts of qualitative and quantitative information relevant to our investigations.
• Confidently engage with complex legal and technical information to understand if and how they are relevant the matters under investigation.
• Convey complex information and evidenced-based conclusions and recommendations in a clear, concise and objective way, both verbally and in writing, suitable for a range of audiences (ranging from customers to Ofwat's senior managers and Board members).
• Plan and prioritise your work effectively to meet deadlines and in line with our process and governance requirements.
• Manage case files and evidence effectively and efficiently.

2. Lead the successful delivery of small-scale investigations, including customer disputes. This will require you to:

• Provide a high-quality service to customers, including meeting our service level timescales and ensuring you can understand and respond to the issues of dispute in your investigation.
• Engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders to identify and gather the inputs and information you require to ensure our decisions are well-considered, and reflect relevant links to Ofwat's wider work.
• Identify and manage issues and risks arising from your work, escalating these to managers where appropriate.

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

• Actively participate in finding 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.
• Keep abreast of Ofwat’s key announcements and wider trends and developments that might impact 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; celebrating success; and providing constructive feedback to support our learning and growth.
• Take ownership of your personal development and well-being.

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: Proven track record of applying legal and analytical frameworks to deliver successful outcomes on regulatory investigations or compliance projects, under sector-specific legislation and/or competition law.
2. Experience of effectively planning, prioritising and managing the delivery of a varied and changing workload to meet different deadlines.
3. Experience of gathering, analysing and interpreting a range of complex data and information (including via data manipulation in excel or other software) to make evidence-based conclusions and recommendations
4. Proven ability to maintain accurate and up-to-date records / project files, with exceptional attention to detail.
5. Ability to clearly communicate complex information in writing and verbally for a range of audience types.
6. Experience of working with internal and external stakeholders to understand their interests and expectations and to secure their inputs to deliver pieces of work.
7. Experience of contributing to improve ways of working.

Attributes

8. Delivers outcomes
9. Creates clarity
10. Promotes collaboration

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 22 September 2026
• Sifting: 23 – 29 September 2026
• Interview date(s): 07, 08, 09 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 assess your application (CV and personal statement) against essential criteria 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 listed above. Please ensure you provide enough evidence in your application form to demonstrate how you meet 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:

• Proven track record of applying legal and analytical frameworks to deliver successful outcomes on regulatory investigations or compliance projects, under sector-specific legislation and/or competition law.

** 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 written task to be completed in advance of the interview. 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 Info Pack - SA Enforcement Sept 26 Opens in new window (pdf, 809kB)