Wales and Government Engagement Senior Associate

About Us

We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales. Our work has genuine significance – no other organisation does the work we do. It’s unique and meaningful: keeping our water flowing; ensuring water bills don’t cost a penny more than needed; holding water companies to account. Come and work at the source of everyday life.

The Role

We are looking somebody with a background stakeholder engagement to join our recently expanded Wales and Government Engagement team. The team is the gatekeeper for the UK and Welsh governments to engage with Ofwat. They lead on engagement with government in cross-cutting policy areas (e.g. regulatory reform), helping to shape and inform policy to deliver the best outcomes for the consumer. Additionally, they analyse legislation and policy to provide impact and risk analysis and support the development of government consultation responses.

As a Senior Associate, you will help to facilitate a consistent, connected, and strategic relationship with Welsh and UK Governments and other regulatory stakeholders. Splitting your time equally between working on UK Government and Wales issues, you will have detailed knowledge of the machinery and structure of government (UK, Welsh, and local), a working knowledge of how the Senedd in Wales operates and a good understanding of the political, environmental and economic circumstances across England and Wales.

You will be able to understand and critically assess complex and technical policy and communicate key messages in an accessible and compelling way, accounting for specific audiences. You will work collaboratively and develop strong working relationships with colleagues across Ofwat, as well as externally.

The ability to understand and speak Welsh is desirable for this role, as is having a good understanding of the water/environment sector and the regulatory landscape in Wales.

About You

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

• Strong understanding of the political, environmental and economic circumstances in Wales.
• Experience in a policy/engagement role, ideally with proven experience of delivering stakeholder engagement programmes.
• Working understanding of the machinery and structure of governments (UK & Welsh) and the Senedd.
• Ability to understand and critically assess complex and technical policy. Excellent problem-solving skills, with the capability to think creatively and strategically.
• Strong communication skills – verbal, written and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate the key messages in a concise and compelling way for a range of different audiences    

Why join Ofwat:

• Fantastic employer pension contribution of nearly 30%.
• Meaningful Impact: You will be joining a team with a sense of mission at its core aiming to build a lasting legacy for future generations by securing our long-term water resilience.
• Innovative Work Environment: We embrace agile and new ways of working and have a culture build on trust, flexibility, and collaboration.
• Development Opportunities: Gain valuable experience and develop your skills in a supportive and dynamic setting.
• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy the flexibility of working from home combined with the benefits of in person collaboration in our London or Birmingham offices.
• 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.
• Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies.
• Up to 3 volunteering days per year. Recognition vouchers scheme rewarding your hard work.
• Generous shared parental leave and pay supporting your family life.  

Application deadline: 23:55 on 13 November 2024