Water Efficiency and Innovation Lead

Job title: Water Efficiency and Innovation Lead

Position type: Permanent

Job reference: 419207

No. Vacancies: 1

Location: Birmingham (B5 4UA) or London (E14 4HD) based with hybrid working

Salary: £57,783 - £68,000

Closing date: Monday 18th August at 23:55

Join Ofwat s Water Resources Team as a Water Efficiency and Innovation Lead

The Role

This is an exciting time to join the team. Reducing demand for water is essential, especially during the first decade of the current water resources management plans (WRMPs). Water companies are scaling up investment in the shift to smart metering (£1.7billion of new investment and over 10 million smart meters being installed). The review of final WRMPs projects 450 million litres of water per day will be saved due to metering by 2049-50 and 50% households and businesses will have a smart meter by 2030. However, there are risks if not delivered.

Ofwat has also launched a £100 million water efficiency fund to help deliver a transformative, sustained, and measurable reduction in water demand across England and Wales. The aim of the fund is to stimulate a transformative, sustained, and measurable reduction in water demand across England and Wales by using a range of water efficiency approaches. We want to encourage collaboration and innovation that would not, and historically has not, otherwise happened.

This is a unique opportunity for someone with experience of smart metering, water efficiency, or innovation within the water sector and/or experience of implementing a smart metering programme within the utility or energy sectors. You will lead a small team responsible for the development of specific areas of water resource and water efficiency strategy and policy. This includes driving the development of smart metering strategies and shaping the delivery of the £25 million Water Efficiency Lab innovation challenges.

You will have the opportunity to collaborate with wider government departments, regulators, and with a varied range of stakeholders on key policy issues. This includes the Smart Water Metering Delivery Group (SWMDG) governance, bringing together Ofwat, Environment Agency (EA), Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs), MOSL (Market Operator Services Limited), CCW (Consumer Council for Water), water companies, and others to develop standards and regulation to coordinate the national rollout

About You

Experience, skills and knowledge

1. Lead criterion: Experience in water efficiency, innovation, or smart metering - technical, policy, or planning - gained within the water sector, and/or experience implementing a smart metering programme within the utility or energy sectors.

2. Experience of policy development and implementation, and/or designing and delivering programmes of work within a relevant field.

3. Experience of building and maintaining constructive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including the ability to influence and collaborate effectively to deliver desired outcomes.

4. Highly numerate with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience of analysing and accurately interpreting a range of data and insights to inform evidence-based decisions and solutions for complex problems.

5. Excellent communication (oral and written) skills, including the ability to communicate complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.

6. Previous experience of building and leading high-performing teams with an inclusive leadership style.

Attributes as per Ofwat s Framework for Success for Principal Grade. You can read more about our attributes here .

Why Join Us

• Meaningful Impact: Contribute to our purpose to drive water companies to deliver more for customers and the environment.

• Innovative Work Environment: We embrace agile working and a culture of 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 meaningful collaboration in our London or Birmingham offices.

Other Benefits

• Excellent employer pension contribution of over 28%

• 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.

To read more about the role and selection process, please follow the link to apply.

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