Director of Operational Performance and Data Strategy

We’re Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, responsible for regulating water and wastewater services in England and Wales. Our role is to help the sector build trust and confidence with customers, the environment and wider society: keeping water flowing, bills affordable and helping ensure the health of our rivers and waterways. We push hard to improve day-to-day water company performance for customers, including on leakage, sewer flooding and customer service.

We drive the sector to take a longer-term view and to take steps now to protect and enhance the environment, using digital and data innovations and making sure our water supplies are secure for future generations. Through our five yearly price reviews we oversee billions of pounds of investment into the water sector across England and Wales.

You can find out more about Ofwat, our Values and our Framework for Success in the attached Information for Candidates Pack. 

The Sector Performance Directorate

The Sector Performance Directorate supports Ofwat’s objective to be an assertive voice in strategic and investment decision-making for the sector, working with other regulators and governments by shaping the future direction and transformation of sector through alignment with government and other stakeholders, and leading innovation.  The Directorate drives up sector and company performance by regularly, visibly, and proactively challenging companies on their performance, using data and operational expertise.  We monitor and challenge companies on financial resilience, performance commitments, asset management maturity and operational resilience and board leadership and governance practices.   We promote better delivery through championing open data and transparency principles across the sector, including Ofwat’s own practices. 

We are looking for Director of Operational Performance and Data Strategy to join Ofwat. This is a key role within the Directorate which will lead the Operational Performance and Data team to deliver its work programme comprising the following areas:  

• Driving up sector and company performance by regularly, visibly, and proactively challenging companies on their performance, using data and operational expertise
• The use of data, insight, and operational expertise to assess company performance and improve understanding of sector and company performance.
• The development and delivery of our approach to monitoring and engagement with poor performing companies, working with colleagues across Ofwat to intervene in a timely and appropriate way to drive transformation in performance.
• Leading Ofwat’s programme of change to drive Open Data across the water sector.
• Delivery of Ofwat’s data strategy.

Key deliverables

Reporting to the Senior Director of Sector Performance you will be accountable for:

• Assessing companies’ performance against PR19 performance commitment levels. Publishing the annual Water Company Performance Report.
• Enhanced focus on companies of particular concern, working closely with the enforcement team and monitoring their turnaround.
• Effectively challenging companies on their performance commitments through continuously improving our data sets, consolidating intelligence across Ofwat and other regulators, and deepening our understanding of the drivers and enablers of performance.
• Acting as an authoritative voice on sector performance issues, providing data and evidence.
• Encouraging the sector to innovate, collaborate and horizon scan by promoting good practice in delivery of performance commitments (including non-water sector practices) and highlighting challenges.
• Challenging the sector to build trust and legitimacy with customers and wider stakeholders through championing transparency, openness and accountability in delivery of their performance commitments.
• Driving the programme of Open Data across the water sector.
• Developing and managing data platforms and architecture across Ofwat.
• Owning and delivering Ofwat data strategy and supporting the Digital, Data and Technology profession in Ofwat
• Applying advanced analytics, data science capability and continuously improving our tooling (reporting) to support Ofwat work.
• Maintaining and evolving an inclusive culture within 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.

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

Essential Experience, Skills and Knowledge 

• Lead Criterion: Knowledge of and experience in operational leadership roles driving short and long-term performance improvements through data led insights.
• Experience within the water sector or other regulated utility environment.
• Knowledge and experience of data transformation processes.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including influencing and communication skills.
• Experience of working with a senior leadership team and board and using governance arrangements effectively to support decision making and delivery of outcomes.
• Strong analytical and intellectual capability, with the ability to analyse and rapidly assimilate complex information/policy proposals and derive actionable insight.
• An inclusive leadership style which inspires, motivates, and promotes collaboration to develop high performing teams, and a proactive champion of creativity, innovation, EDI and new ways of working.
• Knowledge of and keen interest in the digital agenda, ensuring we are at the leading edge of open data, digital technology, and data analytics.

Attributes

Attributes as per Ofwat’s Framework for Success for Director Role. You can read more about attributes here.

• You build the team.
• You promote collaboration.
• You are an adaptable thinker.
• You create clarity; and
• You deliver outcomes.

• A generous Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of  30.3% for this role ( you can expect from £25,800 to £30,300)
• 27.5 days leave (25 days annual leave + 2.5 days privilege leave) increasing to max 32.5 days with each year of service), plus bank holidays 
• access to exclusive discounts on a range of goods and services such as retail outlets, theatre tickets, holidays, insurance and gym membership;
• flexible working arrangements;
• fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies;
• up to 3 volunteering days per year
• generous shared parental leave and pay
• recognition voucher scheme;
• cycle-to-work scheme;
• season ticket loan for travel between home and office;
• regular professional development;
• health and well-being initiatives

Job contact :

• Name : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk
• Email : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk