Wales Environmental Policy Lead

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 Wales Environmental Policy Lead to join our Environment Team within RAPID & Environmental Planning Directorate.

The water sector is entering a new chapter. Following the Independent Water Commission’s final report, the UK government has set out a bold new direction – one that brings together expertise from across the sector to deliver better outcomes for customers and the environment.

Ofwat will be working in collaboration with the government and other regulators to help establish a new body for England, combining our strengths with those of the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency, and Natural England. We’re also continuing to engage with the Welsh Government to support future decisions 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.

The Wales Environmental Policy Lead role has an important and valuable contribution to enable us to deliver on our goals and regulatory commitments.

You will join Ofwat’s Environment team which focuses on delivering the environmental policy objectives of our strategy, and engaging and collaborating with key environmental stakeholders. We cover a range of areas such as climate change, biodiversity, nature-based solutions, and water quality. We work across the organisation and across the sector to deliver improvements for the environment.

The team has been working on Welsh policy since our formation, but we are now keen to grow our capability in this area and ensure we are meeting the needs of the increasing and changing government commitments. In this role, you will support our overall approach to Welsh environmental policy, with a focus on ensuring the organisation understands both the environmental policy context and the political landscape.

This role will be pivotal in ensuring Ofwat is ready to respond to the outcomes of the Independent Water Commission review and the review of the regulatory landscape.  Consequently, you will ensure our regulatory approach evolves to support resilient infrastructure, climate adaptation, and nature recovery, while also delivering economic growth and public trust.

You will be comfortable representing Ofwat and communicating Ofwat policy to environmental stakeholders, including government officials and water companies. You will provide advice and make recommendations, ensuring Ofwat understands and can incorporate Welsh environmental policy into its work, proactively sharing skills and knowledge.

You will have an excellent understanding of Welsh environmental issues and experience of the water sector. Ideally, you will also have a good professional network within the Welsh environmental policy sector. You will be comfortable working independently and at pace in an agile environment. You will continue to hone your judgement and be expected to exercise it responsibly in line with our strategy and ways of working. In turn, you will have opportunities to develop and consolidate your skill set.