Operational Performance Principal

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 an Operational Performance Principal to join our Operational Performance and Data Strategy Team within the Delivery 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.

The Operational Performance Principal role sits within the Delivery Directorate. The 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 the 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.

Working closely with colleagues within the Delivery Directorate and across Ofwat, you will identify areas where analysis and insight is needed, developing approaches to extract insights, understanding the application of that insight to the sector and communicating your findings; influencing how we deliver our strategic goals. You will play an important role in delivering our strategy and will need to be able to respond flexibly to the needs across the organisation.

A key aspect of the team's work is the publication of our annual Water Company Performance Report (WCPR). This role will interact with, and influence the WCPR, through the performance insight the team generates and evaluates. The team is also a key part in the implementation of our Turnaround Oversight Regime (PR24 final determinations) and how we monitor and hold companies to account for poor performance.

Water sector expertise is required for this position. However, we will consider applications from a wide variety of backgrounds, including operations, asset management, engineering, scientific, technical, regulation, economics etc.

Additionally, the role also requires a high level of analytical competency; problem solving skills; excellent written and oral communication skills; well-developed people and stakeholder management skills and a track record of delivering against challenging deadlines. You will also be expected, when required, to manage and lead the work of consultants and perform the role of intelligent client to ensure maximum value is derived from any external support.

Ofwat is an agile working environment, so you can expect opportunities to support other directorates and to move around the organisation as work priorities shift.

Key deliverables:

In this role you will be expected to:

• Lead the delivery of key packages of performance insights policy work ranging from problem solving projects, analytical projects, monitoring projects to policy development projects. In each of these instances generating insight from performance information will be key alongside identifying and evaluating further information that may be required.
• Lead and project manage high profile activities that feed directly into key policy areas against challenging timescales utilising data from multiple policy areas. This may involve leading the work of consultants.
• Lead and develop clear, well researched policy options for Directors and our Senior Leadership Team based on the insight and evaluation generated from yourself and the wider team.
• Lead the delivery of key outputs and publications to challenging timetables for a variety of audiences. This will include supporting the wider team on annual publication of the Water Company Performance Report.
• Lead, deliver and manage, complex, stakeholder interactions to ensure opportunities for internal and external collaboration are fully utilised.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of data and insights within the organisation, proactively sharing skills and knowledge.
• Present insights/policy proposals to internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide coaching and support to colleagues, proactively sharing skills and knowledge.
• Develop your skills through continued learning and development within your profession and within the wider directorate you work in.

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)

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 25 October 2026
• Sifting: Week commencing 26 October 2026
• Interview date(s): Week commencing 09 November 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 will 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 use your personal statement to provide an overview of how your experience, skills and knowledge meet the criteria with particular focus on the lead criteria.

• In the event of receiving a large number of applications, a pre-sift may take place on just the lead criteria.
• * 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. Further 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 Principal band) may be considered (in merit order) for a Senior Associate grade post – a band lower than Principal. 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.