Ofwat Senior Director, Customers and Casework

Ofwat is the independent economic regulator of water companies and it wants people to have trust and confidence in water. It incentivises water companies to do what their customers want. But, it faces fundamental challenges with population growth, climate change and rising customer expectation. Ofwat has been delivering successful regulation since privatisation of the sector in 1989. But it doesn't stand still. It is continuing to evolve its approach to ensure that customers get the best deal. This means that its work is challenging, stimulating and fast-paced. Ofwat has spent time thinking about its people as well as its policies, with a programme-led, matrixed structure which means it can share and act on information quickly. In April 2017 the retail market for non-domestic customers in England is opening to competition. This will see 1.2 million customers across the country having the right to choose their water and waste water retailer for the first time. It brings fantastic opportunities for better service and innovation, efficiencies in retail costs and more effective challenge to monopoly wholesale service providers. But there are risks too, and as the regulator Ofwat must ensure that customers trust the market and have the confidence to engage with it. The Senior Director, Customers and Casework, will lead the major, high profile Market Outcomes and Enforcement programme, which will pull together its work across the newly competitive market. You will build and maintain an understanding of the way in which the competitive retail market is operating. You will need to develop and maintain good relationships with customer groups, NGOs, parliamentarians and others, and will need to handle public attention and scrutiny, including through the traditional and new media. You will also lead Ofwat?s work on customer issues, some in the new competitive market, and others in monopolistic parts of the water market. You will bring an excellent understanding of the economic regulatory toolkit and of consumer issues and consumer policy, including behavioural economics. You will also have experience in policy development and delivery, and in programme and project management. An understanding of the legal framework and economic principles and practice as relating to enforcement (including competition cases and consumer protection) will be important. You will also have an understanding of the regulatory stakeholder environment, especially in relation to customer issues and the customer voice. Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as employment agency advisor to Ofwat on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit www.saxbam.com/appointments using reference QJUL. Alternatively email belinda.beck@saxbam.com or telephone 020 7227 0880 (during office hours). Applications should be received by noon on 29 March 2017. This appointment is being overseen by the Civil Service Commission, which regulates recruitment to the Civil Service, providing assurance that appointments are on merit after fair and open competition.