Customer Policy Lead

Ofwat; West Midlands Combined Authority; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, is seeking a Customer Policy Lead to enhance customer service regarding financial vulnerability. The role involves policy development, project management, and building relationships to secure a long-lasting impact on water affordability and customer support.

Benefits

Employer pension contribution of nearly 30%

25 days annual leave, increasing to 30

Access to exclusive discounts

Fees paid for professional memberships

Up to 3 volunteering days per year

Recognition vouchers scheme

Generous shared parental leave

Development opportunities

Work-life balance with flexible work arrangements

Qualifications

• Experience in developing policy in a regulatory or public sector.
• Understanding of customer service policy issues, especially for financial hardship.
• Delivery experience in customer-focused environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer policy work on financial vulnerability and service improvement.
• Build relationships to improve company service regarding financial support.
• Support junior team members and participate in corporate activities.

Skills

Project management

Analytical frameworks

Communication skills

Building relationships

Growth mindset

Job description

Job Description

Join Ofwat’s Customer Policy Team as a Customer Policy Lead

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

About Us

We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales. Our work has genuine significance – no other organisation does the work we do. It’s unique and meaningful: keeping our water flowing; ensuring water bills don’t cost a penny more than needed; holding water companies to account. Come and work at the source of everyday life.

The Role

As a Principal in the Customer Policy team you will provide expert management, support, and leadership of our customer policy work relating primarily to financial vulnerability and supporting customers who struggle to pay their bills. You will be responsible for delivering our work to improve company service in this area, including to improve affordability support, understand company handling of customer debt, social tariffs and other financial hardship funds. You will also support delivery of the wider strategic aims of Ofwat's customer policy work to achieve high levels of customer service and support.

You will build strong relationships with colleagues internally and externally to identify key issues, anticipate opportunities to improve company service in this area and plan effectively.

More generally, our Principals play a key role in delivery through project and resource planning and line management. You will be expected to support, empower and be a role model for junior members of the team, and to involve yourself in corporate activities that make Ofwat a great place to work. There will also be opportunities to work with colleagues across Ofwat on other programmes and projects to raise understanding of our casework and enforcement work and role, share expertise and deliver joint projects.

To find more details about the role and deliverables please click Apply.

About You

Below are some of the key essential experience, skills & knowledge required for this post:

1. Lead criterion:Experience of developing policy in a government, public sector or regulatory organisation.
2. Lead criterion:Understanding of policy issues in relation to customer service, in particular supporting customers who need extra help and/or in financial hardship.
3. Delivery in a complex customer focussed or regulatory environment, ensuring work is effectively prioritised and progressed.
4. Excellent project management skills and experience of leading people and/or consultants to deliver packages of work.
5. Proven track record of developing and applying quality assured analytical frameworks and communicating the results and policy-relevant insights.
6. Excellent written and oral communications skills, including concisely explaining policy in non-technical language.
7. Experience of building and maintaining constructive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to understand their needs and expectations, and to influence and collaborate effectively to deliver desired outcomes.
8. Experience of encouraging and role-modelling a growth mind-set and a culture of continuous improvement and personal development.

Why You Should Join Us:

• Meaningful Impact:You will be joining a team with a sense of mission at its core aiming to build a lasting legacy for future generations by securing our long-term water resilience.
• Innovative Work Environment:We embrace agile and new ways of working and have a culture build on 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 the benefits of in person collaboration in our London or Birmingham offices.
• Fantastic employer pension contributionof nearly 30%.
• 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 discountson a variety of goods and services, including retail outlets, theatre tickets, holidays, insurance, and a gym membership.
• Fees paid for membershipof relevant professional bodies.
• Up to 3 volunteering daysper year.
• Recognition vouchers scheme rewarding your hard work.
• Generous shared parental leave and paysupporting your family life.

Follow the link to Apply for full details about the role, please ensure you have submitted your Applications in full before the below deadline.

Closing date:23.55 on 20 July 2025