Major Water Infrastructure Programme PMO Manager

Ofwat; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Excellent employer pension; ~30%

25 days annual leave (30 with service)

Volunteer days

Professional body membership fees

Discounts on goods and services

Job summary

Ofwat is seeking a PMO Manager (Senior Associate level) to support the Major Water Infrastructure Programme Management Office. You will oversee governance, planning, and risk/ performance, ensuring timely and compliant delivery across large-scale capital schemes.

The role blends governance, controls, budget work, and stakeholder engagement in a dynamic regulatory setting. The role offers hybrid working with offices in London and Birmingham, collaboration with RAPID and regulatory teams, and

Qualifications

• PMO experience on complex programmes and/or large infrastructure projects.
• Governance and controls for senior boards or committees.
• Professional qualification or working towards (PRINCE2/MSP/P3O/APM).
• Experience with budget management and commercial administration.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead PMO services including governance, planning, and risk/ performance management.
• Translate frameworks into practical processes and templates.
• Support programme reporting to senior leadership and governance forums.
• Assist budget administration and financial tracking.
• Build relationships with Major Projects, RAPID, regulators and water companies.
• Mentor Associates and contribute to a high-performing PMO team.

Skills

PMO governance

Programme delivery

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Power Platform (Power BI/SharePoint)

Contract management

Budget administration

Analytical thinking

Education

PRINCE2/MSP/P3O/APM

Tools

Power BI

SharePoint lists

Job description

*Office Location: London (E14 4HD) or Birmingham (B5 4UA) 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.

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.

The Role

We have an excellent opportunity for a PMO Manager to support our growing Major Projects Team at Senior Associate level. This is a new role within the Major Water Infrastructure Programme Management Office (MWIP PMO) team that supports both the Major Project team and RAPID team in the regulatory oversight of the overall Major Water Infrastructure programme. The Major Projects team has a wide remit, working with the industry on some of the largest and most complex major water infrastructure projects the sector has seen in over thirty years, ranging between several hundred million pounds to several billion pounds. Our aim is to ensure companies are developing and delivering them in a timely and efficient manner, while protecting customers and the environment.

The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) is a dynamic partnership between Ofwat, the Environment Agency (EA), and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). RAPID was created to facilitate the development and funding of large-scale strategic water supply options by water companies. We identify and address key issues relevant to these major infrastructure projects and analyse the feasibility of strategic water supply schemes.

This is a unique opportunity

for someone looking to expand their experience of working within complex programme and project delivery, and to play a role in the delivery of some of the most important capital projects in the water sector which are vital for the environment, resilience and growth. The portfolio of projects within the Major Water Infrastructure Programme is also essential to meet the needs of current and future customers—and your work will directly impact how companies deliver for them. This is an evolving space so would suit someone who is a flexible thinker, able to balance the immediate priorities and help shape the future PMO.

the PMO function spans several disciplines including governance and assurance, planning and controls, framework and contract management, risk and performance. You will be involved with the embedding of the PMO as we grow and you will need to be proactive and champion change. It is a busy environment, so you will help to bring discipline and structure, whilst being problem-solve oriented, proactive and flexible to the needs of the organisation and the programme.

In this role you will report to the Senior MWIP PMO Manager and will be expected to:

• Manage assigned PMO services - governance and assurance (including contract management), planning and controls, and/or risk and performance, ensuring agreed standards, inputs, outputs, timetables and escalation routes are followed.
• Translate programme-wide frameworks and direction from programme leadership into practical processes, templates, guidance and delivery routines.
• Contribute to the reporting and control cycles, producing clear programme information to support senior leadership, governance forums and delivery of the Major Projects and MWIP plans.
• Support budget administration, including appropriate financial transactions and tracking.
• Build constructive relationships with Major Projects, RAPID, corporate teams, partner regulators, government departments, advisers, delivery partners and water companies.
• Manage Associates (as required), share knowledge and contribute to a high-performing and inclusive PMO team.

About You

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

• Demonstrable experience of working within PMOs on complex programmes and project delivery environments, possibly within large infrastructure projects and/or large capital programmes, water sector supply chain organisation, consultancy, regulators, Government, or in another similarly relevant position.
• Proven experience of administering project and/or programme governance and controls, including arrangements for senior boards, committees or working groups.
• Fully qualified, or working towards a relevant professional qualification or membership, for example PRINCE2, MSP, P3O or APM.
• Experience managing programme risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, changes and mitigating actions, with the ability to identify and elevate emerging delivery concerns.
• Experience of framework or contract management, supplier governance, budget management, or commercial administration within a controlled environment.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret evidence to support planning, prioritisation, resource management and decision making.
• Basic knowledge of data governance within a programme and experience of using Microsoft Power Platforms (e.g. Power BI and SharePoint lists).
• Strong stakeholder-management skills and the ability to influence and collaborate across organisational boundaries.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills, including communicating complex issues to non-specialist audiences.

Why You Should Join Us

• People Centric: Our people are at the heart of Ofwat and everything we do - we ensure all voices are heard and treat each other with respect; you'll be given the autonomy and the support to do your role in the best way.
• 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 Birmingham and London offices.
• Excellent employer pension contributions of 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 discounts on a variety of goods and services, including retail outlets, theatre tickets, holidays, insurance, and a gym membership.
• Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies.
• Up to 3 volunteering days per year.
• Generous shared parental leave and pay supporting your family life.