Water Quality Policy Advisor

Job title: Water Quality Policy Advisor

Position type: Permanent

Job reference: 467022

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

Salary: £40,024 - £48,000

Closing date: Sunday 5th July 2026 at 23:55

Join Ofwat's Environment Team as a Water Quality Policy Advisor

*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. Following the Independent Water Commission's Final Report and subsequent White Paper - 'New Vision for Water', 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 is 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.

The Role

We are looking for a Water Quality Policy Advisor to join our Environment team at Senior Associate level. The Environment team is responsible for delivering the environmental policy objectives set out in our strategy while working closely with key environmental stakeholders. The team covers a broad range of areas, including climate change, biodiversity, nature-based solutions, and water quality. We work across Ofwat and the wider sector to drive improvements that deliver positive outcomes for the environment.

Recent developments across the UK water sector increasingly frame wastewater management as a public health issue alongside environmental protection. There is growing recognition and focus on the importance of public health in freshwater settings. This expansion and reform of public health legislation are supporting this shift. For example, changes to bathing water legislation are providing improved monitoring for public health indicators, while increased transparency measures, such as real time monitoring of storm overflows, are enabling better public awareness and risk-informed use of waterways. 

As a Water Quality Policy Advisor, you will be able to demonstrate an understanding for the current legislative landscape, as well as future developments, to help inform policy decisions and support Ofwat fulfil its regulatory duties. You will be comfortable representing Ofwat and communicating evidence to a wide range of environmental stakeholders, including government officials, water companies and eNGOs. You will provide technical detail and make development recommendations, ensuring the solution meets Ofwat's needs whilst navigating differences in water quality policy across the sector. 

About You

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

1. Relevant experience working on water quality issues, gained through policy, regulatory or scientific roles. 
2. Demonstrated understanding of the water industry regulatory landscape, including areas such as environmental regulation and legislation, public health, bathing waters, water quality monitoring, and pollution.
3. Proven experience in policy analysis and delivery.
4. Strong analytical, technical, and research skills with the ability to cut through complexity. 
5. Experience of working on a programme of analysis and evidence gathering to support robust decision making and influence policy outcomes. 
6. Experience of working flexibly and collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams to apply policy expertise, develop solutions, and deliver joined-up strategic thinking. 
7. Excellent communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate complex issues to different audiences.
8. Excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills. 

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 up to 28.97%. 
• 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.
• Recognition vouchers scheme rewarding your hard work.
• Generous shared parental leave and pay supporting your family life.

Follow the link to apply for full details about the role. Please ensure you have submitted your application in full before the below deadline.

Closing date: 23.55 on 05 July 2026