Policy, Risk & Assurance Lead

What you’ll be responsible for

The Policy, Risk & Assurance Specialist ensures procurement governance, policy compliance and supplier assurance operate effectively and are defensible under scrutiny. The role assures the quality, consistency and integrity of procurement decisions, policy application and compliance evidence across all procurement activity.

By maintaining governance discipline, policy assurance and audit readiness, the role enables confident procurement decision making and protects the organisation from governance, compliance and supplier risk.

Key responsibilities of the role:

1. Assure the quality, completeness and consistency of papers submitted to procurement governance and assurance forums, providing clear feedback where standards are not met.
2. Manage the operation of procurement governance and assurance forums, including schedules, agendas, minutes, actions and terms of reference.
3. Draft, maintain, assure and coordinate the publication and communication of procurement policies and related guidance.
4. Ensure Welsh Water procurement and corporate policies are applied and evidenced consistently across all procurement activity.
5. Check procurement activity against agreed policy, governance and approval requirements before it progresses through governance.
6. Review submissions, forms and supporting information to confirm required controls, approvals and evidence are in place.
7. Record assurance outcomes, actions and evidence so that gaps are clear and can be addressed before escalation, audit or approval.
8. Police supplier compliance with due diligence and mandatory requirements through the use of systems, data and controls.
9. Maintain the accuracy, integrity and completeness of supplier compliance records and databases.
10. Monitor supplier compliance status and risk indicators, engaging with suppliers to address failures or lapses.
11. Escalate and apply appropriate controls where suppliers fail to meet required standards.
12. Maintain procurement governance, assurance and compliance information to an audit‑ and legal‑ready standard.
13. Coordinate responses to audit, legal and regulatory enquiries by collating accurate, complete and well‑evidenced information.

About you

The following are essential requirements for the recruitment of the role:

Qualifications

• Degree level or equivalent in a commercial, analytical, economics, data or procurement‑related discipline

Experience

• Experience of, governance, assurance or compliance activity within a procurement or commercial function

Knowledge & Skills

• Working knowledge of procurement governance, controls, decision rights and assurance methods
• Excellent communication, judgement and influencing skills

Good to know

Please note, we may close this role sooner if required. We may also extend the original closing date depending on interest.

Due to the nature of the industry, we require satisfactory references, post offer medical clearance, and a criminal records Basic Disclosure check on all new employees joining the business. For some roles there may be additional checks and security clearance required, and this offer is subject all checks being satisfied. You will receive further information on how to complete these checks via email once you have accepted this offer.

For an informal discussion about this role, please contact: Kate.Turner@dwrcymru.com and enter the job ID in the subject title line.

Benefits

As well as a market competitive salary, 34 days annual leave (pro rata, 26 days + 8 public holiday days), we offer a range of employee benefits and rewards including:

• Variable pay schemes (your salary band will remain the same, but performance depending, you could receive an incremental within-band increase and a yearly incentive)

• Option to buy additional annual leave up to 5 days per year

• Enhanced employer pension contributions – Up to 11% employer contributions

• Free Mortgage Brokering Services

• Enhanced family friendly policies

• Progression opportunities, including the ability to apply for funded training and coaching and mentoring programmes

• Gym and fitness discounts as well as high street shopping

• Cycle to work scheme

• Discount off all Welsh Water visitor attraction centres and gift shops

• Car-leasing scheme and free on-site parking at all sites

• Health CashBack scheme and access to an online GP service

• An employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate family

• Many more can be found on our website!

Who we are

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water keep 3 million people healthy each day with safe, reliable water, and take away wastewater to clean, before returning it safely to our beautiful rivers and seas.

To be able to deliver high quality, essential services which help to protect the health of our customers, colleagues and our environment, we need the right people to deliver on our vision. This is achieved by living our core values and demonstrating the core behaviours that underpin them. The security of our people, assets and information is key to us, so we are looking for people who understand and comply with the company’s required security objectives.

We know that the most successful teams are the most diverse teams. Equality, diversity and inclusion provide the very foundation to our culture at Welsh Water. We want every individual to feel confident, proud and able to bring their whole selves to work.

To ensure an improved representation in our workforce, applications are particularly welcome from minority groups including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, Females, LGBT+, Non-binary and people with disabilities. Together we continue to build a workplace that not only celebrates the diverse voices of our colleagues but also represents each customer we serve.

In essence, ours is a company based on trust, openness, respect, commitment and honesty. A company that our colleagues are proud to work for.