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- Tasks: Lead technical assessments and shape capital maintenance policies for the water sector.
- Company: Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, dedicated to improving water services in England and Wales.
- Benefits: Flexible hybrid working, generous leave, excellent pension contributions, and professional development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on water regulation and customer outcomes while shaping the future of the sector.
- Qualifications: Experience in the water sector, strong analytical skills, and a degree in a relevant field.
- Other info: Join a people-centric, innovative environment with a focus on collaboration and work-life balance.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Join Ofwat's Delivery Directorate (Price Review function) as a Principal Capital Maintenance Specialist.
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're looking for a Principal Capital Maintenance Specialist to join our base cost assessment team, which plays a pivotal part in shaping the next price review, setting capital maintenance expenditure allowances, and co-developing policy in areas such as asset health and improvements to the regulatory framework. This is an exciting opportunity for a water and wastewater technical specialist to serve as the technical lead within the base cost assessment team, responsible for developing and applying robust methodologies to evaluate capital maintenance investment proposals. You will ensure that cost assessments align with regulatory expectations and deliver value for customers and the environment.
As a Principal Capital Maintenance Specialist, you will:
- Lead technical assessment of capital maintenance investment proposals submitted through the PR24 cost change process for the 2025-30 period.
- Shape the approach for PR29, developing the methodology for setting capital maintenance allowances at PR29, drawing on lessons from PR24 and the recommendations from the Independent Water Commission (IWC) and subsequent White Paper.
- Contribute to policy development, including forward-looking asset health metrics.
- Collaborate across Ofwat functions, working closely with principals, senior associates, and graduate associates to ensure robust, evidence-based recommendations.
- Engage with stakeholders across the sector, including water companies, other regulators, and government departments.
This role offers the chance to influence how billions of pounds of investment are assessed and funded, improving outcomes for customers and the environment. You'll help implement key IWC and White Paper recommendations, including:
- Introducing a supervisory approach to setting expenditure allowances.
- Separating and ring-fencing opex and capital maintenance expenditure allowances.
- Developing forward-looking asset health metrics and strengthening requirements for companies to assess asset health.
About You
Below are some of the key essential experience, skills & knowledge required for this post:
- Relevant technical experience of working within the water sector (e.g. operations, asset management, investment planning, capital delivery, engineering, etc.) and a good understanding of economic regulation.
- Excellent project management skills with the experience of leading significant programmes of work fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment and providing constructive challenge to drive change.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including experience of analysing and accurately interpreting a range of data and insights to inform evidence-based decisions and solutions for complex problems.
- Degree level qualification in engineering, science, or similar technical specialism/discipline relevant to the role.
- Knowledge of cost assessment approaches in the water sector or other regulated utilities.
- Proven ability to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to deliver projects in a complex stakeholder environment and at pace.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, demonstrated by influencing and building relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain complex analysis clearly and confidently to non-technical 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 built 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 29%.
- 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 of the role and ensure your application is submitted in full by the deadline below.
Closing date: 23.55 on 22 February 2026.
Principal Capital Maintenance Specialist - Cost Assessment in Birmingham employer: Ofwat
Contact Detail:
Ofwat Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Capital Maintenance Specialist - Cost Assessment in Birmingham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the water sector, especially those who work at Ofwat or similar organisations. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insider info that could help you stand out.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and understanding of regulatory frameworks. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with Ofwat's mission and the role's requirements.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your problem-solving skills during interviews. Use real-life examples from your past work to demonstrate how you've tackled complex issues, especially in a multi-disciplinary team setting.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining Ofwat and making a difference in the water sector.
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Capital Maintenance Specialist - Cost Assessment in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role of Principal Capital Maintenance Specialist. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your qualifications; demonstrate how your skills in project management and analytical thinking have made a difference in your previous roles. We want to see real examples of your impact!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Avoid jargon where possible and make sure your communication is clear, especially since you'll be explaining complex ideas to non-technical audiences.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of being noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ofwat
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge related to the water sector, especially around capital maintenance and cost assessment methodologies. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your experience that demonstrate your expertise in these areas.
✨Showcase Your Project Management Skills
Prepare to talk about your project management experience, particularly any significant programmes you've led. Highlight how you foster collaboration and inclusivity within teams, as well as how you’ve driven change through constructive challenges.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think of examples where you've successfully managed relationships with various stakeholders. Be ready to explain how you influenced decisions and built rapport, as this role requires excellent stakeholder management skills.
✨Communicate Clearly
Practice explaining complex analyses in simple terms. You’ll need to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with non-technical audiences, so consider preparing a few key points or stories that illustrate your communication skills.
