Major Water Infrastructure Programme PMO Manager

Job summary

We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales.

We have an opportunity for a PMO Manager to join our Major Projects team in the Delivery Directorate.

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.

You can find out more about why you should join Ofwat, our strategy, values and our framework for success in the attached Information for Candidates Pack.

Job description

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. You will play a key role in not only delivering Ofwat's strategy, but also in the development of our approach to the delivery of the Programme. You will be working with the team to ensure the effective, efficient and smooth functioning of MWIP and the Major Projects team.
This role will sit within the Major Projects team and will also support wider PMO activity working closer with Ofwat’s central PMO team.

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 addition to working closely with the Major Projects and RAPID teams you will develop strong working relationships with our parter regulators (Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate) and Defra. You will be expected to uphold high standards of delivery and collaborate with water and wastewater companies to support them to deliver the best value for customers.

Ofwat is a learning organisation, and you will have ample opportunities to further develop your knowledge and experience, as well as consolidate your skillset. We have a well-supported, agile working environment, and a trust-based culture intended to help empower you and enable and support you to succeed within Ofwat. In turn, you will be expected to provide support to colleagues across the organisation, proactively sharing skills and knowledge, and equally will be supported by coaching and mentoring.

Key deliverables:

In this role you will report to the Senior Major Water Infrastructure Programme (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. For example:
  
  - Lead the day-to-day delivery of assigned PMO services, ensuring information quality, compliance with standards and timely completion.
  - Plan and facilitate governance activities, ensuring accurate reporting, effective decision-making, action tracking and timely delivery of governance outputs.
  - Coordinate and quality-assure programme information, ensuring accurate reporting, performance oversight and effective decision-making.
  - Monitor compliance with governance, risk and control requirements, and provide first-line challenge and support to programme and project teams, escalating exceptions to the Principal Programme Lead.
  
  
• 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.

Person spec