Project Delivery Lead, Major Projects

Join Ofwat's Major Projects Team & Major Projects and Markets Directorate as a Project Delivery Lead

Office Location: Birmingham (B5 4UA) or London (E14 4HD) 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. Following the Independent Water Commission's final report, 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.

We are 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

The Project Delivery Lead, Major Projects role has an important and valuable contribution to enable us to deliver on our goals and regulatory commitments. You will join our growing Major Projects Team at Principal level, leading on programmes, workstreams or projects, and playing a key role in not only delivering Ofwat's strategy, but also in the development of our approach across a £50bn pipeline of Major Projects.

You will be proactive and respond flexibly to the needs of the organisation by facilitating the development and delivery of major water and wastewater infrastructure projects across England. This will primarily be completed through competitive delivery models such as Ofwat's Direct Procurement for Customers ("DPC") model or the Specified Infrastructure Projects Regulations model ("SIPR"), as used in the delivery of the Thames Tideway Tunnel project. You will also interface with projects that have been approved through the RAPID (Regulator's Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development) process.

About You

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

• A relevant professional qualification in project, programme, or portfolio management (e.g. MSP, MoP, PRINCE2, APM Chartered Project Professional, or equivalent)
• Lead Criteria: Significant knowledge and experience of managing, or working with, large, high value infrastructure projects or programmes; potentially in a commercial or technical capacity within a regulated business, a water or other sector supply chain organisation, a consultancy, a regulator, Government, or another similarly relevant role.
• Experience of managing major projects or programmes and the ability to effectively lead teams and projects through change and uncertainty and delivering performance.
• Highly tuned interpersonal skills, particularly in negotiation, influence and engagement, with the ability to build trust, confidence and lasting partnerships across teams and organisations.
• An inclusive leadership style which inspires, motivates, and promotes collaboration to develop high performing, innovative and inclusive teams, particularly through periods of change and uncertainty.
• Demonstrable experience of stakeholder engagement and getting a wide range of conflicting views aligned.

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 London or Birmingham offices.
• Fantastic employer pension contribution 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.
• 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 Applications in full before the below deadline.

Closing date: 23.55 on 22 April 2026.