Senior Associate Commercial Adviser, Major Water Infrastructure Projects
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£41,700
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 3549 (70% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £41,700, and Ofwat is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
This could also be SOC 2432 (Marketing and commercial managers, Commercial manager role managing commercial approach across procurement) or SOC 2422 (Finance and investment analysts and advisers, Commercial analysis and cost benchmarking focus). We read the code off the advert, so it is our best guess, not the employer's.
About the role
Join Ofwat’s Major Projects Team as a Senior Associate Commercial Adviser
*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. 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.
The Role
The Senior Associate, Commercial Adviser role makes an important contribution to delivering Ofwat’s strategic objectives and regulatory commitments across the major water infrastructure portfolio.
You will join our growing Major Projects Team at Senior Associate level, working with the Commercial Lead across Ofwat’s £50bn pipeline of major water and wastewater infrastructure projects.
You will help develop and implement Ofwat’s commercial approach, including cost estimating, benchmarking, commercial strategy for procurement and tendering, contract strategy and commercial assurance. You will help develop and embed the frameworks, processes, methodologies and standards that provide a consistent, evidence-based approach to commercial decision-making and value for money across the full lifecycle of major water infrastructure projects.
You will lead, advise and supervise external suppliers delivering commercial assurance, setting clear requirements, providing technical direction and applying constructive challenge to ensure high-quality outputs. You will use assurance findings to strengthen Ofwat’s commercial frameworks and enable continuous, progressively deeper assurance as projects develop through their lifecycle and gates. You will also provide commercial analysis and advice to Ofwat project leads in preparing assurance reports and governance, supporting informed decision-making on Major Water Infrastructure Programme projects.
You will provide commercial advice across optioneering, business case development, procurement, tendering, contracting, construction and commissioning. This will include projects delivered through competitive models such as the Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) model and Specified Infrastructure Projects Regulations (SIPR), as used in the Thames Tideway Tunnel project, as well as projects progressing 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:
- Lead Criterion: A relevant professional qualification or equivalent experience in commercial management, estimating, quantity surveying or cost management (e.g. RICS), with experience working on complex infrastructure projects or programmes, cost estimating, benchmarking, commercial assurance and commercial strategy for procurement and delivery.
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 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.
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 04 October 2026
This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with Ofwat, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
SOC 3549 · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · ~82k in sampleSimilar sponsored roles
See all UK visa jobsNo close matches live right now.
Browse more sponsored jobs at OfwatAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. Ofwat holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 3549 going rate of £41,700. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.