Senior Water Expert

Frontier Economics is an economics consultancy that tackles the big questions facing governments, businesses and society. We help our clients to analyse and understand their markets and to formulate strategies based on sound economics. The methods and models we use are often complex, but our advice is always succinct, clear and honest.

The company has grown rapidly since it was founded over 25 years ago and currently has around 500 staff working across seven European offices (London, Cologne, Dublin, Paris, Brussels, Berlin and Madrid). The company is employee-owned and has a strong culture of openness and employee engagement.

The Water Practice:

When it comes to the water industry, wherever you look the pressure is on. Whether it’s the impact of climate change, changing consumer and regulatory expectations, or the ramped up investment needs for water and wastewater networks, more than ever our clients need the right industry expertise and experience to keep the taps flowing.

Economic regulation of the sector has itself become increasingly complex, encompassing price reviews and benchmarking for wholesale and retail household activities, regulatory controls and governance of the retail non-household sector, bulk supply pricing, charges compliance (for developers, new appointees, households and wholesale charges), enforcement actions, rules on financial resilience, executive pay and dividends and affordability analysis. Effective economic regulation also needs stronger interfaces with and understanding of the sector’s long-term planning frameworks and delivery arms.

We are therefore seeking to grow our detailed expertise and capabilities across these areas and are looking for exceptional individuals to join our water practice. As a senior water specialist you will need the experience, capabilities and expertise to manage the work of project teams across the full range of our expertise. This will be for both private and public sector clients and often in relation to high profile industry issues such as price reviews, regulatory reform, enforcement actions and related litigation.

You can also expect to play a leading role in building our integrated cost benchmarking, cost assessment and investment appraisal capability working across regulated network industries. This may in time also lead to opportunities for you to scope and manage projects and workstreams outside of water, e.g. in energy networks.

Your project work is likely to be predominantly UK based, but you may be part of project teams working for clients across Europe, and some travel may be necessary. Some of our most recent work in the area includes:

• Assisting companies in responding to Ofwat’s draft cost assessment and outcomes decisions;
• Price review appeal decisions and ongoing support for the subsequent appeals;
• Due diligence work for potential water sector investors;
• Support for government reviews of the sector;
• Assessing the affordability impacts of company decisions.

The role:

We are open to full time and part time applicants.

As a senior water specialist you will be responsible for the long-term sustainability and success of Frontier. As a key contact in the practice, you will enjoy a wide and diverse role working with people collaboratively across the Firm. While individual contributions may evolve with their careers, there is an ongoing expectation to consistently exhibit competence in five key areas:

Intellectual Leadership:

You will play a key role in ensuring Frontier delivers rigorous insight and high-quality analysis, maintaining our position at the intellectual forefront of our areas of expertise. This involves effectively leveraging the full range of resources available — including their own expertise, the skills of colleagues, and relevant external input. You will be expected to shape the scope of work in collaboration with clients and ensure that the outputs are robust, credible, and able to withstand scrutiny.

Consulting Skills:

You will be responsible for coordinating internal teams, and occasionally external collaborators, to deliver high-quality, timely, and insightful advice that fully meets client needs. This requires strong project management skills to adapt to changing demands as projects evolve, as well as excellent communication and client-handling abilities to maximise the impact and effectiveness of Frontier’s work. In parallel, you will be expected to actively foster professional development and high performance within your teams , support work-life balance, promote staff well-being, and carry out mentoring responsibilities to a consistently high standard.

Client Relationships:

You will be responsible for building and sustaining strong relationships with clients, collaborators, and potential clients, contributing to the continued growth of Frontier in line with our values. This involves a commitment to deepening client relationships, understanding their broader needs, and strategically managing business development activities to pursue profitable opportunities. You will take an active leadership role within both the practice area and the wider firm, upholding the highest standards in thought leadership, client engagement, and project delivery.

Developing Self and Others:

You will be expected to inspire, support, and develop all members of Frontier. As a role model, you have a duty of care to colleagues and are responsible for fostering a culture of growth, inclusion, and motivation through your everyday actions. In addition to this, you will be expected to ensure that Frontier’s mentoring and Career Development Review (CDR) processes are run with honesty, fairness, and integrity.

Internal Leadership:

You will contribute to Frontier’s continued success by promoting our values and actively supporting the firm’s growth and culture. This includes strong financial stewardship of projects and development work, and meaningful involvement in internal initiatives that help make Frontier a rewarding and enjoyable place to work. As a senior leader, you will take collective ownership of the firm’s policies and processes and be expected to communicate them clearly and confidently across the business.

Your Skills and Background:

We’re looking for economists who combine strong technical skills with clear communication and sound judgement. You’ll have the expertise to tackle complex economic questions, the confidence to influence clients and colleagues, and the drive to deliver high-quality work on time. You’ll also be a team player who supports and motivates others, helping us deliver practical insights and real impact for our clients.

Essential skills and experience:

• Expertise in Water Economics, with several years of experience at an economics consultancy, within a water company or at a regulator. Ideally this will be combined with wider understanding of the UK water industry including its long-term planning frameworks, operations, assets and future investment needs.
• Excellent communication skills that are tailored to your audience and the credibility to influence a wide range of people.
• Strong project management skills; able to motivate teams and manage multiple projects effectively.
• Commercial awareness and good judgement to identify practical, value-adding solutions that are aligned with the client’s willingness to pay
• Strong data skills, he ability to accurately scope and then manage the delivery of high-quality work, including analytical work with large data sets, where appropriate using statistical tools such as R and/or Stata to generate meaningful insights.

The Benefits of Joining Our Team:

At Frontier Economics, we are entirely employee-owned, meaning every team member has a voice in shaping the company’s future. Our collaborative culture encourages innovation, open dialogue, and shared success. Our stimulating and thought-provoking projects are complemented by a supportive and dynamic work environment, designed to help you thrive and grow. We also offer:

• Hybrid Working: Employees are expected to work in the office at least two days a week, with flexibility for remote work.
• Holiday Entitlement: 28 days of annual leave, plus public holidays, with the option to purchase up to 10 additional days of holiday per year.
• Parental Pay: Enhanced parental pay of up to 2 months of full pay and bonus for primary carers.
• Learning & Development: Extensive L&D opportunities, including Career Development Reviews with support from a dedicated Mentor.
• Private Health Insurance: Fully covered AXA health insurance with optional family coverage (partners' premiums and taxes paid by the employee; children included at no extra cost). Additional cover (e.g., optical, dental) can be added at the employee's expense.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – Free, confidential support for work-life balance, health, family issues, or job-related challenges, available for you and your immediate family members.
• Income Protection Insurance – All employees are covered by Frontier’s Group Income Protection Scheme for long-term illness or disability.
• Life Insurance – Company-funded Group Life Assurance Scheme, covering all permanent employees from their start date.
• Cross-Office Travel & Secondments – Opportunities for secondments to different offices or practices to expand skills and experience

Frontier Economics is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law. We are determined that everyone has an equal chance to join us and progress their career with Frontier. We care about creating an inclusive atmosphere and are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in all its forms. Read more about our incentives here.