Head of Water Infrastructure

• Details
• Reference number
• 476184
• Salary
• £69,831 - £81,443

GBP

• Job grade
• Other
• Contract type
• Permanent
• Type of role
• Other
• Working pattern
• Flexible working, Full-time
• Number of jobs available
• 1
• Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Cambridge, East of England, CB2 8DU

About the job

Job summary

Job purpose

Cambridge has become a major incubator of successful tech start-ups contributing significantly to the UK economy. However, Cambridgeshire and its surrounding areas face infrastructure significant challenges. Power, water and transport issues all impact business and housing growth and affect the quality of life for Cambridgeshire’s residents and potentially limit future economic growth.

On 23 July, the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) established the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation (GCDC). The Development Corporation will be responsible for the stewardship and deployment of very significant public capital investment, with capital projects typically measured in multiples of £100 million, and overall programme value measured at over £100bn, delivered over long-time horizons and through complex commercial, land and infrastructure arrangements involving leveraging significant private sector investment.

This role will be responsible for leading strategic vision and integration of water infrastructure within planned spatial growth. Working collaboratively with local partners across Greater Cambridge and with central government, to identify, support and implement a range of solutions to tackle the multi-faceted water infrastructure challenge across the region. You will be the bridge between high-level master planning and on-site delivery, ensuring that water supply, wastewater, and drainage infrastructure are not barriers to growth, but catalysts for resilient, environmentally sustainable high-quality places.

The role will be responsible for working with public and private sector partners to support the government’s ambition for Cambridge and developing joint working relationships across all sectors. Working alongside MHCLG’s Cambridge policy and OxCam Corridor teams, the Combined Authority and local councils, to further identify and promote opportunities to improve water resilience and integrated water management opportunities.

The role will work with the Cambridge Water Scarcity Group relative to the delivery of multiple interventions supporting short-, medium- and long-term initiatives and infrastructure projects that can provide further water resilience and infrastructure targeted to support the accelerated growth of Greater Cambridge.

Responsible for maintaining strong relationships with Anglian Water and Cambridge Water to support and coordinate the planned delivery of major water company infrastructure, alongside Ofwat, Water Resource East and member of the Cambridge Water Scarcity Group.

The role will lead activities in delivering individual water resource projects across the Greater Cambridge region and will support the development of water-efficient developments and sustainable urban design. This includes sustainable drainage solutions, wastewater management and rainwater harvesting systems, flood management and nature-based solutions.

Job description

The post-holder will support environmental assessment activity, ensuring that integrated water management strategies are fundamental approaches and incorporated into broader spatial planning, policy and delivery plans.

The post-holder will also provide in-house intelligent client expertise and support to the wider Cambridge team, including supporting the development of delivery plans and preparation of business cases for capital and resource funding. The role will work with delivery colleagues to de-risk and unlock potential housing, employment and infrastructure opportunities considering all aspect of water infrastructure.

This role is being recruited by Homes England to support the establishment and operation of the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation. The successful candidate will initially be employed by Homes England and will work predominantly on matters relating to the Greater Cambridge Development Corporation and its activities.

Key relationships

• Greater Cambridgeshire Local Authorities and their constituent bodies, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the elected Mayor.
• Leaders, members and officers of Cambridgeshire LAs, the Greater Cambridgeshire Shared Planning Service (GCSPS), and Councillors (district, ward and parish) as appropriate.
• The Water Scarcity Group (WSG), national and regional partners and bodies, such as Water Resource East, Ofwat and RAPID.
• Other local stakeholders including businesses, the university, landowners, developers, and promoters.
• Colleagues across the GCDC and Homes England
• Relevant committees and boards.
• Colleagues across MHCLG and other Government bodies, such as DEFRA, Environment Agency, Ofwat and Natural England; including where necessary briefing Ministers and other parts of government as required.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities

• Support the Director of Technical Services in developing a strategically impactful team with the right capabilities and capacity to support organisational objectives, specifically around water efficiency, water supply and treatment as part of an integrated water management approach to achieve sustainable urban design and implementation.
• Lead a small team of water specialists, growing the team as necessary, as the growth company resources increase and move towards a longer-term delivery vehicle.
• Establish and develop a deep understanding of the interrelated water infrastructure challenges limiting growth across Greater Cambridge and provide expert guidance, develop strategies and solutions to overcome these.
• Be the lead and strategic intelligent client for all water-related (and other infrastructure) procurement and provide oversight and management of project outcomes, programme and expenditure.
• Manage the delivery of consultancy and infrastructure works packages and contracts necessary to deliver the business plan, including client management of civil engineering projects.
• Be the primary technical lead in negotiations with statutory undertakers (Water Companies), the Environment Agency, and Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) and national government, developing efficient working relationships to ensure an up-to-date strategic overview of water-related infrastructure activity.
• Proactive problem-solving approach, working collaboratively internally and externally on a multidisciplinary basis, leveraging convening power to bring together local authorities, water companies, government agencies, markets and partners.
• Contribute to the Technical Services leadership to identify a wide range of tools to successfully navigate barriers to growth in Cambridge.
• Management and oversight of Senior Managers within the team, who are responsible for delegated water and environmental workstreams. Ensure appropriate resource management plans are in place to deliver this work.
• Effective performance management and leadership of water infrastructure team, managing individuals and groups. Allocates responsibilities and work, providing support and guidance as required. Encouraging learning and development, meeting performance targets.

Person specification

Key skills, knowledge and experience

• Essential: Degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering or other related field.
• Essential: Chartered status (e.g. CIWEM, CEng, CEnv) or equivalent professional accreditation.
• Essential: Extensive experience of managing and mitigating water-related infrastructure challenges for major developments and/or transformational urban and civic change projects.
• Full understanding of Water Resource Management Plans (WRMPs) and Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs), and the role of those bodies responsible for the development, oversight and delivery of them, i.e. water companies, WRE, the Environment Agency and Ofwat.
• Have a detailed understanding of the economic, environmental, and social issues faced by the public water sector, and the current events and issues surrounding water challenges in the Greater Cambridge area, wider East of England region and OxCam Corridor.
• Expert knowledge of relevant best practice approaches and techniques in relation to delivering water infrastructure projects and integrated water management approaches.
• Strong skills in convening and managing an extensive network of partners internally and externally, including leadership of relationships and contracts with external consultants.
• Experience in managing delegated funding, ensuring adherence with procurement, legal and commercial guidance
• Proven leadership of successfully leading teams and managing change, demonstrating high levels of personal awareness and effectiveness.
• An accomplished leader able to demonstrate the ability to navigate through complex environments in periods of uncertainty and circumstances of ambiguity to find creative, responsive and agile ways forward.
• Excellent oral, written and inter-personal skills with the ability to communicate information to a range to stakeholders clearly and concisely.

Key performance measures

• Development of a robust long-term water strategy and implementation plan to unlock and enable the accelerated growth of Greater Cambridge informed by evidence and options analysis (working with national agencies, water companies, regional and local partners).
• Deliver successful management and outcomes of water related projects and work packages supporting overarching infrastructure delivery across key strategic sites.
• Development of robust justifications of the need for specific infrastructure solutions and business cases for budget to deliver them.
• Establishing and maintaining credibility of GCDC in government and external forums as a credible infrastructure delivery partner.

Benefits

Homes England is an executive non-departmental public body with its own terms and conditions, benefits and pension scheme. We are a government agency working in partnership with the private sector and want to employ and retain great people. In return we offer a range of excellent benefits, some of the key benefits include:

Holiday - Homes England offers all staff 33 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 statutory bank holidays.

Working Flexibly - At Homes England we have a strong culture of flexible working and encourage all employees to have a healthy work/life balance. We offer a wide range of potential working patterns, including part time, job share and compressed hours.

Health and Wellbeing - We offer health screening with Nuffield Proactive Health Clinics, a free Employee Assistance Programme which offers confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as well as access to Occupational Health.

Professional Development - At Homes England we are committed to your continued professional and personal development with learning as one of our core values. We pay for one job-related professional membership subscription per year for our employees.

We also offer an excellent range of family friendly benefits, for example, maternity, paternity, shared parental leave.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

To apply please follow the links to our careers page.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

For more information on the role, please see the attached Job Description.

Successful applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application and interviews held as soon as practical after the closing date. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in this role and Homes England.

Please note – Homes England has a responsibility to ensure compliance with HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard to address the potential problems of identity fraud, illegal working and deception generally. To ensure compliance we will carry out a pre-employment Personal Identity and Vetting Report through Experian to meet the standard and you will therefore be asked to provide certain information in order that the verification check can be carried out if you are successful in your application.

Homes England are an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer that values and respects the people who work for us. Our aim is to be an employer of choice, enabling everyone to reach their full potential.

Homes England is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. For further information please refer to our Privacy Notice which can be viewed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/homes-england/about/personal-information-charter

Nationality requirements

Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Working for the Civil S ervice

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed disability confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

• Contact point for applicants
• Name: Recruitment Team
• Email: recruitmentinfo@homesengland.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : RecruitmentInfo@homesengland.gov.uk
• Email : RecruitmentInfo@homesengland.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitmentinfo@homesengland.gov.uk