Information and quality assurance

---

Information and quality assurance As part of the price review, we will need to process and store significant amounts of information from company business plans. We will need to model different scenarios, apply our decisions, and publish these – and it is crucial that the information we publish at our determinations is accurate and reflects our decisions. We will do this using our established Fountain database, which will allow companies to input information in a data capture system (stored in SQL), and create modelling runs. We will use Excel models, adopting the FAST modelling standard, to process the information and apply our decisions. We need people with experience in information and quality assurance to help us design, test, and operate these systems. This might include building Excel models or processes, creating and operating systems for quality assurance, or designing information for publications. We would expect a Principal to be capable of much stronger intellectual leadership, and to have a track record of leading teams and engaging with senior managers and stakeholders. We would also expect them to have a more in-depth practical knowledge of developing and implementing models and processes, and to have greater understanding – and ideally some experience – of price reviews or business planning.

Information for applicants

Professional requirements – senior associate As a Senior Associate, you would play a key role in our price review, perhaps leading a workstream or managing a project. In playing a key role in our programmes or projects, you’ll ensure that we’re delivering on our strategic objectives to time and to budget, and also contribute to the effective identification and management of strategic risk and opportunities. As a Senior Associate you would have autonomy, responsibility and leadership opportunities, and you would have ample opportunities to develop and consolidate your skill set. You will definitely be a self-starter and to that end will require minimal supervision and oversight from senior colleagues. You will continue to hone your judgement and be expected to exercise it responsibly in line with our strategy and ways of working. You will also be developing and using your ability to persuasively communicate and engage with stakeholders, both internally and externally. You would be expected to provide support to colleagues across the office, proactively sharing skills and knowledge, and equally will be supported by coaching and mentoring. Critical Qualifications

Desirable

Educated to degree or post-

Post-graduate or professional

graduate level in a relevant

qualification in a numerate subject

discipline

such as mathematics, statistics, economics, social research, corporate finance, or accountancy (e.g. ACA, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA)

Experience Experience of developing and

Experience with economic

applying an analytical framework to

regulation, particularly in the water

assess complex information

sector or price reviews in other regulated sectors

Experience of working under pressure to produce high quality

Experience of leading work streams

analysis to tight timescales while

or projects within a complex

managing competing priorities

programme, including planning, tracking and reporting progress, and

Experience of building effective relationships and networks with

2

prioritisation

Information for applicants

Critical

Desirable

relevant internal staff and external

Experience of producing clear

peers

graphical representations and data visualisations

Experience of designing, building and populating data models –

Experience of working in a project

particularly financial models

and programme environment, including managing and escalating

Experience of building tools and

risks

processes for information management and/or analysis Experience of investigating operational needs and problems, and recommending improvements in process and automation Experience of designing and implementing quality assurance processes and user acceptance testing Skills Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex analysis and issues to nontechnical audiences Ability to take ownership and accountability for delivery of tasks and projects. Ability to collect and assess evidence to make robust decisions. Knowledge Highly numerate with strong

Understanding of economic

analytical skills

regulation, particularly price reviews

3

Information for applicants

Critical

Desirable

Significant experience with data

Working knowledge of Microsoft

analysis using Excel

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)

An in-depth understanding of data

Working knowledge of any of:

modelling, data cleansing, and data

accountancy, econometrics, or

enrichment techniques

database design (SQL)

Professional requirements – Principal You would play a key role on our price review, and you are likely to be leading a key workstream, or managing a project. In leading our programmes or projects, you’ll ensure that we’re delivering on our strategic objectives to time and to budget, and in line with our ways of working. You will make an important contribution to understanding and managing strategic risk and opportunities. Internally, our Principals will have a seat at the leadership table, forming part of our wider leadership team, and will take responsibility for cracking our toughest problems to deliver our objectives. You will have a broad portfolio of issues, and will take ownership of a range of specific policies and procedures, taking responsibility and accountability for their success. You will be expected to have good judgement and to exercise it across complex issues responsibly in line with our strategy and ways of working. You will be expected to provide support to colleagues across the office, proactively sharing skills and knowledge, and equally will be supported by coaching and mentoring. You may have line management responsibility. Effective stakeholder engagement will be an important for your success, as you nurture existing relationships whilst developing new ones.

4

Information for applicants

Critical Qualifications

Desirable

Educated to degree or post-

Post-graduate or professional

graduate level in a relevant

qualification in a numerate subject

discipline

such as mathematics, statistics, economics, social research, corporate finance, or accountancy (e.g. ACA, CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA)

Experience Experience of developing and

Experience with economic

applying an analytical framework to

regulation, particularly in the water

assess complex information

sector or price reviews in other regulated sectors

Experience of providing strong intellectual leadership under

Experience of producing clear

pressure to produce high quality

graphical representations and data

analysis to tight timescales, while

visualisations

managing competing priorities Experience of leading work streams Experience of leading a team to

or projects within a complex

deliver complex tasks and projects,

programme, including planning,

including managing multi-

tracking and reporting progress, and

disciplinary teams and consultants

prioritisation

Experience of building effective relationships with senior staff and external stakeholders, and identifying and facilitating linkages between projects and work streams Experience of designing, building and populating data models – particularly financial models Experience of leading the development of tools and processes for information management and/or analysis Experience of investigating operational needs and problems,

5

Information for applicants

Critical

Desirable

and implementing improvements in process and automation Experience of leading the development and implementation of quality assurance processes and user acceptance testing Skills Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex analysis and issues to nontechnical audiences Excellent analytical and decision making skills, including understanding legal, financial and economic implications of decisions Knowledge Highly numerate with strong

Understanding of the economic

analytical skills

regulation of the water sector in particular

Significant experience with data analysis using Excel

Working knowledge of Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)

An in-depth understanding of data modelling, data cleansing, and data

Working knowledge of any of:

enrichment techniques

accountancy, econometrics, or database design (SQL)

Understanding of economic regulation, particularly price reviews

6