Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Business Support Officer
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Job Summary
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) is one of the three independent regulators of the water industry in England and Wales. It operates on behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in regulating the quality of drinking water supplied by those water companies whose area of supply is wholly or mainly in England, and on behalf of the Welsh Government for those water companies whose area of supply is wholly or mainly in Wales. The Inspectorate also has a supervisory role with respect to the implementation, by Local Authorities, of the Private Water Supply Regulations.
The jobholder would be part of a small, very busy team that provides administrative support to approximately 65 staff including technical Inspectors, Principal Inspectors and the Senior Management Team. This is an opportunity for a committed, self-motivated, organised, resourceful and flexible team worker to gain experience in a regulatory delivery unit responsible for drinking water quality.
The Independent Water Commission’s final report in July 2025, acknowledged that the Inspectorate was a highly effective regulator. The Commission is recommending the water functions of all the existing regulators are combined into one integrated water regulator for England. The Inspectorate will have a leading role in the establishment and operation of the new regulator. In Wales, it is recommending that a new economic regulator is created.
This is an opportunity for a committed, self-motivated, organised, resourceful and flexible team player to work in a regulatory delivery unit responsible for drinking water quality.
The Drinking Water Inspectorate is an independent regulator within Defra and has a landing area in 2 Marsham Street, London. You will be expected to attend Inspectorate meetings in this location and support the Inspectorate with any other meetings as and when required. The Inspectorate supports flexible working where this is practicable.
Job Description
You will be part of a team whose key responsibilities include:
- Public enquiries - Providing information and advice to the general public in response to enquiries both over the telephone and e-mail about drinking water quality; triaging freedom of information and environmental information requests; dealing with official correspondence such as ministerial post and PQs
- Finance and procurement – carrying out procurement duties, raising purchase orders and arranging payment of invoices; ensuring departmental policies are adhered to and appropriate records are maintained
- Recruitment – managing recruitment campaigns from start to finish; obtaining Eploy permissions, advertising vacancies on Oleeo and other platforms; managing DWI’s better regulation industry secondment programme
- Stakeholder engagement - Liaison with water companies and stakeholders
- Production and issuance of legal and official documents and letters to the industry; providing administrative support to the investigation of water quality events
- Diary support for Senior Management Team, event organisation, conference and meeting room arrangements, minute taking as required
- Co-ordination of DWI’s training and induction programme, provision of advice on Defra procedures and systems and management of DWI’s resources
- Organising travel and accommodation in line with Defra policy
- Data collection, updating databases and maintenance of electronic records
It is expected that there will be a focus on some aspects of the above responsibilities initially but with cross training opportunities to ensure skills in all areas in the longer term.
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Person Specification
It is essential that you have experience of customer service and dealing with members of the public as you would be regularly communicating with the public, other relevant authorities and colleagues. This includes providing accurate technical information and advice to the public in response to enquiries both over the telephone and e-mail. The role requires an individual capable of assimilating new technical information and explaining it in simple terms to members of the public.
It is expected that you have good IT skills and are willing to develop your skills in the area: Word packages, Visio, Power BI, Power Apps
Knowledge of finance, procurement and/or recruitment processes would be an advantage
Ability to prioritise workload and work at pace to deliver the duties of the Business Performance Unit
Always looking forward and planning ahead, anticipating and understanding what’s upcoming without being prompted and scheduling effectively
Capacity to proactively make effective decisions whilst identifying risks
To ensure outcomes are delivered on time to the expected quality standards
Willing and capable of establishing positive, effective and trusted working relationships
An understanding of the big picture
An aptitude to train and develop colleagues
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Managing a Quality Service
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Verbal Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 26th October 2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
Do not leave completing the tests until the last minute in case you experience any access or technical issues. There may not be technical support available after business hours and after 2pm on the closing date of 26th October 2026.
While the tests should work on most operating systems and modern browsers with a good internet connection, we cannot guarantee that every combination will work. At the beginning, the test will check which browser you are using, and alert you if it is likely to be incompatible.
It is highly recommended that you complete the online tests on a desktop computer, not a mobile phone or tablet.
Please note that online tests associated with this vacancy are not subject to time limits; for further information visit the Reasonable adjustments for online tests - a candidate guide
Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 4pm and 7pm on Sunday 11th October 2026 and Sunday 25th October 2026 between Midday and 1pm. You will be unable to access tests during this period.
If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.
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As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:
- A name-blind (anonymous) CV with details of your full job history, experience and qualifications.
- 1 x Behaviour Statement (250 word max).
- Personal Statement. Please use the Personal Statement (750 word max) to set out your reasons for applying for the role. Please detail your experience and explain how your current skills are transferable.
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Interview
If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours and strengths.
A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
Your interview will be conducted in person in 2 Marsham Street, London.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Further Information
Location
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).
Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.
Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.
The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.
Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that
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