Alternative Water Supply Manager

South West Water; Exeter; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Leave 25+ days

Annual bonus

Competitive pension

Life assurance

Health plan

Cycle to work

Free parking

Employee assistance

Job summary

South West Water is seeking an Alternative Water Supply (AWS) Manager to lead planning, coordination and delivery of alternative water supplies across the region. The role sits at the heart of operational resilience, ensuring customers and communities continue to receive support when normal supplies are disrupted.

You will work with operational teams, suppliers, regulators and key stakeholders to ensure resources are in the right place at the right time, including hospitals, prisons, schools and

Qualifications

• Experience in operational resilience planning and response.
• Ability to coordinate resources during interruptions.
• Proven track record of leading diverse teams and contractors.

Responsibilities

• Lead AWS plans and operational readiness across the region.
• Coordinate bottled water, tankering, logistics, equipment and stock levels.
• Manage AWS Coordinators, Administrators and volunteers.
• Act as operational lead during supply interruption events with safety first.
• Ensure Priority Services Register and vulnerable customers are supported.
• Support regulatory reporting and compliance obligations.
• Drive improvements through exercises and lessons learned.

Skills

Logistics operations

Incident management

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Communication

Numerical skills

IT skills

Driving licence

Tools

MS Office

Data analysis tools

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

About The Role

At South West Water, we’re committed to delivering reliable water services to our customers, even during planned works, incidents, and emergency situations. We’re looking for an Alternative Water Supply (AWS) Manager to lead the planning, coordination, and delivery of alternative water supplies across our region.

This is a highly visible role that sits at the heart of operational resilience, ensuring customers, communities, businesses, and vulnerable users continue to receive support when normal water supplies are disrupted. You’ll work across operational teams, suppliers, contractors, regulators, and key stakeholders to ensure the right resources are in the right place at the right time.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead and maintain South West Water’s Alternative Water Supply (AWS) plans and operational readiness.
• Manage a trained network of AWS Coordinators, Administrators, and volunteer resources.
• Coordinate bottled water, tankering, logistics, equipment, stock levels, and supplier readiness. Build strong relationships with critical customers including hospitals, prisons, schools, and major businesses.
• Act as the operational lead during supply interruption events, providing oversight of resources, priorities, risks, and customer support.
• Ensure Priority Services Register customers and vulnerable customers receive appropriate support.
• Support regulatory compliance, reporting requirements, and Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS) obligations.
• Drive continuous improvement through exercises, lessons learned, and resilience planning.
• Lead on the wider business AWS Strategy#Provide regulatory reporting, performance data, and operational assurance to support compliance with industry standards and customer obligations.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Operational, logistics, incident management, or emergency response experience.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Experience leading teams, coordinating resources, and delivering results through others.
• Excellent communication, numerical, and IT skills.
• Strong problem-solving and organisational abilities.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Ability to support incident response activities, including out-of-hours and weekend working when required.

Benefits

• Generous Annual Leave - Starting from 25 days plus bank holidays, increasing with service.
• Holiday Buy & Sell - More flexibility to suit your lifestyle.
• Annual Bonus Scheme - Share in our success.
• Competitive Pension - Helping you plan for the future.
• Life Assurance - Added peace of mind for you and your family.
• Income Protection - Financial support when you need it most.
• Enhanced Family Leave - Supporting the moments that matter.
• Share Schemes - Opportunity to invest in our future and yours.
• Health Cash Plan - Everyday health support for you and your family.
• Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 wellbeing, financial and emotional support.
• Free Flu Vaccination - Helping you stay healthy all year round.
• Cycle to Work & Car Share Schemes - Supporting greener, more affordable travel.
• Free On-site Parking & Canteen - Making your working day easier.
• Volunteer Day - One paid day each year to give back to your community.
• Retail Discounts - Savings on shopping, travel, leisure and more.

Closing Date: 2nd October 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way.

Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.