Assistant Manager

Southern Water; Thanet District; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Standby allowance

Job summary

Southern Water is seeking an Assistant Field Performance Manager (Wastewater) to lead safe, compliant operation of wastewater assets across the Dover and Folkestone area. You will work with frontline teams, deputise for the Field Performance Manager, and drive improvements while ensuring regulatory compliance.

The role focuses on health, safety and environmental audits, risk management, incident response and continuous improvement in a diverse portfolio of treatment works.

Qualifications

• Several years’ experience within wastewater treatment operations.
• Strong understanding of wastewater treatment processes, assets and risks.
• Experience with health, safety and environmental frameworks and regulatory compliance.
• Investigating operational issues and implementing effective solutions.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritise workload and make sound decisions.
• Good IT skills and confidence with digital systems and reporting tools.
• Proactive approach to continuous improvement and coaching/mentoring.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Support the Field Performance Manager in the safe and effective operation of wastewater treatment assets across the area.
• Act as deputy for the Field Performance Manager during periods of leave or delegated absence, ensuring continuity of performance and line management support.
• Complete statutory health, safety and environmental audits and inspections.
• Identify and drive resolution of hazards and risks, maintaining records and timely actions.
• Monitor compliance against health, safety, environmental and quality standards (ISO 14001/9001).
• Collaborate with teams to resolve issues, improve performance and reduce risk.
• Undertake site audits to ensure operator rounds, housekeeping and asset performance meet standards.
• Coach, mentor and develop colleagues to improve performance and engagement.
• Deliver HSE briefings and improvement initiatives to promote best practice.
• Support incident response and area standby rota participation.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and performance enhancement across operations.

Skills

Wastewater operations

Health & safety

Root cause analysis

Stakeholder management

Decision making

Digital reporting tools

Coaching & mentoring

Driving licence

Education

NVQ Level 2 in Wastewater and Sludge Treatment Processes

Job description

Closing Date

2026-09-22

Job Title: Assistant Field Performance Manager (Wastewater)

Location: Weathlees, covering the Dover and Folkestone operational area

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 38 hoursper week, full time

Salary: Up to £41,400 depending on skills, experience and qualifications, plus standby allowance

About the role

We’relooking for an Assistant Manager to help lead the safe,compliantand efficient operation of wastewater treatment assets across the Dover and Folkestone area.

This is a hands-on operational leadership role whereyou’llwork closely with frontline operational teams to ensure our sites meethigh standardsof health, safety, environmentalcomplianceand performance. Acting as deputy to the Field Performance Manager,you’llprovide continuity of leadership, support day-to-day operationaldeliveryand help drive improvements across a diverse portfolio of treatment works and assets.

You’lltake ownership of health, safety and environmental audits, risk managementactivitiesand hazard resolution, ensuring Southern Waterremainscompliant with regulatory and legislative requirements while protecting our people, theenvironmentand the communities we serve.

We’relooking for someone with a strong wastewater operational background who is passionate about continuous improvement, enjoys coaching and developing others, and is ready to take the next step towards a broader operational leadership career.

As part of this role,you’llalsoparticipatein an operational standbyrota, typically around one week in seven or eight, helping provide resilience and support during incidents and operational events.

Whatyou’llbe responsible for:

• Supporting the Field Performance Manager in the safe and effective operation of wastewater treatment assets across the area

• Acting as deputy for the Field Performance Manager during periods of leave or delegated absence, ensuring continuity of operational performance and line management support

• Completing statutory health, safety and environmental audits, including Site Safety Inspections, Fire Risk Assessments and Environmental Management System inspections

• Identifying,managingand driving the resolution of hazards and risks,maintainingaccuraterecords and ensuring actions are completed within required timescales

• Monitoring operational compliance against health, safety, environmental and quality standards, including ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 requirements

• Working collaboratively with operational, maintenance, scientific and regulatory teams to resolve issues, improve performance and reduce risk

• Undertaking site audits to ensure operator rounds, housekeeping standards, assetperformanceand site compliance expectations are being achieved

• Coaching,mentoringand supporting colleagues to improve performance,capabilityand engagement across the team

• Delivering health, safety and environmental briefings, toolbox talks and improvement initiatives to promote best practice

• Supporting operational incident response andparticipatingin the area standbyrotaasrequired

• Identifyingopportunities for continuous improvement,optimisationand performance enhancement across wastewater treatment operations

Whatyou’llbring to the role:

Essential

• Several years’ experience working within wastewater treatment operations, ideally in a process operator or similar operational role

• A strong understanding of wastewater treatment processes, assets and associated operational risks

• Experience working within health,safetyand environmental frameworks, with a commitment tomaintaininghigh standardsof compliance

• Demonstrable experience investigating operational issues,identifyingrootcausesand implementing effective solutions

• Strong communicationand stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across multiple teams

• Ability to work independently,prioritiseworkloads and make sound decisions in a fast-paced operational environment

• Good IT skills and confidence using digital systems and operational reporting tools

• A proactive approach to continuous improvement and developing others through coaching and mentoring

• A full UK drivinglicence

Desirable

• Previousexperience providing leadership,supervisionor line management within an operational environment

• Experience completing health,safetyor environmental audits

• NVQ Level 2 in Wastewater and Sludge Treatment Processes, or an equivalent qualification

• Knowledge of environmental regulation, permitting requirements and wastewater compliance standards

• Experience working within a regulated utility,infrastructureor industrial environment

• Ambition to progress into broader operational leadership and management roles

About Southern Water

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience,sustainabilityand service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

You’llbe joining at a time ofsignificant change, working with skilled colleagues who share a clear focus on the future. We offer an environment where experienced professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence importantdecisionsand create long-term value.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds,identitiesand experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability,religionor any other protected characteristic.If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additionalinformation

In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, a criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years.

Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre-employment checks, including security vetting.

If a candidate does not meet the required security standards or does not pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting andadditionaldocumentation.

Participation in the operational standbyrotaforms part of this role and attracts anadditionalallowance.