Catchment Partnership Officer

United Utilities; Chester; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

Competitive pension with life cover

Performance bonus up to 7.5%

Company funded healthcare plan

Discounts and flexible benefits

Salary Finance and wealth at work

EV scheme and ShareBuy options

Enhanced parental leave

Job summary

United Utilities is seeking a Catchment Partnership Officer to join a proactive team. Hybrid working is available across the Cheshire region, focusing on water quality, biodiversity, and nature recovery through multi-stakeholder initiatives.

You will coordinate partnerships, secure funding, and deliver projects from concept to delivery, while collaborating with internal teams and partners to maximise environmental impact and community benefit.

Qualifications

• A degree in Environmental Science, Agriculture, Catchment Management, or a related discipline, or an equivalent professional qualification.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage partnerships with water companies, environmental organisations, landowners, community groups, and other stakeholders to deliver catchment and environmental improvement projects.
• Identify, develop, and secure opportunities for partnership funding, community investment, and grant supported initiatives that support water quality, biodiversity, and nature recovery objectives.
• Lead the coordination of catchment activities, ensuring projects are delivered safely, effectively, on budget, and in line with agreed environmental outcomes.
• Represent the business internally and externally, providing project updates, delivering presentations, and communicating technical information to diverse audiences.
• Manage relationships with third party delivery partners, consultants, and contractors, providing guidance and oversight to support successful project delivery.
• Collaborate with internal teams across Land, Operations, Engineering, Water Resources, Strategy, and Communications to maximise impact and embed stakeholder insights.
• Support the development of Drinking Water Safety Plans and wider catchment management strategies using data to inform planning and improvement.
• Use data, systems, and best practice to support project delivery and provide technical guidance on catchment management and biodiversity.

Skills

Environmental degree

Project delivery

Stakeholder engagement

Organisational skills

Commercial awareness

Driving licence

Education

Degree in Environmental Science or related field

Job description

Job number UU06430 Country United Kingdom Region Cheshire West and Chester Location name Huntington Water Treatment Works, Aldford Road, Huntington, CHESTER, CH3 6EA Posting End Date 11/10/2026 Band 5a Role Type Permanent Salary £51,233

Shape partnerships. Deliver environmental change. Build your career.

About us

Catchment Partnership Officer | Permanent | Hybrid | Huntingdon | £51,233

United Utilities are looking for a Catchment Partnership Officer to join a passionate and experienced catchment team delivering projects that improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, and support nature recovery across the region. This is a role where you'll work at the intersection of environmental stewardship, stakeholder engagement, and project delivery, bringing together a wide range of partners to achieve lasting outcomes for both people and nature.

Offering a mix of stakeholder engagement, strategic project work, and field based catchment days, this is a varied and rewarding opportunity for someone who enjoys building relationships, influencing positive change, and seeing the direct impact of their work. You'll be trusted to take ownership of your projects and manage your priorities, while benefiting from the support and expertise of a highly experienced team. With this opportunity arising through internal progression, it's an excellent time to join a business that is committed to developing its people and supporting long term career growth.

The Role

As the Catchment Partnership Officer, you'll act as a key link between the business, delivery partners, and stakeholders across the catchment, helping turn environmental ambitions into tangible outcomes. You'll identify opportunities, develop partnerships, secure funding, and coordinate projects that improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, and support nature recovery across the region.

Working closely with the Catchment Partnership Manager, you'll help shape and deliver a diverse portfolio of programmes, collaborating with water companies, environmental organisations, landowners, local communities, and regulators. Success in the role will come from your ability to build trusted relationships, bring stakeholders together around a common goal, and drive projects forward from concept through to delivery.

You'll work alongside three other Catchment Partnership Officers, each supporting a different geographical area, while regularly sharing knowledge, ideas, and best practice. Supported by a highly experienced Catchment and Land team, you'll have the opportunity to learn from colleagues with deep technical expertise while enjoying the autonomy to manage your own projects and priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and manage partnerships with water companies, environmental organisations, landowners, community groups, and other stakeholders to deliver catchment and environmental improvement projects.
• Identify, develop, and secure opportunities for partnership funding, community investment, and grant supported initiatives that support water quality, biodiversity, and nature recovery objectives.
• Lead the coordination of catchment activities, ensuring projects are delivered safely, effectively, on budget, and in line with agreed environmental outcomes.
• Represent the business internally and externally, providing project updates, delivering presentations, and communicating technical information in a way that is accessible to a wide range of audiences.
• Manage relationships with third party delivery partners, consultants, and contractors, providing guidance and oversight to support successful project delivery.
• Collaborate with internal teams across Land, Operations, Engineering, Water Resources, Strategy, and Communications to maximise the impact of catchment programmes and ensure stakeholder insights are embedded into decision making.
• Support the development of Drinking Water Safety Plans and wider catchment management strategies, using environmental and water quality data to inform planning, prioritisation, and continuous improvement.
• Use data, systems, and industry best practice to support project delivery, identify innovative solutions, and provide technical guidance on catchment management, biodiversity, and environmental protection.

What You'll Bring

• A degree in Environmental Science, Agriculture, Catchment Management, or a related discipline, or an equivalent professional qualification, alongside a strong understanding of biodiversity, land management, agronomy, and environmental improvement projects.
• Experience delivering or supporting catchment scale, environmental, land management, or biodiversity related projects through the project lifecycle.
• Outstanding stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the confidence to build relationships, influence decisions, and challenge constructively when needed.
• Strong organisational, analytical, and problem solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and turn insight into action.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of partnership working, project delivery, and ideally the water industry and/ or regulatory landscape.
• Full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle, as travel throughout the catchment area is required.

Why This Role

This is a fantastic opportunity to deepen your expertise in catchment management while working on projects that deliver meaningful environmental outcomes. You'll gain exposure to large scale partnership initiatives focused on water quality, biodiversity, nature recovery, and carbon reduction, while building relationships with a diverse range of organisations, stakeholders, and communities across the region.

You'll join a highly experienced and supportive team where knowledge sharing is part of the culture. Working closely with the Catchment Partnership Manager, fellow Catchment Partnership Officers, and the wider Land team, you'll have the opportunity to develop your technical expertise, strengthen your stakeholder management skills, and broaden your experience across a varied portfolio of environmental projects.

The role also offers a high degree of autonomy, giving you the freedom to manage your own workload, build relationships, and take ownership of projects from concept through to delivery. With a blend of office based work, time spent out in the catchment, and genuine opportunities for career development, it's an ideal opportunity for someone looking to make a visible impact while continuing to grow their career in a supportive and forward thinking environment.

Benefits:

• 26 days’ annual leave, rising by one day for each completed holiday year (served up to a maximum of 30days) plus 8 bank holidays
• Competitive pension with up to 14% employer contribution and life cover
• Performance related bonus of up to 7.5% plus recognition awards
• Company funded healthcare plan and wellbeing support including mental health resources and Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to discounts, gym savings, and flexible benefits through MORE Choices
• Financial wellbeing support including Salary Finance and Wealth at Work
• Electric vehicle scheme and ShareBuy options
• Enhanced parental leave

Note: At United Utilities, we believe people are more than just applications. Every application is personally reviewed by our recruitment team and hiring manager. We do not use AI or automated screening tools to assess applications.