Continuous Improvement Lead

Thames Water; Cricklade; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading utilities company in the UK is seeking a Continuous Improvement Lead. This role involves optimizing the bill-to-cash journey, enhancing efficiency, and implementing system improvements. The ideal candidate should have strong communication skills, SAP expertise, and experience in leading complex projects. The position offers a competitive salary ranging from £44,000 to £55,000, along with numerous benefits including holidays, a pension scheme, and health support services.

Benefits

Competitive salary

26 days holiday, increasing with service

Generous Pension Scheme

Access to health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Excellent understanding of end‑to‑end metering, billing, and finance processes.
• Experience in Agile environments and applying Agile methodologies.
• Proven experience in leading complex projects from inception to delivery.

Responsibilities

• Own the Income/Billing SAP Product team roadmap.
• Collaborate with digital teams on system changes.
• Deliver controlled mass processing through scripting.

Skills

Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications

Strong stakeholder-management skills

Attention to detail

Ability to interpret large data sets

Tools

SAP Utilities

Microsoft Azure DevOps

Macros

Job description

Are you passionate about driving operational excellence and delivering customer-focused solutions? Thames Water is looking for a Continuous Improvement Lead to play a pivotal role in optimising our bill‑to‑cash journey, ensuring it meets customer needs while maximising efficiency and aligning with our strategic goals.

What you will be doing the Continuous Improvement Lead

As part of the Platform Capability team, you’ll work independently to solve complex problems, apply strong analytical skills, and collaborate effectively across Retail functions. Owning the system change roadmap within the Billing Product team and partner with stakeholders in Customer Services, Income, and Collections to deliver proactive improvements and process excellence.

Success in this role requires curiosity, motivation, and exceptional communication skills, as you’ll influence senior leadership and cross‑functional teams to define and deliver impactful change initiatives.

Key responsibilities

• Own the Income/Billing SAP Product team roadmap, ensuring delivery of effective changes to improve BAU processes
• Collaborate with digital teams to implement best‑in‑class system changes
• Act as Business Analyst to build robust requirements and shape change direction through stakeholder engagement
• Deliver controlled mass processing through scripting to enable automation and process improvements
• Ensure clear understanding of business requirements and successful, incident‑free delivery
• Maintain accountability for planning, execution, and reporting, including training for end users
• Provide guidance and support for technical issue resolution, acting as a key conduit between Retail and Digital partners
• Drive process enhancements, provide coaching, and assist with incident resolution across Retail teams
• Keep up to date with new processes and systems to enable continuous improvement and forward‑thinking solutions

What you should bring to the role

• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications – Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word
• Excellent understanding of end‑to‑end metering, billing, and finance processes
• Deep expertise in SAP Utilities and related systems
• Strong stakeholder‑management skills, with the confidence to challenge effectively
• Solid understanding of systems architecture and integration
• Experience working in Agile environments and applying Agile methodologies
• Proficiency in using Macros, LSMW, or other scripting tools for automation
• Skilled in the use of Microsoft Azure DevOps for managing change and delivery
• Proven experience in leading complex projects or programmes from inception to delivery
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels, including senior leadership
• Exceptional attention to detail, combined with strong organisational and prioritisation skills
• Personable and collaborative, with excellent relationship‑building capabilities across the business
• Ability to review, interpret, and draw insights from large data sets

What’s in it for you

• Competitive salary from £44,000 to £55,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 days with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON
• Access to a wide range of benefits to support health, wellbeing and finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to cycle‑to‑work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance

Who are we

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits. If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.