Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Lead

idibu; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water and wastewater company in the UK seeks a Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Lead to manage a team responsible for monitoring river water quality. The role involves overseeing data management, stakeholder engagement, and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. The successful candidate will play a key role in reducing environmental harm from wastewater discharges while promoting the CWQM programme internally. This hybrid position offers competitive benefits and opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

26 days holiday, increasing to 30 with service

Car allowance

Annual bonus

Pension scheme

Private healthcare

Qualifications

• Management experience leading at least 5 people.
• Experience managing multi-million-pound budgets.
• Regulatory experience related to river water quality.

Responsibilities

• Managing the CWQM team and overseeing data management.
• Collaborating with teams to integrate data into business tools.
• Representing Thames Water at external working groups.

Skills

Environmental Monitoring

Data Management

Stakeholder Engagement

Leadership

Data Analysis

Education

Degree in Science

Degree in Engineering

Tools

Water Quality Monitoring Technologies

Large-scale Environmental Monitoring Systems

Job description

Public interest in the health of the nation’s rivers and the quality of the water that flows in them has never been higher. At Thames Water, we care deeply about our rivers and are committed to reducing our impact on them and working with others to further improve them. A key step towards this is understanding the quality of the river water and how our discharges may affect them.

We are looking for a highly capable individual to make a difference by leading and managing the team responsible for the Continuous Water Quality Monitoring (CWQM) programme at Thames Water. The CWQM team will be responsible for the delivery, management, data collection, interpretation, visualisation, and communication of data insights related to CWQM.

What you’ll be doing as a Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Lead

Following the Environment Act 2021, the Government requires water and sewerage companies to continuously monitor river water quality upstream and downstream of all sewage treatment works and storm overflow discharges. The insights from this monitoring will help inform storm overflow discharge reduction plans, future asset investments, and provide transparency to regulators and the public regarding the operation and impact of discharges on waterbodies.

This data will be pivotal in providing accurate information to prioritize improvements that reduce environmental harm from wastewater discharges. Beyond regulatory requirements, CWQM offers valuable insights to support various business objectives.

Key responsibilities include:

1. Managing the team delivering the programme, including installation, maintenance, interpretation, and reporting of CWQM data.
2. Overseeing data management, interpretation, contractor management, regulatory reporting, and stakeholder engagement.
3. Collaborating with Thames Water teams to integrate data into the business and develop tools like the River Health Tool.
4. Working with the Waste Operational Control Centre to ensure operational responses are triggered appropriately based on water quality data.
5. Representing Thames Water at external working groups on CWQM topics, such as monitoring recreational areas, estuarine investigations, and public data sharing platforms.
6. Promoting the CWQM programme internally and ensuring data is understandable and communicable.
7. Working with environmental regulators to agree on operational responses based on water quality data.
8. Attending industry and supplier events to stay informed about new technologies beneficial to the business.

Location and Working Conditions

Base location: Hybrid - Clearwater Court, RG1 8DB, with a minimum of two days a week in the office and frequent site visits for working with contractors.

Working hours: 36 hours per week.

Minimum requirement: A valid UK driving license.

Qualifications and Experience

• A degree in Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Technical background in environmental monitoring and data management, especially water quality.
• Extensive stakeholder engagement experience.
• Management experience leading at least 5 people.
• Experience managing multi-million-pound budgets.
• Expertise in water quality monitoring technologies, data analysis, and communicating complex data.
• Regulatory experience related to river water quality and pollution incidents.
• Experience with large-scale environmental monitoring systems (>1,000 sensors) is desirable.
• Leadership or management qualifications are desirable.
• Asset management qualifications are desirable.

Benefits

• Competitive salary from £52,000 to £65,000 per annum.
• 26 days holiday, increasing to 30 with service, plus bank holidays.
• Car allowance, annual bonus, pension scheme, private healthcare.
• Additional benefits for health, wellbeing, and financial security.

About Thames Water

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, serving over 16 million customers. We aim to build a better future for all, helping communities, people, and the planet thrive. Join us to make a difference and be part of our journey towards sustainability and excellence.

Our Culture and Inclusion

We value diversity and inclusion, welcoming applications from everyone. We provide support throughout the recruitment process and strive to remove barriers to success. We also offer opportunities to support our customers directly through ambassador roles, with training provided.

Note: Due to high application volumes, the vacancy may close early; apply promptly to avoid missing out.