Customer Incident Responder

Thames Water; Reading; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company is seeking a Customer Incident Responder to join their operational response team. In this field-based role, you will respond to emergencies and ensure customer support during service disruptions. Key responsibilities include setting up water stations and leading on-site teams. Ideal candidates will have strong communication skills, a full UK driving license, and preferably experience in customer service or utilities. Competitive salary and benefits are offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary from £26,000 to £31,000

24 days holiday plus bank holidays

Generous Pension Scheme

Performance-related pay plan

Health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Experience in customer service or utilities sector preferred.
• Ability to work independently in high-pressure environments.
• Basic IT skills for portable devices.

Responsibilities

• Responding to incidents and supporting customers.
• Setting up bottled water stations.
• Communicating effectively during incidents.
• Leading on-site teams for safe operations.
• Ensuring compliance with health and safety standards.

Skills

Customer service skills

Strong communication skills

Manual handling

Confidence in driving

Calm under pressure

Education

Full UK driving licence

Job description

We’re looking for a hands‑on, customer‑focused individual to join our operational response team as a Customer Incident Responder.

This is a field‑based role at the heart of Thames Water’s incident response operations.

You’ll be part of a fast‑moving unit that plays a vital role in protecting public health and maintaining customer trust during service disruptions. Whether responding to emergencies or preparing for future incidents, you’ll help ensure our customers stay informed, supported, and supplied with water when they need it most.

Please note this is fixed‑term contract.

What you’ll be doing as a Customer Incident Responder

• Responding to incidents and supporting customers, including vulnerable groups.
• Setting up and managing bottled water stations across the Thames Water region.
• Developing site‑specific plans for key locations such as hospitals, schools, and prisons.
• Supporting customer communication and response efforts during incidents.
• Driving and maintaining a company van, adhering to all road safety regulations.
• Leading and supporting on‑site teams to ensure safe and coordinated operations.
• Carrying out proactive, customer‑focused tasks when not responding to incidents.
• Always ensuring compliance with health, safety, and hygiene standards.

Location: This is a field‑based role primarily covering the Thames Water region between Reading and Dartford. While your base location may be one of our operational sites, your starting point should be within the Thames Water area.

Working Pattern: This role works on a 16‑week shift pattern with rotating shift times between 06:00 and 22:00. There is also a requirement for weekend working on a rotating basis.

We currently have two available positions – one permanent and one fixed‑term contract.

What you should bring to the role

• Full UK driving licence and a confident driver.
• Comfortable with manual handling tasks and the physical aspects of the role.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to stay calm and clear under pressure and during customer‑facing situations.
• Happy to work independently in remote locations, high‑pressure environments, and outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Basic IT skills to confidently use portable devices.
• A friendly, customer‑focused approach with a can‑do attitude.
• Awareness of health, safety, and hygiene standards.
• Previous experience in customer service or the utilities sector would be a bonus.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £26,000 to £31,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• 24 days holiday per year, increasing to 28 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays)
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

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.