Field Performance Manager (Thanet)

Southern Water; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Water is seeking a Field Performance Manager for a 12-month fixed term, primarily focused on improving Water Production processes in Thanet. This role demands strong leadership and operational management skills to drive compliance, enhance team performance, and ensure customer satisfaction within a diverse and fast-paced environment. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in shaping the future of field operations and will have the opportunity for significant career progression within Southern Water.

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Experience in operational management and water industry.
• Knowledge of water production and treatment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing field operations team.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.
• Manage customer complaints and improve service metrics.

Skills

Leadership

Operational Management

Coaching

Health & Safety Knowledge

Communication Skills

Commercial Experience

Negotiating Skills

Education

Full UK Driving Licence

IOSH or NEBOSH Certification

Job description

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Field Performance Manager (Thanet), Canterbury

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Client:

Southern Water

Location:

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

fda120b323fc

Job Views:

5

Posted:

29.06.2025

Expiry Date:

13.08.2025

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Job Description:

Closing Date

2025-07-03

Closing Date

2025-07-03

Job Title: Field Performance Manager

Location: Primary site will be Thanet and Swale and covering multiple sites, therefore driving licence essential

Work type: 12 months fixed term contract
Hours: 37 hours per week
Salary: Competitive pay based on skills and experience plus a business needs car

It's an exciting time to join us!

Millions of pounds of investment in new assets our Thanet supply zone means we are creating a whole new team to divide up one large zone into two smaller ones. This is part of our drive to improve compliance, asset reliability, and wellbeing of our field teams. We are looking for a passionate and motivated leader to build, engage and inspire the new field operations team, whilst promoting excellence and encouraging a culture of continuous improvement.

Our overarching plan is to provide our customers with a continuous supply of safe, clean and wholesome drinking water, by focusing on our five key priorities – our people, health & safety, water quality, risk & resilience, and efficiency.

Reporting to the Area Operations Manager, you will develop a high-performing team with a strong health and safety culture to ensure we consistently meet our internal and regulatory KPIs. This role covers a large geographical patch, so a willingness to move around day to day is essential.

You will lead your team to ensure there is a robust, resilient, 24/7 service for the area to provide our customers with a continuous supply of safe, clean, and wholesome drinking water. This role will be the responsible person for the disinfection process.

This is a diverse and fast paced role where no two days will be the same. It provides a fantastic opportunity to think differently about how we ensure reliability and resilience of our assets, whilst developing our people and driving a sustainable operating model.

You will gain a wealth of exposure to the wider business as investment in our assets during AMP8 continues at-pace. You will work with leaders from across the business, contractors and colleagues alike, ensuring health and safety is at the forefront of our work. This is a perfect opportunity to further develop your leadership experience with real progression opportunities.

Key accountabilities of the role:

· Meet the area production plan, by ensuring asset availability and delivery of the planned work for the area.

· Build a collaborative, engaged and capable team, through performance management and coaching. Holds yourself and your team to account against the Southern Water core values and behaviours.

· Resolve customer complaints to improve our customer metrics.

· Ensure your team are trained and competent to continuously achieve in their roles, prioritising statutory and compliance training.

· Ensure a high standard of maintenance and reactive job completion through first line assurance i.e. comprehensive audit programme and continuous improvement from coaching and upskilling.

· Ensuring the area is sustainable through engaging with key stakeholders to deliver solutions for the future.

· Legal compliance in relation to people, asset and process i.e. statutory compliance and controller of premise.

· Financial Control & Efficiency: ensure operational budget for your area is met.

· Identifying future and potential risks through the corporate risk system to enable site(s) resilience.

· Troubleshooting and ensuring there is a point of escalation in resolving operational issues faced by the team by safe methods of working.

· You will also be required to take part in an out-of-hours rota once fully trained – every 1 in 8-10 days.

What skills are we looking for:

You will have a background in operational management and leadership of teams with specific experience or demonstrable understanding of Water Production and the wider Water Industry with the following skills and experience:

· Strong leadership, people and performance management skills are essential for the role

· Demonstrable operational or process management experience

· Knowledge and experience of water or waste treatment

· Passion for leading change/continuous improvement

· Coaching experience

· Influencing and negotiating skills

· Communication skills

· Commercial experience

· Managing contractors

· Health & Safety knowledge, IOSH or NEBOSH desirable

· Due to the nature of the role, a full UK Driving licence is required

What’s in it for you!

This role will be a high-profile role across the whole of Southern Water and will provide the successful candidate a great insight to the whole of Southern Water as a company.

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