Governance & Assurance Manager

Pennon Group; West of England; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Salary

Annual Bonus Scheme

Pension Scheme

Flexible Working Options

Healthcare Benefits

Employee Discounts

Annual Leave

Job summary

South West Water Limited in Exeter or Bristol is seeking a Governance & Assurance Manager to lead governance of customer insight, research and performance. You will ensure robust, auditable evidence of how customer voice informs decision-making, going beyond compliance to enable trust and quality in our Voice of the Customer capability.

You will develop frameworks, embed standards, support regulatory submissions and audit responses, and collaborate with stakeholders to apply data governance,

Qualifications

• Proven experience in governance, assurance, insight, research or compliance roles.
• Experience developing and implementing governance or assurance frameworks.
• Strong understanding of research methodologies and data quality standards.
• Experience supporting regulatory processes, audits or assurance activities.
• Experience identifying and managing risks relating to data, insight or reporting.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and embed standards, controls and best practice.
• Experience working within a regulated environment, ideally utilities.
• Strong understanding of data governance, privacy and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of Consumer Involvement or similar regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Degree-level qualification or equivalent relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the governance and assurance framework for Voice of the Customer, research and performance activities.
• Ensure all customer insight and research activity meets robust methodological, ethical and quality standards.
• Establish and maintain clear audit trails demonstrating how customer voice informs business decisions.
• Lead assurance of Consumer Involvement activity, ensuring compliance with regulatory expectations.
• Provide independent challenge and review of research design, insight outputs and reporting.
• Develop and embed governance standards, processes and best practice guidance.
• Support regulatory submissions, assurance reviews and audit responses.
• Work closely with stakeholders to ensure data governance, privacy and compliance requirements are consistently applied.
• Identify risks relating to customer insight, data and reporting, driving improvements where required.
• Promote a culture of transparency, accountability and evidence-based decision-making across the organisation.

Skills

Governance

Assurance

Insight

Research

Compliance

Stakeholder influence

Data governance

Privacy & compliance

Education

Degree-level qualification or equivalent relevant experience

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Governance & Assurance Manager

Location: Exeter or Bristol

At South West Water, our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We are looking for a Governance & Assurance Manager to lead the governance and assurance of customer insight, research and performance activity, ensuring we can demonstrate robust, credible and auditable evidence of how customer voice is embedded in decision-making.

This role goes beyond compliance, acting as a critical enabler of trust, quality and confidence in our Voice of the Customer capability. You will ensure that customer insight is generated, managed and used in a consistent, transparent and methodologically sound way, supporting both business decision-making and regulatory requirements.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead and develop the governance and assurance framework for Voice of the Customer, research and performance activities.

• Ensure all customer insight and research activity meets robust methodological, ethical and quality standards.

• Establish and maintain clear audit trails demonstrating how customer voice informs business decisions.

• Lead assurance of Consumer Involvement activity, ensuring compliance with regulatory expectations.

• Provide independent challenge and review of research design, insight outputs and reporting.

• Develop and embed governance standards, processes and best practice guidance.

• Support regulatory submissions, assurance reviews and audit responses.

• Work closely with stakeholders to ensure data governance, privacy and compliance requirements are consistently applied.

• Identify risks relating to customer insight, data and reporting, driving improvements where required.

• Promote a culture of transparency, accountability and evidence-based decision-making across the organisation.

About You

You will bring a strong background in governance, assurance, insight, research or compliance, with the ability to balance robust controls with effective business outcomes.

You'll have:

• Proven experience in governance, assurance, insight, research or compliance roles.

• Experience developing and implementing governance or assurance frameworks.

• Strong understanding of research methodologies and data quality standards.

• Experience supporting regulatory processes, audits or assurance activities.

• Experience identifying and managing risks relating to data, insight or reporting.

• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and embed standards, controls and best practice.

• Experience working within a regulated environment, ideally utilities.

• Strong understanding of data governance, privacy and compliance requirements.

• Knowledge of Consumer Involvement or similar regulatory frameworks.

• Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail and commitment to quality.

• Degree-level qualification or equivalent relevant experience.

Why Join Us?

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in ensuring customer insight is trusted, transparent and impactful. You'll work with senior stakeholders across the business, helping to strengthen governance and assurance while ensuring customer evidence remains central to decision-making and regulatory compliance.

Ready to make a difference? Join us as our Governance & Assurance Managera nd help create a workplace where people thrive.

We believe in rewarding our people for their hard work and dedication. As our Governance & Assurance Manager, you'll enjoy:

• Competitive Salary – Based on experience and skills

• Annual Bonus Scheme – Recognising company performance

• Pension Scheme – Helping you plan for your future

• Flexible Working Options – We value work-life balance and offer flexible hours and hybrid working where possible

• Healthcare Benefits – Access to employee assistance programs

• Employee Discounts – On various products and services

• Annual Leave – Take time to recharge with our holiday entitlement

Closing Date: 25th November 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.