Head of Pollution Performance

Southern Water; Chichester, Chatham, Havant, Falmer; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Pension

Life assurance

Health benefits

Volunteer days

28 days holiday

Job summary

Southern Water is seeking a Head of Pollution Performance to lead a comprehensive pollution reduction strategy across the organisation. You will drive accountability, continuous learning and proactive risk management with senior leadership oversight.

Reporting to the Director of Wastewater Operations, you will align cross-functional teams, secure business cases, and oversee investments to deliver the AMP8 agenda and protect environmental performance.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead large-scale transformation programmes.
• Experience delivering multi-disciplinary change at senior level.
• Strong ability to secure executive business cases.
• Excellent planning, forecasting and risk management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a unified pollution reduction plan across the organisation.
• Establish a culture of continuous learning and improvement in pollution management.
• Monitor, analyse and report KPIs related to pollution reduction.
• Enhance digital tools for visibility of risks and opportunities.
• Lead cross-functional teams to achieve pollution reduction goals.
• Oversee funding and alignment with budgetary priorities.

Skills

Change management

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or science

Chartered status desirable

Tools

MS Project

Data analytics tools

Job description

Head of Pollution PerformanceBy clicking 'Accept all Cookies', you agree for cookies to be stored on your device - we'll use them to analyse our site's usage, enhance our web pages and support our marketing activities. We also share the data from cookies with Google.# Southern Water## Head of Pollution PerformanceApply: Durrington Head Office: CHICHESTER: CHATHAM: Havant: FALMER: Posted Today: End Date: November 13, 2026 (21 days left to apply): JR9214**Closing Date**2026-11-13**Job Title:**Head of Pollution Performance**Location:**Flexible within our region; with regular visits to sites**Contract Type:**Permanent**Hours:**37 hours per week**Salary:** £competitive (commensurate with skills and experience) + car allowance There has never been a more important time to join Southern Water. As we move through **AMP8**, we are delivering one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes in the industry, focused on improving environmental performance, service resilience and long‐term affordability for customers.**About the role**Reporting directly to the Director of Wastewater Operations, the Head of Pollution Performance will lead the development and execution of a comprehensive, end-to-end pollution reduction strategy for the organisation. This leadership role is responsible for driving a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and proactive risk management related to pollution reduction.**What you will be responsible for*** Develop and implement a unified pollution reduction plan across the organisation.* Establish and promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement related to pollution management.* Monitor, analyse and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) related to pollution reduction.* Enhance digital tools and platforms to ensure clear visibility of risks and opportunities. Build predictive capabilities to anticipate and prevent pollution incidents before they occur.* Lead cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and collaboration in achieving pollution reduction goals.* Oversee the funding of the pollution reduction plan, drive investment in key areas, and ensure alignment with budgetary and strategic priorities.**What you’ll bring to the role*** A track record of delivering major multi-disciplinary change programmes and projects at senior level.* Ability to create and secure business case approval at Executive level.* Strong coordination and team working skills, engaging with operational, compliance, engineering and project management teams to ensure seamless and rapid due diligence to project delivery.* The ability to provide visionary leadership and connect multiple strategic agendas and translate them into successful delivery.* Track record at improving change competency in your previous organisation / organisations.* The post holder will be required to demonstrate a thorough understanding of project management techniques for small through to large change portfolios.* High level strategic planning and organisational skills, including forward planning and forecasting with the ability to respond appropriately to all requirements of the programme.Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.*\"Our mission is to protect and enhance life through water—and we need passionate people to help us achieve it. If you’re inspired by our purpose and believe you can contribute, apply today. You don’t need to meet every criterion; what matters most is your drive to make a difference.\"*If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details here: Introduce Yourself (myworkdaysite.com- *Introduce Yourself*)**Our Commitment to Diversity**We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.**Additional information**In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years.Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre‐employment checks, including security vetting.Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.#LI-Hybrid#LI-AC1### Interested in the role?* We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so if you are interested in the position please do send your application over today to ensure consideration.* We truly appreciate every application. Please note, that due to the volume of interest, we may not be able to provide personalised feedback to all applicants.### Our Benefits* Company and performance-related bonus* Generous pension* Life assurance payment equal to four times your annual salary* Health benefits through a Cash Plan* Two paid community volunteering days a year* 28 days annual holiday* Occupational health service* Retail discount app* We offer competitive maternity leave, and flexible return to work options### Everybody Welcome* We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to facilitate your participation in the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know.### Need flexibility in your work?* Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?