Head of Portfolio - Revenue and Debt ( 13-month maternity contract)

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 107,000; Full time

Job summary

Thames Water Utilities Limited is seeking a Head of Portfolio – Revenue and Debt for a 13-month maternity cover. This critical role involves leading debt recovery strategies, ensuring effective financial management, and enhancing customer service through strategic initiatives. The position offers a competitive salary, hybrid working, and the chance to lead a key function in the UK's largest water company.

Benefits

26 days annual leave, rising to 30

Private medical insurance

Generous contributory pension

Personal medical assessments

Access to employee benefits hub

Qualifications

• Proven experience in portfolio and performance management.
• Strong background in delivering change in regulated environments.
• Confidence in building reporting frameworks and using data.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver strategic framework for debt recovery.
• Lead forecasting and tariff-setting processes.
• Drive improvements in collections performance.

Skills

Portfolio management

Performance management

Problem-solving

Planning skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Education

Relevant degree or equivalent experience

Tools

SQL

SAS

Job description

Job title Head of Portfolio - Revenue and Debt ( 13-month maternity contract) Ref 41359 Division Retail Location Hybrid - Walnut Court - SN2 8BN Contract type Fixed term/Secondment Full/Part-time Full-time Salary Offering between £70,960 to £106,440 per annum dependent on experience, plus car allowance, bonus, healthcare and other benefits Job grade C Closing date 24/06/2025

Are you ready to lead the charge in transforming customer portfolio performance?

We’re seeking a strategic and inspirational leader to step into a 13-month maternity cover role as Head of Portfolio – Revenue and Debt. Join Thames Water and play a pivotal role in shaping our revenue, billing, cash and debt operations—ensuring financial strength through exceptional planning, forecasting, and debt performance management.

Start date: Early August 2025

What you’ll be doing as a Head of Portfolio – Revenue and Debt

This is a critical leadership role within our business, fundamental to the successful monitoring and performance of Thames Water’s Household debt portfolio. As Head of Portfolio – Revenue and Debt, you will be responsible for designing and delivering the strategic framework that ensures both effective debt recovery and proactive risk management across our customer base.

Equally important, you’ll lead our forecasting and tariff-setting processes, ensuring accurate and insight-driven contributions to our overall financial planning and budgeting. Your work will directly influence the financial health of Thames Water and the value we deliver to customers and stakeholders alike.

Working closely with turnaround, income, and billing operations teams, you’ll drive improvements in collections performance, enhance credit strategies, and optimise revenue delivery. This role is pivotal to helping Thames Water achieve and maintain top-quartile debt performance, while keeping customer outcomes at the heart of everything we do.

We are keen to start the recruitment process as soon as possible to allow for a 30-day handover with the current role-holder.

Location: Swindon / Hybrid
Hours: 36 hours per week
Contract Type: Maternity cover – Secondment (internal) or FTC (external)

What you should bring to the role

Content/Technical

• Proven experience in portfolio and performance management
• A strong background in delivering change in complex, regulated environments
• Experience with sustainable initiatives that elevate customer experience
• Confidence in building reporting frameworks and using data to inform action
• Excellent problem-solving and planning skills
• SQL/SAS experience is advantageous

Business/Operational

• A commercially focused mindset, with a track record of reducing bad debt and improving revenue performance

Leadership and Management

• Visionary leadership with a transformational edge
• Ability to inspire and manage high-performing, cross-functional teams
• Excellent communicator and trusted stakeholder relationship builder
• Proven experience in managing third-party contracts and partnerships
• Delivery-focused—able to drive outcomes personally and through others

Commercial Acumen

• Skilled in managing OPEX and CAPEX budgets
• Experience in full P&L responsibility and financial governance

What’s in it for you?

This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a mission-critical function at Thames Water—contributing to long-term financial health and service excellence, all while gaining exposure to senior stakeholders and complex strategic challenges.

• Salary Banding: £70,960 to £106,440 per annum
• 26 days annual leave, rising to 30 with service (plus bank holidays)
• Private medical insurance
• Generous contributory pension – up to 12% with company match
• Personal medical assessments
• Access to a wide range of employee benefits, including our benefits hub packed with discounts, wellbeing tools, and more

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.

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 fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

Whether you’re interested in a role in one of our call centres or science labs, we’re looking for people like you with real passion and a burning desire to make things better.

So, 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.

Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process . Our aim is to remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, 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.