Head of Production

Portsmouth Water; Havant; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company in the UK is searching for a Head of Production to drive operational excellence across water abstraction, treatment, and storage. This role involves leading diverse teams, ensuring compliance with quality standards and regulations, and championing innovation. The ideal candidate will possess strong technical expertise, proven leadership skills, and the ability to deliver large-scale operational programmes in a challenging environment, while also engaging in strategic planning and stakeholder management.

Benefits

27 days of annual leave

Pension scheme with up to 15% contribution

Non-contractual bonus up to 15%

Enhanced family leave benefits

Life assurance scheme

Comprehensive wellbeing support

Private Medical Insurance

Electric Vehicle Scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Health Cash Plan

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading complex programmes within infrastructure or utilities sectors.
• Expert understanding of water operations and planning.
• Experience managing and mitigating risk effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of operational excellence in water services.
• Oversee maintenance and performance of production assets.
• Ensure compliance with quality standards and regulations.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Risk management

Team collaboration

Financial forecasting

Tools

Asset management systems

Digital engineering technology

Job description

We’re making a difference: Together, we can ensure that there is enough water for everyone, now and in the future.

We are seeking a Head of Production to lead and inspire our multi‑disciplinary teams in delivering safe, efficient, and sustainable water services. In this role, you will drive operational excellence across water abstraction, treatment, and storage, ensuring compliance with quality standards, environmental regulations, Simmons, and performance commitments, while championing innovation and continuous improvement.

You will play a key role in shaping the strategic vision for our production operations, contributing to major projects, future price reviews, and water resource management plans. The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise with proven leadership and strategic insight, capable of delivering large‑scale operational programmes in complex and evolving economic and regulatory environments.

What will you be doing?

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure a high standard of maintenance and reactive job completion through first line assurance using a comprehensive audit programme and continuous improvement approach from coaching and upskilling.
• Ensure the delivery of agreed programmes of planned work to an agreed timeline, taking appropriate action to address any slippage.
• Ensure all Storage and Production assets are operating efficiently and at optimum levels.
• Water Quality monitoring against water quality parameters, Water quality monitor maintenance, dosing effectiveness for عليه chemicals and compliance with discharge permits.
• Ensures reliability and resilience of our assets whilst supporting our përd too, while sustaining an effective operating model to ensure sufficiency of supply to our customers and delivering water in compliance with our quality standards.
• Risk management, troubleshooting and ensuring there is a point of escalation in resolving operational issues faced by the team by safe methods of working.
• Ensuring optimisation of the treatment processes, balancing water quality against cost (energy and chemical usage).
• Lead the transformational change required to support ownership of production delivery solutions.
• Drive a collaborative culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the team and with our delivery partners, demonstrating efficiency, best practice, and innovation.
• Effectively manage the performance of direct reports and ensure that performance management processes within the team are robust and effective.
• Ensure company and delivery partner activity aligns to the relevant quality standards, satisfying the relevant legislative and regulatory requirements, as well as ensuring everyone goes home better.
• Reservoir Safety ensuring compliance with the Reservoirs Act, ensuring all routine surveillance is carried out to standards, emergency processes operate and are practiced and that actions are closed in a timely manner.

What do you need?

Skills, Qualifications & Competencies

• Experience of leading the delivery of substantial and complex programmes within infrastructure, utilities, power, or transportation sectors.
• Expert understanding of water operations and planning.
• Proven experience of developing and implementing programmes, governance and gateway processes.
• Commercial approach to meeting future business investment needs.
• Leading a team to meet programme/project management objectives and targets with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Experience of presenting complex and technical information to all levels of an organisation to obtain essential stakeholder buy‑in.
• Experience of proactively managing and mitigating risk.
• Strategic thinking and problem‑solving abilities to navigate complex challenges effectively.
Labs
• Proven experience of financial forecasting, budget formulation, cost control, and reporting.
• Extensive knowledge of asset management systems within the engineering sectors and understanding of latest developments in digital engineering technology and technical assurance.

We recognise people want to work in a variety of different ways, and that’s why we’re happy to consider flexible working arrangements. Please feel free to talk to us at interview about the flexibility you may be looking for.

Please note, we may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

We’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we actively encourage applications from all sections of society.

Please be aware, the Company has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Due to the high volume of applications we may receive, we’re unable to respond to every applicant individually. If your application is of interestiscus we’ll usually be in touch within 4 weeks of receiving it.

What can Portsmouth Water offer you?

At Portsmouth Water, we believe in rewarding our people. Here’s just a taste of what’s waiting for you when you join the team:

Holidays Made Better
Enjoy 27 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays, giving you plenty of time to relax, recharge, and explore.

A Pension That Works for You
We’ll help secure your future with a generous pension scheme, contributing up to 15% because your tomorrow matters as much as your today.

Performance Pays Off
You could earn a nonೇcontractual bonus of up to 15% of your basic salary, linked to company performance because when we succeed together, you should benefit too.

Family Comes First
Whether you’re welcoming a new arrival through birth or adoption, we’ve got your back with enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave and pay.

Social Events

All expenses covered summer and winter social events.

Peace of Mind, Always
Our life assurance scheme gives your loved ones extra security, with a 4x salary lump sum benefit in case the unexpected happens.

Comprehensive Wellbeing Support

Whether you need confidential mental health and wellbeing advice 24/7 through our Employee Assistance Programme, or physical health support via our Virtual GP service (available 8am-10pm, 7 days a week for you and your immediate family), help is always close at hand via the HealthHero app.

Additional Support When You Need It

We know life has its ups and downs. That’s why we offer Private Medical Insurance – provided by Bupa giving you access to expert healthcare and 24/7 confidential support.

PW Perks Treat Yourself!

Enjoy exclusive discounts at thousands of retailers, plus exciting benefits like:

• Electric Vehicle Scheme (after 1 year)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Health Cash Plan and so much more!