Head of Water Networks

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Holloway; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK's largest water utility company is seeking a Head of Water Networks to lead the team in North London, ensuring efficient water supply to over 5 million residents. This strategic role demands outstanding leadership, a passion for operational excellence, and experience in managing teams and budgets. This position offers a competitive salary of up to £100,000 along with generous benefits including holidays, car allowance, and a robust pension scheme.

Benefits

Competitive salary up to £100,000

26 days holiday plus bank holidays

Car Allowance

Performance-related pay plan

Generous Pension Scheme

Private Medical Health Care

Access to health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Outstanding leadership experience with a track record of engaging and developing teams.
• Strong ability to influence and negotiate across diverse regions.
• Experience managing contractor relationships and leading teams through change.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the business plan ensuring efficient water distribution.
• Transform operational performance through your Field Operations team.
• Lead a team ensuring exceptional service with minimal disruption.
• Identify and respond to risks in the network.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to improve regional issues.
• Champion a safety-first culture in operational activities.
• Oversee resource allocation and supplier management.
• Manage regional budgets ensuring value for money.

Skills

Leadership experience

Influencing and negotiating

Managing contractor relationships

Driving cultural change

Commercial acumen

Exposure to continuous improvement methodologies

Education

NEBOSH qualification

Job description

We're looking for a strategic and dynamic person to join us to lead the water network team in our London area north of the River Thames. As Head of Water Networks in North London you will be responsible for providing drinking water to over 5 million people in North London, including the very heart of the iconic West End and the City all the way to Enfield in the north and Hampton and Earling in the West. It is truly an amazing opportunity to lead a highly motivated and high-performing team proving life's essential service to north and central London.

Are you an inspiring leader with a passion for operational excellence and customer service? Thames Water is looking for a forward-thinking and experienced Head of Region to steer the performance and future resilience of our essential services.

Responsibilities

• Develop, lead, and execute the business plan across your region, ensuring efficient distribution of a continuous supply of safe wholesome water to customers in North London.
• Continue transformation in operational performance through your Field Operations team and external suppliers, helping us to reduce reactive incidents and improve leakage and customer service, ensuring all activities are delivered safely, efficiently, and on schedule.
• Lead the team providing exceptional service standards for our customers, undertaking and improving network performance, minimising disruption to customers and managing the repair of leaks whilst enabling our biggest ever capital investment programme – sustainably building for the future.
• Proactively identify and respond to current and emerging risks to our network.
• Reporting to the Water Director, collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders, overseeing forward planning and recommending improvements on critical regional issues.
• Health and Safety: Champion a safety-first culture, ensure all activities comply with Health and Safety regulations, and lead continuous improvement in safety behaviours and incident management.
• Operations: Oversee operational performance and its contributed transformation, resource allocation, and supplier management to deliver high-quality services. Drive continuous improvement initiatives and support long-term asset management planning.
• People: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing regional team. Foster a culture of excellence, customer focus, and two-way communication.
• Finance: Manage regional budgets, ensuring value for money and commercial accountability. Challenge suppliers on cost and performance, keeping spend aligned with capacity plans.

Qualifications and Experience

• Outstanding leadership experience with a track record of engaging, inspiring, and developing teams.
• Strong ability to influence, negotiate, and collaborate at all levels across a geographically diverse region.
• Experience managing contractor relationships and leading teams through change.
• Evidence of driving cultural change and continuous improvement within a regulated environment.
• Commercial acumen and previous responsibility for managing budgets.
• Exposure to LEAN, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies (desirable).
• NEBOSH qualification and knowledge of the Road and Streetworks Act (advantageous).

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.

Benefits

• Competitive salary up to £100,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Car Allowance.
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family's health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

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.