Head of Water Networks - Thames Valley and Home Counties

Pertemps Thames Water; Reading; Hybride; GBP 90 000 - 110 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

26 days holiday

Car allowance

Performance-related pay

Generous pension scheme

Private medical health care

Cycle to Work scheme

Résumé du poste

Thames Water is seeking a strategic Head of Water Networks for the Thames Valley and Home Counties. Based in Reading, you will lead a high-performing regional team to ensure a safe, continuous water supply to millions.

You’ll drive operational excellence, steward a major capital programme, and manage relationships with stakeholders across a diverse region. You will shape the regional business plan, oversee safety and performance improvements, and engage with contractors to deliver long-term

Qualifications

• Proven leadership within utilities or a comparable regulated sector.
• Sound commercial judgement and the ability to inspire colleagues while maintaining rigorous operational standards.
• Strong stakeholder management and a commitment to customer service excellence.

Responsabilités

• Developing, leading and executing the regional business plan to ensure a continuous supply of safe water across Thames Valley and Home Counties.
• Transform operational performance through Field Operations and external suppliers, reducing incidents and improving leakage and customer service.
• Lead the team to deliver high service standards, manage repairs and support the capital investment programme sustainably.
• Identify and respond to current and emerging risks to the network and ensure security of water supplies.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders and report to the Water Director to identify improvements on regional issues.

Connaissances

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Change management

Regulated environment experience

Lean/Six Sigma

Description du poste

This senior post at Thames Water carries responsibility for delivering safe drinking water to more than three million customers across the Thames Valley and Home Counties region. Based in Reading, the Head of Water Networks - Thames Valley and Home Counties will lead a high-performing operational team, combining strategic direction with a firm focus on service delivery and continuous improvement. The full-time position attracts a salary of up to £100,000 annually, dependent on skills and experience. Candidates should demonstrate proven leadership within utilities or a comparable regulated sector, sound commercial judgement, and the ability to inspire colleagues while maintaining rigorous operational standards. Strong stakeholder management and a commitment to customer service excellence are essential. What could be more professionally fulfilling than leading the team that provides a continuous supply of safe drinking water to millions of customers? That’s the role that we are now seeking to fill. We’re looking for a strategic and dynamic person to join us to lead the water network team in our Thames Valley and the Home Counties. As Head of Water Networks in the Thames Valley, you will be responsible for providing drinking water to over 3 million people from the Cotswolds to Surrey. It is truly an amazing opportunity to lead a highly motivated and high-performing team providing life’s essential service Thames Valley and the Home Counties. 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.

What you will be responsible for

Developing, leading, and executing the business plan across your region, ensuring the efficient distribution of a continuous supply of safe, wholesome water to customers in the Thames Valley and the Home Counties. Continue the 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. You will also proactively identify and respond to current and emerging risks to our network or general security of water supplies to the region. Reporting to the Water Director, you will collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders, overseeing planning and recommending improvements on critical regional issues.

Other high-profile areas of focus include

• 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.

Location: Hybrid - Reading, Swindon or Oxford. Hours: Monday to Friday, 36 hours a week.

What we are looking for

To excel in this role, you’ll bring:

• 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).

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary up to £100,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 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.

Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment).

Who are we?

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. Learn more about our purpose and values.

Working at Thames Wate r Thames Water

It’s 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 meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits. 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. We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, 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.