Incident Containment Lead

Southern Water; Worthing; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Water is seeking an Incident Containment Lead at our Durrington site in West Sussex. You will drive rapid responses to pollution incidents, coordinate resources, and work with field teams to safeguard waterways and communities.

The role involves leading containment interventions, deploying technologies, monitoring pollution metrics, and developing prevention strategies. A shift pattern and 37 hours per week, with day and night duties, apply.

Qualifications

• Analytical skills to interpret complex data into actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and coordination across multidisciplinary teams.
• Proactive intervention to develop containment strategies ahead of failures.
• Ability to integrate data from SCADA, weather, asset condition, and customer calls to build risk pictures.
• Experience working with bathing waters, SSSI sites or similar sensitive environments.
• Knowledge of wastewater sector logistics to mitigate risk.

Responsibilities

• Drive efficient deployment of resources to prevent pollution and ensure rapid containment.
• Ensure contractor resources are compliant from start to finish; oversee clean-ups and closure of risks.
• Develop pollution prevention strategies and action plans from learnings and risk scans.
• Collaborate with field teams to improve asset performance and resilience.
• Monitor pollution metrics, trends and outcomes to inform escalation decisions.
• Support innovation in pollution detection, sampling, and containment technologies.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication & coordination

Proactive intervention

Data integration

Sensitive environments

Wastewater logistics

Job description

Closing Date 2026-10-23

Job Title: Incident Containment Lead

Location: Durrington, West Sussex (driving licence essential)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37 hours, (shift pattern, day and night)

Salary: up to £35,300 per annum

About the role

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.

As an Incident Containment Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in safeguarding our waterways and communities by driving rapid, intelligent responses to pollution incidents and proactively shaping strategies that reduce any impacts.

From leading high-stakes incident interventions to deploying cutting-edge containment technologies, this role is about action, innovation, and impact.

You’ll coordinate emergency responses, mobilise resources with precision, and work closely with field teams to enhance asset resilience and environmental compliance.

What you will be responsible for

• Drive efficient and timely deployment of resources to prevent pollution/compliance issues alongside mobilising containment in line with the demand.
• Ensure contractor resource onsite is compliant from log on to log off to prevent pollution alongside ensure clean ups and mitigation are completed quickly, closing out all the risks.
• Develop and implement pollution prevention strategies and action plans based on learnings and risk scanning.
• Collaborate with field teams to improve asset performance and resilience.
• Monitor and report on pollution metrics, trends and outcomes. Enabling situation awareness towards escalation and de-escalation triggers and documents.
• Support innovation in pollution detection, sampling, and control technologies

Shift pattern

• 3 Days, 3 Stand-by, 4 Off
• 4 Days, 2 Stand-by, 4 Off
• 1 Stand-by, 3 Nights, 6 Off
• 1 Stand-by, 4 Nights, 7 Off

What you’ll bring to the role

• Analytical Skills: The ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable insights is crucial.
• Communication and Coordination: Excellent communication and coordination skills across multidisciplinary teams are necessary.
• Proactive Intervention: Skills in developing and initiating containment strategies ahead of failure and coordinating with field teams and control centres to deploy resources pre-emptively.
• Data Integration: The ability to integrate multiple data sources (e.g., "SCADA", weather, asset condition, customer calls) to build a comprehensive risk picture.
• Working with Sensitive Environments: Experience working with bathing waters, SSSI sites, or similar sensitive environments is important
• Logistical back: knowledge of the wastewater sector and available services to mitigate risk

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.

You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation

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.