Innovation Project Manager

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company is seeking an Innovation Project Manager to lead ground-breaking projects. This role involves managing multiple projects across the innovation portfolio while ensuring timely delivery and adherence to quality standards. The ideal candidate will have demonstrable project management experience and strong analytical skills, alongside a relevant project management certification. A competitive salary and excellent benefits are offered, including a generous pension scheme and performance-related pay.

Benefits

26 days holiday, increasing to 30

Performance-related pay

Generous Pension Scheme

Health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience of managing complex projects from initiation to closure.
• Experience with projects involving innovation or change management.
• Strong relationships with technical teams, business stakeholders, and management.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple projects across the innovation portfolio.
• Define and manage project scope and change control.
• Assess and manage project risks and issues.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Recognised project management certification (e.g., PRINCE2)

Tools

Microsoft Project

Asana

Jira

Job description

Job title Innovation Project Manager Ref 43590 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Hybrid - Reading (STW) - RG2 0RP Contract type Fixed term/Secondment Full/Part-time Full-time Salary Competitive salary from £50,000 to £60,000 per depending on experience. Job grade B Closing date 06/01/2026

This exciting role is pivotal in driving innovation and as the Project Manager you will lead the implementation and execution of ground-breaking projects, ensuring timely delivery within budget and to the highest quality standards.

Your expertise will also be key in supporting the PMO's research, development, and innovation initiatives. Through rigorous oversight and analysis, you will guarantee robust reporting, focusing on quality, time, cost, investment case review, and benefit tracking.

What you’ll be doing as an Innovation Project Manager

• Manage multiple projects and work streams across the innovation portfolio.
• Define and manage project scope, ensuring clear boundaries and effective change control.
• Proactively assess, mitigate, and manage project risks and issues.
• Optimise resource allocation across projects, including budget, personnel, and equipment.
• Ensure adherence to quality standards and implement quality assurance processes.
• Support project assurance reporting both internally and externally, and monitoring through project reviews/health-checks, making adjustments as necessary to ensure the successful completion of the project.
• Ensuring the projects remain in scope and aligned to the innovation portfolio aims and goals.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement within the Innovation PMO, seeking opportunities to optimise processes and enhance efficiency.
• Stay informed about emerging technologies and industry trends relevant to Thames Water.

Working pattern or hours: 36 hours, Monday- Friday

(Please note this is a 10-12 month fixed-term opportunity).

What you should bring to the role

• Demonstrable experience of successfully managing complex projects from initiation to closure, within budget and agreed timelines.
• Specifically, experience with projects involving a degree of innovation or change management.
• Extensive experience in building and maintaining strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, including technical teams, business stakeholders, and senior management.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and address complex challenges.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate complex information to diverse audiences.
• A good understanding of engineering, science, or other technical disciplines related to Thames Water's operations.
• Experience using project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Asana, Jira) to plan, track, and report on project progress.

Additional skills and experiences would be great to have

• A recognised project management certification, such as PRINCE2 Practitioner, APM (Association of Project Managers), or equivalent

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £50,000 to £60,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON
• 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.

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 .

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.