Leakage Manager

South East Water UK; Barcombe; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Holiday entitlement

Flexible annual leave

Cycle to work scheme

Health cash plan

Life assurance

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

South East Water is seeking a Leakage Manager to lead strategic planning and scheduling of leakage detection across the network. You will bridge field teams and business strategy, turning network data into actionable actions to boost efficiency and reduce water loss.

In this leadership role you will manage internal and contractor staff, oversee budgets, train and develop the leakage team, and provide daily operational support to frontline crews while ensuring H&S compliance and reporting.

Qualifications

• Good standard of secondary education with strong numeracy and literacy.
• Management qualification or demonstrated management training.
• National Water Hygiene (Blue) Card.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret operational data and craft plans.
• Understanding of Leakage Components.
• Experience with GIS, pressure monitoring platforms and leakage systems; MS Office.
• Proven ability to motivate and lead field staff and develop work plans.
• Experience in utilities/infrastructure, preferably water.
• Experience leading a team with budget planning and PPE control.

Responsibilities

• Team Management: plan and schedule leakage work, manage performance and team admin.
• Operational Support: provide day-to-day support to regional leakage teams and field staff.
• Compliance and Process Improvement: ensure H&S adherence and audit leakage processes.
• Stakeholder Liaison: coordinate with contractors, distribution and SEW staff on activities.

Skills

Analytical skills

Data interpretation

Team leadership

Budget management

MS Office proficiency

Problem solving

Education

Management qualification

National Water Hygiene Card (Blue)

Tools

GIS

Pressure monitoring platforms

Leakage management systems

Job description

Are you ready to spearhead critical infrastructure transformation and drive high-impact operational success?

We are on an ambitious mission to become the water company that communities wholeheartedly trust and employees are genuinely proud to represent and we need an exceptionally driven leader to turn that vision into reality.

As Leakage Manager, you will take full command of the strategic planning, orchestration, and high-precision scheduling of all leakage detection operations across our entire network.

In this key leadership role, you will bridge the gap between field teams and business strategy. You will turn network data into clear actions to boost team efficiency, meet targets, and reduce water loss.

By providing clear updates on active jobs and investigations to the wider business, you’ll give our front-line Field Team the daily operational support, direction, and resources they need to succeed.

Main responsibilities:

Team Management:

• Manage a leakage team comprising both internal and contract staff, including planning and scheduling work, managing performance (through appraisals) and handling team administration (such as annual leave and sickness). Manage local team budgets and company card spend.
• Mentor and develop the leakage team, supporting their career progression.
• Deputise for the Regional Leakage Manager at operational meetings and during periods of leave or absence.

Operational and Administrative Support:

• Provide day-to-day operational support to the Regional Leakage Manager and field staff.
• Interrogate the company leakage system and other reports to identify and distribute areas of leakage to field teams.
• Monitor outstanding leaks and support the resolution of customer side leaks in a timely manner.
• Handle administrative requirements of the job, including accurately inputting work onto corporate systems (e.g., Nomad, GIS), and assisting leakage detection staff with these activities.
• Assist Key Accounts with chargeable work as required.

Compliance, Auditing, and Process Improvement:

• Ensure strict adherence to all Health and Safety (H&S) practices, policy, and procedures for both staff and contractors.
• Ensure upward reporting of all H&S incidents, accidents, and near misses.
• Carry out audits on work submitted by technicians, vehicles, and equipment, and provide feedback to the Regional Leakage Manager for review.
• Review and provide input into leakage processes and implement improvements to aid efficiency.

Stakeholder and Contractor Liaison:

• Liaise with R & M contractors and Distribution for leak repairs and manage operational incidents.
• Manage contractor KPIs and feedback to the Regional Manager on a monthly basis.
• Liaise with SEW staff (e.g., Customer Contact Centre, Production) on leakage team activities.
• Liaise with and assist SEW customers as required.

You'll need:

Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• Good standard of secondary education and able to demonstrate a good standard of numeracy and literacy skills.
• Management qualification or able to demonstrate management course(s) completed.
• National Water Hygiene ("Blue") Card - can be provided by SEW.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex operational data and translate it into actionable plans.
• Full understanding of Leakage Components.
• Proficient in using specialised water industry software (e.g., GIS, pressure monitoring/logging platforms, and leakage management systems) as well as standard business productivity suites for reporting and data analysis (e.g., spreadsheets, word processing, and email).
• Proven ability to motivate and lead field staff, develop effective work plans and leakage reduction strategies and apply systematic problem-solving to persistent network issues.
• Experience in the utilities/infrastructure industry (preferably the water industry).
• Experience in leading a team and an understanding of budgetary requirements including planning, resource allocation, PPE and expense control.
• Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
• Friday: 8:00am - 3:30pm
• Standby: Managers standby duty on a 1-in-8 rolling rota

Grow a career with a meaningful purpose.

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Benefits package:

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

Compensation package:

£47,152.35, plus a £6,492.36 car allowance. Participation on the manager's standby rota, including a standby allowance