Manager of Water Quality Operational Science

Yorkshire Water; West Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Yorkshire Water is seeking a Manager of Water Quality Operational Science to lead a high-performing team ensuring compliance with drinking water standards and driving operational excellence. This role involves strategic oversight, incident management, and fostering stakeholder relationships to enhance water quality services across the region.

Benefits

Annual incentive related bonus (up to 15% of annual salary)

Private health care (Self and partner, if applicable)

Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution)

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Wellness day

Online GP service

Cycle to work scheme

Gym membership discounts

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience managing high-performing teams.
• Strategic and operational planning expertise.
• Deep operational knowledge of the water quality lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing Water Quality team.
• Ensure 100% compliance with drinking water regulations.
• Drive sustainable outperformance aligning team efforts with business goals.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Operational knowledge of water quality lifecycle

Change leadership

Job description

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Manager of Water Quality Operational Science

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:

• We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience up to £70,000
• Annual incentive related bonus (up to 15% of annual salary)
• Private health care (Self and partner, if applicable)
• Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution)
• Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays - plus an extra wellness day!
• A great benefits package - choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.
• Retail savings scheme
• Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!

Location: Buttershaw / Hybrid Working (2 days office a week - Bradford)

Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday.Participate in Level 3 WQ standby rota.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Manager of Water Quality Operational Science to join the Water Quality team at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers. Could this be you?

What we do:

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it's so much more than this.

We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire's water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region's health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. Water Quality are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators.

As the leader of Water Quality (WQ) activities, this role provides strategic direction and expert oversight across all operational and regulatory dimensions. It involves leading a high-performing team responsible for incident and crisis response, both in the field and within central control, serving as the primary escalation point for all WQ-related matters. A core focus is the creation of a specialist WQ team to define and assess water quality risks, support operational optimisations, and guide capital investment decisions aimed at improving WQ outcomes. Additionally, the role informs and enhances maintenance regimes for WQ-related assets, including the establishment of a dedicated team to manage and maintain critical instrumentation.

The position demands deep technical expertise and accountability for all technical decisions and regulatory notifications related to water quality events. It ensures unwavering compliance-100% of the time-with drinking water standards and internal best practices, driving continuous improvement through root cause analysis and shared learning. The role also encompasses leadership in Safety, Health & Environmental (SHE) performance across all WQ activities. By defining and executing the WQ Operational Strategy, the role ensures alignment with evolving regulatory, business, and customer expectations, while implementing robust risk assessment, intervention, and recovery strategies to safeguard regulatory performance and customer satisfaction across clean water supply operations.

Where you fit in:

As our Manager of Water Quality Operational Science you will

• Lead and develop a high-performing Water Quality team of scientists and technical specialists, setting clear expectations, driving accountability, and fostering a culture of recognition, continuous improvement, and behavioural excellence.
• Champion health, safety, and environmental performance, ensuring full compliance with the YW Safety Policy, Working Time Directive, and robust risk management across all WQ operations.
• Drive sustainable outperformance by aligning team efforts with business goals, maintaining strong financial discipline, and proactively managing OPEX and CAPEX to support strategic objectives.
• Ensure 100% compliance with drinking water regulations, leading root cause analysis (RCA) for incidents and near misses, and embedding shared learning to prevent recurrence.
• Deliver and oversee key WQ programmes, including service reservoir inspections, secondary chlorination improvements, and operational control measures to protect public health.
• Support Water Safety Planning as business-as-usual, ensuring all WQ risks are identified, managed, and reported in a coordinated and transparent manner.
• Act as the technical authority and escalation point for high-risk decisions, incident management, and abnormal operations, including participation in the Level 3 WQ standby rota.
• Build a centre of excellence in Water Quality, providing expert training, supporting cross-functional teams, and maintaining strong relationships with external stakeholders such as DWI and UKHSA.

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• Proven leadership experience, with a strong track record of managing high-performing teams and consistently delivering against challenging business targets.
• Strategic and operational planning expertise, including resource allocation, budget management, and the ability to translate strategy into actionable plans.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships across internal teams and external regulatory bodies.
• Deep operational knowledge of the water quality lifecycle, including abstraction, treatment, storage, distribution, and customer interface.
• Comprehensive understanding of the water quality regulatory framework, with hands-on experience in its application, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Change leadership capability, with a demonstrated ability to influence culture, embed behavioural change, and drive performance through innovation and continuous improvement.

You will also benefit from having:

• Knowledge and understanding of asset management principles and investment processes.
• Previous experience in an operational and / or strategic leadership role in a commercially orientated and / or regulated environment.
• Previous experience gained within the water or waste water sectors or within the broader utilities, process or manufacturing industry sectors.
• An established and strong external network of WQ, stakeholder and Regulatory relationships.

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it's important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn't always easy!

Do we sound like your cup of tea?

If you've got experience in Leadership and strategic direction in Water Quality and want to help us deliver great service for our customers whilst looking after the environment, then be sure to apply today to find out what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you.

Closing date - 4th June 2025

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.

All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.

Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.