Manager of Water Strategic Planning

Yorkshire Water; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car lease/allowance

Private health care

Pension scheme

Life assurance

25 days annual leave + wellness days

EV car salary sacrifice

Job summary

Yorkshire Water is seeking a Manager of Water Strategic Planning to lead the AMP9 investment strategy and shape a £2 billion portfolio across water network, treatment and catchment assets. You will coordinate with asset management, regulation and finance to deliver robust business cases and regulatory submissions.

You will manage a team of tactical asset planners, drive cross‑functional collaboration and foster a culture of continuous improvement, safety and regulatory compliance in a

Qualifications

• Experience in a highly regulated industry with regulatory frameworks, compliance and risk management.
• Proven leadership in managing technical or specialist teams.
• Ability to engage senior leaders, regulators and stakeholders with clear communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead AMP9 investment strategy and develop the £2bn water investment plan.
• Own water enhancement business cases and regulatory submissions.
• Create long-term integrated water investment roadmaps balancing compliance, resilience and customer service.
• Coordinate governance and assurance frameworks across multiple workstreams.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Regulatory submissions

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Communication

Governance

Project/programme management

Education

Science/Engineering degree or equivalent

Job description

Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:

• We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience from £75,000 to £80,000.
• A company car lease/allowance scheme (£600 per month/£7,200 per year, based on full-time employment on joining the company). You can opt to sign up to the EV Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme 6 months after joining the company.
• Annual incentive related bonus (up to 15% of annual salary, increasing to 20% in the 26 to 27 performance year).
• 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 two extra wellness days!
• 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

This role will be based at our offices in Leeds Valley - Hybrid Working (two office days a week -Leeds).

Work type

Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Manager of Water Strategic Planning to join the Asset Management 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. Asset Management are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators.

Our Water Asset Management team plays a critical role in shaping Yorkshire Water's future investment strategy, ensuring we continue to deliver resilient, reliable and affordable services for customers while meeting the expectations of regulators and stakeholders.

As Manager of Water Strategic Planning, you'll lead the development of Yorkshire Water's AMP9 Water Investment Plan, shaping and prioritising around £2 billion of investment across our water network, treatment and catchment assets.

Working at the centre of strategic decision-making, you'll bring together technical specialists, asset planners and senior leaders to create a clear, long-term investment roadmap that delivers improved resilience, performance and customer outcomes. You'll be responsible for developing robust business cases, leading major regulatory submissions and ensuring investment plans are evidence-based, deliverable and aligned to our strategic goals.

Leading a team of Tactical Asset Planners and coordinating expertise from across the business, you'll work closely with Asset Management, Regulation, Capital Delivery and operational teams to drive our PR29 ambitions. You'll also take ownership of the DWI Sufficiency Framework, helping to shape future investment programmes and strengthen the long-term resilience of Yorkshire Water's water supply assets.

This is a high-profile leadership role offering the opportunity to influence the future direction of water services across Yorkshire, balancing customer, environmental, operational and regulatory priorities to deliver lasting value for the region.

Where you fit in!

As our Manager of Water Strategic Planning you will;

• Lead and develop a team of strategic and technical specialists to create and deliver Yorkshire Water’s AMP9 investment strategy, ensuring a robust, compelling and fully assured PR29 investment plan.
• Own the development and assurance of Water enhancement business cases, Cost Adjustment Claims and regulatory submissions, ensuring high-quality, evidence-based investment proposals are delivered on time.
• Drive the creation of a long‑term, integrated Water investment roadmap that balances compliance, resilience, customer service, performance and efficiency objectives across all Water price controls.
• Lead the implementation of the DWI Sufficiency Framework, translating resilience requirements into future investment programmes that safeguard water supplies and support regulatory compliance.
• Build strong relationships across Asset Management, Operations, Engineering, Finance, Regulation and Capital Delivery to ensure investment plans are deliverable, affordable and aligned to business priorities.
• Provide strategic leadership on regulatory engagement, consultations, information requests and emerging legislative requirements, coordinating business responses and influencing future investment decisions.
• Champion innovation, continuous improvement and industry best practice by developing new approaches, technologies and external partnerships that strengthen Yorkshire Water’s strategic planning capability.
• Drive a high‑performing, safety‑focused culture by setting clear expectations, delivering challenging business targets, and ensuring robust financial management, risk management and regulatory compliance underpin all decision‑making.

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• Proven experience working within a highly regulated industry, with a strong understanding of regulatory frameworks, compliance requirements and risk management.
• Demonstrable leadership experience managing and developing high-performing technical or specialist teams, with a coaching‑led approach to people management.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage and build credibility with senior leaders, regulators and a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, able to interpret complex data, identify priorities and translate insight into clear investment and business plans.
• Experience developing complex business cases, investment strategies and long‑term programmes that deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities, balance stakeholder needs and drive delivery across multiple workstreams in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong programme and project management experience, including establishing governance, assurance frameworks and coordinating resources across matrix organisations.
• Degree‑qualified in a science, engineering or related discipline, or significant equivalent experience in strategic planning, asset management or investment planning leadership roles.

You will also benefit from having:

• Significant experience in assurance of regulatory submissions.

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?

Advert will close on Sunday 25th October, 2026.

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.