Network Management Controller

South East Water; Snodland; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Holiday entitlement

Volunteer days

Cycle to work

Health plan

Life assurance

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

South East Water seeks a Network Controller to lead real-time network stability, emergency response, and contingency execution across its water distribution network. You will manage hydraulic applications, assess Water Quality risks, and safeguard regulatory targets while eliminating unplanned outages through data-driven decisions.

The role requires coordination with field teams, night shifts during peak incidents, and a strong focus on customer impact and service resilience.

Qualifications

• Experience operating real-time network control systems.
• Proficiency with data to inform operational decisions.
• Strong communication across teams.
• Understanding of hydraulic principles and WQ risk management.

Responsibilities

• Monitor network flow and pressure to prevent outages.
• Coordinate incident response and emergency management.
• Maintain single source of truth for network activity.
• Review planned work via OMS for network-wide impact.

Skills

SCADA

GIS

Data-driven decisions

Hydraulic principles

Communication skills

Tools

GIS software

OMS system

Job description

Summary

Are you an experienced operational decision-maker seeking a high-oversight role in network resilience? If you are ready to command operational control systems, safeguard uncompromised water quality, and protect thousands of customers from unplanned outages, this is where your expertise makes an immediate, high-visibility impact. Operating within the Central Operations team, the Network Controller serves as the authoritative focal point for real-time network stability, contingency execution, and emergency response across the water distribution network. This critical, high-oversight position demands advanced technical judgment to manage real-time hydraulic applications, mitigate Water Quality (WQ) risks, and safeguard stringent regulatory performance targets (including DWI standards, DG2, DG3 and C-mex metrics). The successful candidate will leverage data-driven intelligence and operational control systems to eliminate unplanned outages, optimise field resource deployment, and preserve service resilience during complex operational events.

Shift Pattern and Hours

This role requires an initial 3-month training period working Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm. Post Training Shift Pattern: 4 weeks on (alternating day and night shifts weekly), followed by 2 full weeks off. Averaging 40 hours per week. Day Shift: 06:45 - 19:00 Night Shift: 18:45 - 07:00

Main Responsibilities

• Continuously monitor and evaluate network flow and pressure trends to pre-emptively identify operational risks and prevent service disruptions.
• Establish and maintain a 'single source of truth' for all network activity, ensuring real-time visibility, accuracy, and alignment across operational teams.
• Apply water hydraulic principles to develop and implement network rezones in real-time to manage demand or bypass faults.
• Treat customer contacts as network intelligence and investigate whether apparently isolated contacts indicate a wider issue.
• Ensure operational resilience by maintaining, testing and seamlessly executing robust contingency plans when network incidents occur.

Incident Management & Emergency Response

• Oversee field teams and resources, specifically during night shifts, to ensure a coordinated response to bursts or failures.
• Manage the network specifically to safeguard DWI (Drinking Water Inspectorate) targets and minimise property minutes (DG2/DG3).
• Act as the primary focal point for the management of emergency interruptions and unplanned outages.

Risk Mitigation & Compliance

• Complete Water Quality risk assessments for all network activity and accurately recording valve operations to prevent contamination or discolouration.
• Review Distribution activities to ensure robust mitigation strategies and contingencies are in place before work begins.
• Provide an additional layer of operational assurance by reviewing all planned and emerging work via the OMS system from a whole-network and customer-impact perspective.

Communication & Stakeholder Liaison

Log all event details to facilitate 'wash-up' reports (post-incident reviews) to ensure root causes are identified and operational learnings are captured. Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.

You’ll need

Good standard of secondary education and able to demonstrate a good standard of numeracy, literacy and IT skills. Ability to use data to make informed operational decisions and perform proactive monitoring. Proven ability to work effectively under pressure. Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively liaise across multiple departments and supporting field teams. Proficiency in industry-specific software, including SCADA and GIS Prior experience within the utilities or water sector. A good understanding of hydraulic principles and their real-time application. High-level understanding of water distribution network operations and/or risk management.

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.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

Compensation package

£45,000 + 20% shift allowance.

What can you expect from your recruitment?

It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water. Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

We supply top-quality drinking water to 2.3 million customers in the southeast of England.

Through a network of 9,000 miles of pipe, we deliver 544 million litres of water every day.

It's the skill and expertise of our employees that ensures our water meets the highest standards.

We make sure we can meet the needs of our customers both now and in the future.

Grow a career with a meaningful purpose.

Be you, belong and valued.

Grow a career with a meaningful purpose.

Introduce yourself to our recruiters and we'll get in touch if there's a role that seems like a good match.

• Come to work to be safe, valued, and trusted.
• We’ll encourage you to create and pursue new opportunities for personal growth.
• A place to be the real you, build deeper connections and enjoy a sense of belonging.
• Be invested in helping us to create a sustainable water supply for now, and in the future.