Network Management Controller

South East Water; Tonbridge and Malling; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

5 weeks holiday + bank holidays

Flexible annual leave buy/sell

Volunteering days

Cycle to work

Health cash plan

Life assurance

Wellbeing related benefits

Job summary

South East Water is seeking an experienced Network Controller to oversee real-time network stability, emergency response, and water quality targets within the Central Operations team. You will manage hydraulic applications, rostering night shifts, and coordinating field resources to prevent outages and protect customers.

The role requires strong data skills, ability to work under pressure, and a deep understanding of SCADA/GIS systems, with a focus on DG2/DG3 targets and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• 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 across multiple departments.
• Proficiency with SCADA and GIS.
• Understanding of hydraulic principles and water distribution operations.

Responsibilities

• Monitor network flow and pressure to identify risks and prevent disruptions.
• Maintain a single source of truth for network activity with real-time visibility.
• Apply hydraulic principles to rezone networks in real-time.
• Treat customer contacts as intelligence and investigate wider issues.
• Maintain contingency plans and respond to incidents.
• Oversee field teams during night shifts and protect DWI targets (DG2/DG3).
• Manage emergency interruptions and unplanned outages.
• Complete Water Quality risk assessments and record valve operations.
• Review planned work via OMS for whole-network impact.
• Log event details for post-incident reviews.

Skills

Data analysis

Numeracy

Literacy

IT skills

Under pressure

Interpersonal communication

Education

Secondary education/GCSE equivalents

Tools

SCADA

GIS

Job description

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. Weekly alternating day and night shifts for 4 weeks, followed by 2 full weeks off. Day Shift: 06:45 - 19:00 Night Shift: 18:45 - 07:00 Work-Life Balance: You only work 14 days every 6 weeks (averaging 28 hours per week).

Main Responsibilities

Network Monitoring & Control

• 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.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.

Inclusion & Equality

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

• 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.

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.

Compensation package: £45,000 + 20% shift allowance.