OT Maintenance Manager

South West Water Limited; Redruth; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance + bankholid

Discretionary bonus

Competitive contributory pension

Share-save scheme

Health benefits & wellbeing support

Cycle to Work scheme

Development and training opportunities

Job summary

South West Water Limited is seeking an experienced OT Maintenance Manager to lead and develop a skilled team responsible for the reliability and security of our operational technology across water and wastewater operations.

You will oversee a multi-disciplinary team of OT Maintenance Engineers, ICA Technicians and Maintenance Technicians, driving performance, data-driven improvements and compliance across critical infrastructure in the South West region.

Qualifications

• GCSEs including Mathematics, English and a Science subject.
• ONC/HNC or equivalent in a related discipline.
• Relevant industrial control, instrumentation, electrical or automation qualification/apprenticeship.

Responsibilities

• Lead a high-performing team of OT Maintenance Engineers, ICA Technicians and Maintenance Technicians.
• Manage planned and reactive maintenance to maximise asset availability and performance.
• Build strong relationships with operational teams to understand priorities and site criticality.
• Drive the maintenance, reliability and optimisation of instrumentation, control and automation systems.
• Provide technical leadership and support on complex operational issues and incidents.
• Use data and root-cause analysis to improve system reliability and inform investment decisions.
• Support OT governance, cyber security and compliance requirements.
• Ensure high standards of health, safety and wellbeing across the team.
• Manage budgets and contribute to capex and opex planning.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and the development of future OT capabilities.

Skills

Industrial control systems

Automation

ICA maintenance

Team leadership

UK driving licence

Security clearance (SC)

Education

GCSEs including Maths English Science

ONC/HNC or equivalent in related discipline

Industrial/control/electrical qualification/apprenticeship

Tools

PLC programming

Industrial communications

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.

Make a Difference Where Technology Meets Essential Services

Are you an experienced Operational Technology (OT), ICA or Automation professional looking for an opportunity to lead a skilled team while helping deliver critical services to millions of customers?

We’re looking for an OT Maintenance Manager to lead the maintenance, performance, resilience and security of our operational technology assets across water and wastewater treatment operations. This is a fantastic opportunity to combine technical expertise, people leadership and continuous improvement in a role that directly supports essential infrastructure across our region.

What You’ll Be Doing

As OT Maintenance Manager, you'll lead a team of OT Maintenance Engineers, ICA Technicians and Maintenance Technicians, ensuring our operational technology and instrumentation assets remain reliable, secure and available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Leading and developing a high-performing team of OT and ICA professionals
• Managing planned and reactive maintenance activities to maximise asset availability and performance
• Building strong relationships with operational teams to understand priorities and site criticality
• Driving the maintenance, reliability and optimisation of instrumentation, control and automation systems
• Providing technical leadership and support on complex operational issues and incidents
• Using data, trend analysis and root cause investigations to improve system reliability and inform investment decisions
• Supporting OT governance, cyber security and compliance requirements
• Ensuring the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing across your team
• Managing budgets and contributing to operational and capital expenditure planning
• Supporting continuous improvement initiatives and the development of future OT capabilities

What We Are Looking For

We're keen to hear from candidates with a strong background in industrial control systems, automation or ICA maintenance who are passionate about leadership and operational excellence.

• Experience working with process control and electrical systems
• Knowledge of PLCs, programming, industrial communications and instrumentation maintenance
• Experience within drinking water, wastewater or similar industrial process environments
• Understanding of risk assessments, method statements and safe systems of work
• Strong technical problem-solving and fault-finding capabilities
• Experience leading teams and driving performance
• Full UK driving licence
• Eligible to successfully complete UK Security Clearance (SC)

Qualifications

• Minimum of five GCSEs (or equivalent), including Mathematics, English and a Science subject
• Relevant industrial control, instrumentation, electrical or automation qualification/apprenticeship
• ONC/HNC or equivalent in a related discipline
• Compliance with current IEE regulations

Desirable

• IOSH or NEBOSH qualification
• Supervisory or management qualification
• Experience within Critical National Infrastructure environments
• Previous ICA maintenance leadership experience
• Experience managing telemetry, instrumentation and operational technology assets

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to play a vital role in maintaining and modernising critical infrastructure while leading a talented team of specialists. You'll have the opportunity to influence technology strategy, develop people, and help shape the future of operational technology across the business.

• Generous holiday allowance + bank holidays
• Jobs need car
• Discretionary bonus
• Competitive contributory pension
• Share-save scheme
• Health benefits & wellbeing support programmes
• Group discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Financial support services
• Development and training opportunities … and much more!

Closing Date: 6th October 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way.

Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our Core Values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid

Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You

We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future

Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.