Planner / Scheduler

South West Water; Exeter; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Discretionary bonus

Contributory pension

Cycle to Work scheme

Health benefits & wellbeing support

Job summary

South West Water is seeking a highly organised Planner/Scheduler to optimise wastewater operations. You will create and maintain schedules, align resources, and monitor plans to ensure field teams can deliver essential services efficiently.

The role requires strong planning skills, data interpretation, and proficiency with planning tools and Microsoft Excel. DBS checks may be part of onboarding, with a focus on safety and reliability in a critical utility environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in planning, scheduling, coordination, or workflow management within an operational or field-based environment.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced setting.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain efficient schedules across daily, weekly, and longer-term work plans.
• Coordinate resources to balance preventive, reactive, and statutory work.
• Manage real-time changes, adjusting plans quickly to resolve issues and minimise disruption.
• Act as the central point of communication between field teams, contractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Use data and system insights to forecast demand, identify trends, and improve performance.
• Support continuous improvement in productivity, efficiency, and operational flow.

Skills

Planning & scheduling

Microsoft Excel

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Level 3 qualification in Business Administration/Operations/Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Project

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.

We’re looking for a highly organised and proactive Planner / Scheduler to join our Wastewater Operations team on a permanent contract. This is a pivotal role at the heart of our operations—ensuring our field teams are in the right place, at the right time, with the right resources to deliver essential services to our communities.

You’ll play a key part in keeping operations flowing smoothly by turning real-time data, operational priorities, and field intelligence into clear, achievable work plans. If you enjoy problem-solving, work well under pressure, and thrive in a fast-paced environment, this could be the perfect opportunity.

What You'll Be Doing

• Building and maintaining efficient schedules across daily, weekly, and longer-term work plans
• Coordinating resources to balance preventative, reactive, and statutory work
• Managing real-time changes—adjusting plans quickly to resolve issues and minimise disruption
• Acting as the central point of communication between field teams, contractors, and internal stakeholders
• Using data and system insights to forecast demand, identify trends, and improve performance
• Supporting continuous improvement in productivity, efficiency, and operational flow

What We're Looking For

We’re keen to hear from candidates who have:

• Experience in planning, scheduling, coordination, or workflow management within an operational or field-based environment
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced setting
• Confidence using planning or work management systems, alongside Microsoft Excel and other digital tools
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple teams

Essential

Qualifications & Requirements

• Strong digital literacy, including Microsoft Office
• Ability to interpret and use operational data to support decision-making

Desirable

• Level 3 qualification in Business Administration, Operations, Engineering, or similar
• Experience with scheduling or planning systems
• Health & safety awareness (e.g. IOSH Working Safely)
• Full UK driving licence (if site visits are required)

What's In It For You

We know our people drive our success — so we’re committed to offering an excellent range of benefits, including:

• Generous holiday allowance + bank holidays
• 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: 17th Aug 2026

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.