Policy Support Lead

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company is seeking a Policy Support Lead to develop and manage security policies to protect information assets. Based in Reading, this hybrid role involves overseeing compliance and collaborating with key stakeholders. The successful candidate will have experience in information security, an understanding of security frameworks, and excellent communication skills. The salary is competitive, up to £60,000 per annum, with additional benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary up to £60,000

26 days annual leave, increasing to 30 with tenure

Performance-related pay

Generous pension scheme

Health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Experience in information security or a related governance role.
• Experience applying security frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to work independently with strong stakeholder management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain security policies and procedures.
• Monitor compliance with security standards across teams.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders.

Skills

Information Security Experience

Security Frameworks Knowledge

Stakeholder Management

Strong Communication

Education

Relevant Certifications (CISSP, CISM, CISA)

Job description

Overview

Job title Policy Support Lead Ref 41381 Division Digital Location Hybrid - Clearwater Court - RG1 8DB Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Salary Competitive salary up to £60,000 per annum Job grade B Closing date 13/11/2025

The Policy Support Analyst will be responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining security policies, standards, and procedures to ensure the protection of our information assets. This role requires a good understanding of security frameworks and regulatory requirements. In addition, this role requires you to have experience of Information Security.

The role will be based in Reading and will report directly to the Head of Go vernance, Risk and Compliance, with whom you will work to deliver the goals of the company to have a fit-for-purpose security standards framework. This is a role that requires the individual to be able to work independently, finds fulfilment in a challenging and fast-paced environment and take accountability to meet and drive the needs of the programme.

What you’ll do as a Policy Support Lead

Security Standards Management

• Develop and maintain comprehensive security policies, standards and procedures across the organisation.
• Align all standards with applicable regulatory requirements and frameworks (e.g., ISO 27001, GDPR, NIS-R).
• Review and update standards regularly in response to emerging threats and regulatory changes.

Governance & Compliance

• Oversee the exception management framework, including reporting, approvals and reviews prior to expiry.
• Monitor compliance with security policies and standards across digital and business teams.
• Act as the primary point of contact for internal and external audits related to security standards.

Service Delivery & Operations

• Coordinate the annual standards review cycle, ensuring timely updates and stakeholder engagement.
• Support the publication and socialisation of new or revised standards to ensure organisation wide awareness.
• Collaborate with cross functional teams to embed security best practices into digital processes.

Stakeholder & Communications Management

• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including the CISO, CIO, architecture teams, programme delivery and business owners.
• Provide clear, engaging, and relevant communication and training around security standards.
• Deliver security messaging both in person and virtually, ensuring consistency and clarity.
• Track policy effectiveness and recommend enhancements to improve standard adoption and compliance.
• Stay informed of the latest security regulations, technologies and industry best practices to ensure standards remain current and effective.

Base location

Base location – Hybrid – Clearwater Court, Reading.
Working pattern – 36 hours Monday to Friday.

What you should bring to the role

The must-haves (essential criteria) for this opportunity include:

• Experience in information security or a related governance role.
• Experience applying security frameworks and regulatory requirements (CIS, GDPR, NIS-R).
• Experience collaborating across multiple business areas and functional teams.
• Proven ability to work independently, with strong stakeholder management capabilities.

Essential Technical Skills & Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to deliver complex messages clearly.
• Skilled in exception management, reporting and compliance monitoring.

Additional skills and experiences

• Experience in maintaining security standards and exception frameworks.
• Exposure to information risk management processes and controls.

Desirable Technical Skills & Qualifications

• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM or CISA.
• Strong relationship building and collaboration skills.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive compliance in a matrixed environment.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary up to £60,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per yea,r increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to both company and individual performance measures and targets
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process . If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know. We’rehere to help and support .

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.