Recovery & Treatment Manager

South West Water Limited; Exeter; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Discretionary bonus

Pension

Share-save scheme

Wellbeing support

Discounts

Cycle to Work

Job summary

South West Water Limited in Exeter is seeking an experienced Recovery and Treatment Area Manager to lead the Waste Water Service Field Delivery Team. You will oversee operations across wastewater treatment assets, ensuring regulatory compliance and environmental protection.

You will collaborate with colleagues to maintain maintenance schedules, respond to needs, and drive performance while upholding a strong safety culture.

Qualifications

• Management qualification or equivalent operational leadership experience.
• Proven experience managing an operational team.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Confident using MS Office and software systems, with strong presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Waste Water Service Field Delivery Team across wastewater treatment assets.
• Ensure treated effluent and recycled sludge meet regulatory standards.
• Maintain robust planned maintenance schedules and respond to operational needs.
• Drive a positive safety culture and meet Health & Safety requirements.
• Plan and deliver asset repair and improvement work with Maintenance Managers.
• Manage strategic contracts within Waste Water Services.
• Develop the field team through welfare, training and development.

Skills

Operational leadership

Team management

Stakeholder engagement

MS Office

Communication skills

Safety culture

Education

WAMITAB

IOSH

Tools

SCADA

MS Office

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.

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.

Join us and help shape a cleaner, greener future for the South West

We’re looking for a Recovery and Treatment Area Manager to join our team in Exeter. This is a fantastic chance to join an established and trusted company, play a key part in protecting the environment, and lead a team responsible for delivering vital services to our customers.

About the role:

As the Recovery and Treatment Area Manager, you will lead the Waste Water Service Field Delivery Team, managing performance, development and day-to-day operations across wastewater treatment assets. You’ll ensure treated effluent and re-cycled sludge consistently meet regulatory standards and support the effective running of wastewater pump stations and networks.

You will work collaboratively with colleagues across the business to keep our sites running smoothly, ensure a robust planned maintenance schedule, respond to operational needs, and maintain exceptional levels of environmental protection.

What you'll be doing:

• Leading a team of operatives to deliver safe, compliant and efficient operation of Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW), meeting key targets including compliance, energy, income and pollution prevention

• Minimising pollution risks and maintaining a Pure Environment

• Owning root cause investigations and ensuring internal SLA targets are met

• Taking accountability for meeting Health and Safety requirements and driving a positive safety culture

• Working with Maintenance Managers and Asset Management teams to plan and deliver asset repair and improvement work

• Managing strategic contracts within Waste Water Services, including JVT, Interworks, Biosolids and Pump Repair

• Ensuring the welfare, training and development needs of the field team are continuously met

• Partnering with the Control Centre and SCADA teams to optimise remote operation, reduce reactive events and manage operational costs

What we're looking for:

• A management qualification or equivalent operational leadership experience (WAMITAB and IOSH desirable or willingness to complete)

• Proven experience managing an operational team

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels

• Confident using MS Office and software systems, with strong presentation skills

• Ability to manage conflict and handle sensitive issues effectively

• Willingness to participate in standby rotation for the Duty Recovery & Treatment Area Manager role

• Full UK driving licence and ability to travel within the area

Why join us?

We recognise the commitment our people give every day, and in return we offer outstanding training, career opportunities and a generous benefits package, including:

• Generous holiday allowance + bank holidays

• Discretionary bonus scheme

• Competitive contributory pension

• Share-save scheme

• A range of health and wellbeing benefits

• Wellbeing and employee support programmes

• Access to a wide range of discounts

• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Financial support services
  …and more!

Closing Date: 9th November 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.