Reservoir Safety Manager

Yorkshire Water; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 64,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car lease/allowance

Annual incentive bonus

Private health care

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Annual leave + wellness days

Health cash plan

Critical illness insurance

Dental insurance

Cycle to work

Gym membership discounts

Retail savings scheme

Online GP service

Job summary

Yorkshire Water is seeking a Reservoir Safety Manager to lead the Reservoir Safety Team within Clean Water Asset Planning. You will drive compliance with the Reservoirs Act, manage inspections, oversee capital programmes, and lead emergency preparedness to protect communities and assets.

The role demands strong leadership, governance, and collaboration with Environment Agency and engineers, plus a commitment to safety and regulatory obligations.

Job description

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:

• We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience from £64,000 to £71,000.
• A company car lease/allowance scheme (£500 per month/£6,000 per year, based on full-time employment on joining the company). You can opt to sign up to the EV Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme 6 months after joining the company.
• Annual incentive related bonus (up to 10% of annual salary, increasing to 15% in the 26 to 27 performance year).
• Private health care (self only).
• Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution).
• Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays – plus an extra two wellness days!
• A great benefits package – choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.
• Retail savings scheme.
• Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!

Location: Leeds Valley Park - Hybrid Working (two to three office days a week – Leeds).

Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Reservoir Safety Manager to join the Clean Water Asset Planning – Asset Management team at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers. Could this be you?

What we do!

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it’s so much more than this.

We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire’s water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. Clean Water Asset Planning are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators.

The Reservoir Safety Team plays a vital role in protecting our communities, customers, and the environment. Responsible for maintaining compliance through inspections, statutory requirements, operational oversight, and reservoir safety interventions, the team ensures our reservoir assets are managed safely and effectively for the future.

Where you fit in!

• Lead Yorkshire Water's reservoir safety and statutory compliance activities, ensuring we meet our obligations under the Reservoirs Act and associated regulatory requirements.
• Oversee reservoir inspections, including Section 10 and Section 12 inspections, tracking recommendations through to successful delivery.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders, including the Environment Agency, Supervising Engineers, contractors and internal operational teams.
• Drive the planning and delivery of reservoir maintenance, safety interventions and capital programmes that protect our assets, customers and communities.
• Lead emergency preparedness and response activities, ensuring robust plans and processes are in place to manage operational risks effectively.
• Manage and govern reservoir safety programmes, budgets and risks, providing assurance that projects are delivered safely, efficiently and to the required standards.
• Develop and inspire a high-performing team through succession planning, skills development, Licence to Operate assessments, and the coaching of graduates and apprentices.
• Champion a culture of compliance, continuous improvement and operational excellence, helping to ensure our reservoirs remain safe, resilient and fit for the future.

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• A degree in Civil Engineering (or equivalent qualification) with extensive experience in reservoir and dam engineering, and a passion for protecting critical assets, communities and the environment.
• Membership of the Supervising Engineer Panel and professional membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and/or the British Dam Society.
• Proven experience delivering compliance with the Reservoirs Act 1975, including the successful management of Section 10 and Section 12 inspection programmes and the implementation of statutory recommendations.
• Strong experience working collaboratively with Supervising Engineers, Inspecting Engineers, the Environment Agency, operational teams and contractors, building trusted relationships to deliver safe, compliant and resilient reservoir operations.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills, with the ability to develop team capability, support succession planning, and mentor engineers, graduates and apprentices to achieve high performance.
• Demonstrable experience of governance, assurance and risk management, with the ability to provide clear oversight of reservoir safety programmes, budgets and regulatory obligations.
• Strong programme and project delivery experience, with the ability to balance operational priorities, manage competing risks, and successfully deliver reservoir safety interventions and capital investment programmes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, alongside a full UK driving licence, enabling you to work effectively with colleagues across Yorkshire Water and external partners to deliver positive outcomes for customers, communities and the environment.

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it’s important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn’t always easy!

Closing date will be 27th September.

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.

All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.