Sampling Field Operations Manager

Thames Water; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water and wastewater company is seeking a Sampling Field Operations Manager in London. This hands-on leadership role involves overseeing waste field sampling operations that are essential for environmental protection. You will manage a skilled team to deliver high-quality, compliant sampling services while ensuring adherence to health and safety regulations. The ideal candidate will have relevant industry experience and a strong focus on operational efficiency. The position offers a salary of £46,565 alongside generous benefits and 26 days of holiday per year.

Benefits

26 days holiday plus bank holidays

Generous Pension Scheme

Health and well-being benefits

Qualifications

• Relevant experience in waste sampling or a related environmental field.
• Experience managing or supporting operational teams.
• Strong understanding of ISO17025 and Environment Agency standards.
• Confidence with SLAs, KPIs, audits and performance measures.
• Strong organizational and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team overseeing waste field sampling activities.
• Promote health and safety culture within the team.
• Deliver compliant waste sampling services aligned with SLAs and KPIs.
• Ensure adherence to ISO17025 and Environment Agency standards.
• Drive operational efficiency and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leading operational teams

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Data handling capability

Job description

Overview

This is a hands‑on leadership role where you will oversee waste field sampling operations that play a vital part in environmental protection and regulatory compliance. You will lead a skilled team delivering statutory and operational sampling across waste services, with flexibility around where you are based in London, depending on where you live.

What you’ll be doing as a Sampling Field Operations Manager

• Leading and developing a team responsible for waste field sampling activities.
• Promoting a strong health and safety culture and ensuring all work is carried out safely.
• Delivering high‑quality, compliant waste sampling services in line with SLAs, KPIs and regulatory requirements.
• Ensuring compliance with ISO17025 and Environment Agency standards.
• Driving operational efficiency and continuous improvement across waste sampling operations.
• Managing budgets and resources to deliver an effective and efficient service.

Base location

London, flexible depending on home location.

Working hours

7:30 am to 3:30 pm, Monday to Friday (36 hours per week).

What you should bring to the role

• Relevant industry experience within waste sampling, wastewater or a closely related environmental field.
• Experience leading, managing or supporting operational teams, with a people‑focused approach.
• A strong understanding of regulatory compliance, including Environment Agency requirements and quality standards such as ISO17025.
• Confidence working with SLAs, KPIs, audits and performance measures in a regulated environment.
• Strong organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills, with good IT and data handling capability.
• Exposure to continuous improvement, change initiatives or quality management systems, with leadership or management training being beneficial.

What’s in it for you

• This role will be paid £46,565 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of yourself 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.

Who are we

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.

Working at Thames Water

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.

Disclaimer

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.