SEMD Lead

South East Water UK; Snodland; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stakeholder pension

Holiday entitlement

Flexible leave

Volunteer days

Cycle to work

Health plan

Life insurance

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

South East Water is seeking a proactive SEMD Lead to ensure regulatory compliance and operational resilience under the Water Industry Act. The role combines project leadership, risk management, and hands-on team guidance to embed SEMD requirements across the organisation.

The successful candidate will drive the SEMD RAG assessment and the Go Green plan, coordinating with internal stakeholders and the regulatory bodies to deliver timely, accurate updates and ensure ongoing compliance.

Qualifications

• Good standard of secondary education and ability to demonstrate numeracy and literacy.
• Formal qualification in security and/or emergency planning would be advantageous.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead SEMD RAG assessment and Go Green Plan milestones across departments.
• Produce monthly performance and progress reports for SEMD Steering Group and Regulatory Steering Groups.
• Deliver quarterly updates to the Executive team.
• Manage and deliver SEMD legal instruments with strict deadlines.
• Identify risks, mitigation strategies and implement corrective actions.
• Oversee and mentor a small team delivering daily objectives.
• Coordinate internal/external stakeholders to embed SEMD requirements.
• Maintain ongoing governance and reporting for SEMD initiatives.

Skills

Communication skills

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

Project management

Emergency planning

Security experience

Education

Secondary education

Security/emergency planning qualification

Job description

Summary:

Are you a proactive project manager with a knack for compliance, risk mitigation, and team leadership? South East Water is seeking a hands‑on SEMD (Security and Emergency Measures Direction) Lead to ensure our operations meet vital regulatory standards under the Water Industry Act.

Whether you bring deep expertise in emergency planning and the water sector or offer exceptional project management skills from another regulated industry, this high-visibility role places you at the heart of our operational resilience.

Key Responsibilities & Ownership:

You will serve as the strategic connector across South East Water, ensuring SEMD guidance is seamlessly understood and embedded in daily operations, while driving two critical workstreams:

SEMD RAG Assessment ‘Go Green Plan’:

Act as Lead Project Manager to drive milestones and maintain momentum
across departments.

Produce monthly performance and progress reports for the SEMD Steering
Group and Regulatory Steering Groups.

Deliver comprehensive quarterly updates directly to the Executive team.

SEMD Legal Instruments Delivery:

Manage and deliver required legal instruments, ensuring strict adherence to
internal and external reporting deadlines.

Proactively identify milestone risks, devise mitigation strategies, and
implement corrective actions.

Oversee and mentor a small, dedicated team, providing direct, hands‑on
support to execute daily objectives.

What We Are Looking For

Proven Leadership & Project Management: Demonstrated ability to track
complex milestones, manage risk, and deliver executive-level reporting.

Collaborative Mindset: Strong cross‑departmental communication skills to
educate, align, and gain buy‑in on regulatory compliance.

Hands‑On Team Manager: Readiness to dive into detail while leading and
developing a small specialist team.

Industry & Security Experience (Preferred): Prior experience in emergency
response, resilience, or the water industry is an advantage, but transferable
experience in compliance‑heavy or utility sectors is highly valued.

Main responsibilities:

• Good standard of secondary education and able to demonstrate a good standard of numeracy and literacy skills.

• A formal qualification in security and or emergency planning would be advantageous.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences and build strong working relationships.

• Highly organised, methodical and adept at managing time effectively.

• Demonstrate thoroughness and a strong attention to detail.

• A curious and innovative thinker who is comfortable constructively challenging the status quo.

• Able to simplify complex topics and issues to engage with a wider range of internal and external stakeholders.

• Proven ability to plan effectively and deliver against deadlines, even when facing significant obstacles.

• Managed projects from initial discovery and scoping through to execution and post‑launch evaluation.

• Proven track record in managing teams, projects, or large‑scale programmes.

• Proficiency as a technical author, capable of creating structured business templates and procedural documentation.

• Demonstrable experience working on projects or initiatives relating to SEMD and a clear understanding of the requirements.

Own the South East Water annual SEMD RAG assessment:

• This role will be responsible for coordinating and submitting our annual SEMD RAG assessment.

• This role will work closely with internal stakeholders to ensure the annual SEMD RAG assessment is reflective of our business, providing guidance, support and clarity.

• This role will ensure the annual SEMD RAG assessment is managed and used as working document, rather than an annual health check. Driving continuous improvement and compliance with the regulations.

Own the South East Water ‘SEMD go green plan’:

• This role will be responsible for developing our SEMD ‘go green plan’ after each annual SEMD RAG assessment submission.

• This role will be responsible for reviewing the ‘go green plan’ regularly, ensuring it continues to meet the requirements of South East Water, within the SEMD guidance.

• This role will work closely with internal stakeholders to identify clear and measurable actions that sit within our ‘go green plan’.

• This role will support internal stakeholders to deliver actions within our ‘go green plan’ by providing expert guidance and support.

• This role will provide regular reporting on our ‘go green plan’ which will be shared both internally and externally.

Internal and external stakeholder management:

• This role will be responsible for raising the profile of SEMD within South East Water.

• With a combination of regular, informative updates, and using their expertise to bring the topic to life.

• This role will be responsible for liaising with the Drinking Water Inspectorate on issues relating specifically to SEMD.

Horizon scanning:

• This role will be responsible for identifying potential legislation changes and assessing the impact to South East Water to help shape our long term strategy.

• This role will be required to sit on industry specific working groups, helping to identify external threats and issues facing other companies and ensuring South East Water have an appropriate and proactive approach to mitigate.

Team Leadership and Delivery

• Directly manage and develop a team of three reports, overseeing performance and professional growth.

• Coordinate staff and build resource plans to ensure project milestones within our SEMD legal instruments are met efficiently.

• Act as the final ‘quality controller’ for all team outputs, ensuring work meets industry and company standards.

Own delivery of our SEMD legal instrument:

• This role will be responsible for project managing the activities within our SEMD legal instrument.

• This role will be responsible for reporting progressing against milestones within our SEMD legal instrument, both internally and externally.

• This role will be responsible for identifying and managing project risks within our SEMD legal instrument.

Skills / Qualifications / Experience (Essential)

• Good standard of secondary education and able to demonstrate a good standard of numeracy and literacy skills.

• A formal qualification in security and or emergency planning would be advantageous.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences and build strong working relationships.

• Highly organised, methodical and adept at managing time effectively.

• Demonstrate thoroughness and a strong attention to detail.

• A curious and innovative thinker who is comfortable constructively challenging the status quo.

• Able to simplify complex topics and issues to engage with a wider range of internal and external stakeholders.

• Proven ability to plan effectively and deliver against deadlines, even when facing significant obstacles.

• Managed projects from initial discovery and scoping through to execution and post‑launch evaluation.

• Proven track record in managing teams, projects, or large‑scale programmes.

• Proficiency as a technical author, capable of creating structured business templates and procedural documentation.

• Demonstrable experience working on projects or initiatives relating to SEMD and a clear understanding of the requirements.

Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.

Grow a career with a meaningful purpose.

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Benefits package:

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.

• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.

• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.

• Paid volunteering days.

• Cycle to work scheme.

• Health cash plan.

• Life assurance.

• Wellbeing related benefits.

What can you expect from your recruitment?

• It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water.

• Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

Compensation package:

Upto £60,000

South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.