Senior Sponsor (Programme Lead)

Thames Water; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 61,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Generous annual leave

Defined contribution pension

Medical assessments

Performance-related pay

Benefits hub

Job summary

Thames Water is seeking a Senior Sponsor (Programme Lead) to drive investment planning and delivery across our capital programmes, ensuring alignment with the business plan and outcomes for customers and the environment.

You will review performance, produce governance papers, and lead cross-functional collaboration with Capital Delivery, Engineering, Operations, Finance and Commercial teams in a hybrid Reading-based role.

Qualifications

• Strong stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to analyse data and performance information to support decision-making.
• Experience producing reports, governance papers, investment papers or business cases.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of project risk and delivery performance.

Responsibilities

• Support the Principal Sponsor in day-to-day management of a capital investment programme comprising many projects.
• Review project performance across scope, cost, schedule, quality and risk.
• Provide analysis and recommendations to support key investment decisions.
• Produce governance papers, reports and business case documentation.
• Challenge assumptions and identify opportunities to improve delivery outcomes.
• Work with Capital Delivery, Engineering, Operations, Finance and Commercial teams to drive programme success.
• Support risk, issue and change management activities across the portfolio.
• Monitor benefits realisation and ensure investment objectives remain achievable.
• Prepare clear and concise updates for senior stakeholders and governance forums.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Governance reports

Organisational skills

Commercial awareness

Education

Degree in built environment/engineering/project management

Job description

Are you an experienced leader in project, programme, portfolio, or capital delivery management within a complex infrastructure environment?

We are recruiting for a Senior Sponsor (Programme Lead) within our Waste business to drive the strategic alignment of investment planning and delivery, ensuring a clear link between our capital programmes, business plan commitments, and the outcomes we deliver for customers and the environment. This is a unique opportunity to influence key investment decisions, manage delivery risks, and help shape a more integrated and outcome-focused approach across the business.

The successful candidate will play a key role in creating a more joined-up approach to asset planning and capital delivery, building confidence that our investment programmes are targeted at the right risks and opportunities, and that they collectively deliver the performance, environmental, and customer outcomes set out in the business plan.

What you'll be doing as a Senior Sponsor (Programme Lead)?

• Supporting the Principal Sponsor in the day-to-day management of an capital investment programme comprising many projects.
• Reviewing project performance across scope, cost, schedule, quality and risk.
• Providing analysis and recommendations to support key investment decisions.
• Producing governance papers, reports and business case documentation.
• Challenging assumptions and identifying opportunities to improve delivery outcomes.
• Working with Capital Delivery, Engineering, Operations, Finance and Commercial teams to drive programme success.
• Supporting risk, issue and change management activities across the portfolio.
• Monitoring benefits realisation and ensuring investment objectives remain achievable.
• Preparing clear and concise updates for senior stakeholders and governance forums.

What you should bring to the role

• Strong stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills.
• The ability to analyse data and performance information to support decision-making.
• Experience producing reports, governance papers, investment papers or business cases.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of project risk and delivery performance.
• A degree in a built environment, engineering, project management or related discipline is preferred; however, equivalent industry experience will be considered.

This is a hybrid role with an expectation to:

• Attend our Reading office regularly, at least twice a week.
• Visit operational sites approximately once per month.

What's in it for you?

At Thames Water, you'll play a key role in delivering essential services to 16 million customers while helping to protect the environment and support the delivery of critical infrastructure for future generations.

• Competitive salary of between £61,150 - £76,440 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• Car allowance of £5,800.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with length of service. (Plus bank holidays)
• Contributory pension - Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution.
• Personal Medical Assessments - Open to all once a year.
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing.

Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment)

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.

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're here 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.