Strategy Programme Manager

Thames Water Utilities Limited; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 67,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading utility provider is seeking a Strategy Programme Manager to steer project and programme delivery within the Renewals & Logistics division. This role focuses on the Power Resilience Programme, leading initiatives and providing strategic guidance across projects. The ideal candidate will need a Project Management qualification and experience managing programmes, with strong stakeholder engagement skills. This hybrid position is based in Kemble Court, offering a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Car Allowance of £5,800 per annum

Annual Leave - 24 days + bank holidays

Contributory pension - Maximum of 12%

Personal Medical Assessments

Qualifications

• Project Management Qualification such as Prince2, APM or Agile is essential.
• Experience in Programme Management is necessary.
• Experience in regulatory projects or reporting is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Deliver continuous improvement initiatives in line with strategic programme framework.
• Provide guidance to Operational Improvement Leads on project planning.
• Aid in building and approving business cases for projects.

Skills

Project Management Qualification

Experience in Programme Management

Experience with stakeholders

Proficiency in Office 365 products

Education

Prince2, APM & Agile Certification

Job description

Job title Strategy Programme Manager Ref 43638 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Hybrid - Kemble Court - RG2 6AD Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Hours 36 hours per week Salary Salary up to £66,800 per annum depending on skills and experience Job grade C Closing date 09/01/2026

We are currently recruiting a Strategy Programme Manager to provide strategic direction in support of project and programme delivery within Renewals & Logistics and across the wider business. This role is specifically tailored towards our new Power Resilience Programme.

Additionally, this role will lead and programme manage specific initiatives alongside the day-to-day guidance given on other projects and programmes.

What you will be doing as a Strategy Programme Manager

• Deliver continuous improvement initiatives, projects and programmes in line with the Renewals & Logistics strategic programme framework, as well as wider business governance procedures.
• Provide guidance and steer to Operational Improvement Leads regarding project planning and implementation, removing blockers and barriers to project delivery/success.
• Provide strategic guidance in support of projects, programmes and continuous improvement across Renewals & Logistics and the wider business.
• Aid in the build and approval of business cases for other projects and programmes, to ensure successful budget provision, enabling project delivery. This is in addition to structuring appropriate business cases for one’s projects and programmes.
• Provide ad-hoc support to the Head of Renewals & Logistics Business Planning about strategy design, and additional initiatives added to the Renewals & Logistics Programme scope and act as a delegate in their absence.

The base location for this role will be Kemble Court, Reading, on a Hybrid basis.

Hours of work are 36 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

Within this role, you will be required to visit multiple sites across the Thames Valley and London area. For this, you will receive a car allowance of £5,800.

Internally, this position is known as Strategy Delivery Manager.

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:

• Hold a Project Management Qualification. Eg, Prince2, APM & Agile.
• Experience in Programme Management.
• Any experience in regulatory projects or reporting would be advantageous.
• Experience working with a broad range of stakeholders.
• Ability to use Office 365 products. Such as Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
• Ability to liaise with senior management internally and externally.

What’s in it for you?

• Salary up to £66,800 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• Car Allowance of £5,800 per annum.
• Annual Leave - 24 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the 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.
• Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing.

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.

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 fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

Whether you’re interested in a role in one of our call centres or science labs, we’re looking for people like you with real passion and a burning desire to make things better.

So, 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.

The real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is a great, diverse and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process . We aimto remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, 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, meet colleagues and earn some extra money along the way.

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.