System Planning Lead

Thames Water; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 62,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water services provider in the United Kingdom is seeking a System Planning Lead to develop strategic in‑AMP Asset Plans and Capital Maintenance plans. In this hybrid role, you will lead a team to drive long‑term planning and ensure effective investment prioritization. Candidates should possess strong leadership skills and a solid understanding of asset management principles. A competitive salary and generous benefits package await the successful candidate.

Benefits

Competitive salary

26 days holiday

Car allowance

Annual bonus

Generous pension scheme

Private medical care

Life assurance benefits

Qualifications

• Experienced in leading teams and delivering strategic asset plans.
• Solid understanding of asset management best practices.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and communicate complex information.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of strategic and asset plans.
• Oversee the justification of maintenance interventions.
• Ensure understanding of asset risks and support mitigation strategies.
• Drive long-term planning for future reviews.
• Influence cultural transformation in asset planning.

Skills

Leadership experience

Asset management knowledge

Exceptional communication

Problem-solving skills

Understanding of regulatory frameworks

Driving licence

Education

Degree or equivalent experience

Job description

System Planning Lead – Thames Water

At Thames Water, we provide essential water services to more than 16 million customers, safeguarding the environment and communities while ensuring reliable supply. We are looking for a strategic‑thinking System Planning Lead to help build resilient water systems for generations to come.

What you’ll be doing

In this influential role, you will lead a team to develop dynamic, system‑wide in‑AMP Asset Plans and Capital Maintenance plans. You will champion the in‑AMP work required to enable targeted investment prioritisation with Operations and wider stakeholders, ensuring decisions are driven by risk and outcome‑based thinking.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of strategic and in‑AMP Asset Plans at catchment, site and system levels.
• Oversee the planning and justification of Capital Maintenance interventions and risk mitigation options to prioritise spend effectively.
• Ensure the team maintains a deep understanding of asset risk positions and supports mitigation strategies across the lifecycle, from identifying needs to supporting delivery and handover.
• Drive long‑term planning that underpins future price reviews by surfacing critical asset risks.
• Influence strategic investment and cultural transformation towards a proactive, lifecycle‑focused approach to asset planning.

Base Location & Working Pattern

Hybrid working from Hampton or Orpington – Full‑time, Monday – Friday (36 hours per week).

What you’ll bring to the role

• Strong leadership and management experience, with the ability to inspire teams and drive meaningful cultural change.
• Solid understanding of asset management or related best practices.
• Exceptional communication skills, able to convey complex information and influence senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to identify opportunities for improvement and proactively drive solutions.
• Good grasp of regulatory frameworks and external factors impacting water and wastewater management.
• Ideally degree‑qualified or significant equivalent experience; professional membership is an advantage.
• Driving licence and access to a car.

What’s in it for you

• Competitive salary from £62,215 to £75,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Car allowance.
• Annual bonus and performance‑related pay linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Generous pension scheme through AON.
• Private medical and health care, annual health MOTs, physiotherapy and counselling.
• Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers, life assurance and other wellbeing benefits.

Who we are

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers. We build a better future for all – for our customers, communities, people and the planet – and we need passionate and skilled people to help us reach that vision.

Our commitment to inclusion

We are 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 – let us know and we’ll support you.

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.