System Planning Lead

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

Job summary

A leading water company in the UK is seeking a System Planning Lead to develop resilient water systems for future generations. You will lead a team to create in-AMP Asset Plans and drive strategic investment decisions. The ideal candidate has strong leadership skills, a solid understanding of asset management, and exceptional communication abilities. This role offers a competitive salary, hybrid working arrangements, and excellent benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

26 days holiday, increasing to 30

Car Allowance

Annual Bonus

Generous Pension Scheme

Private Medical Health Care

Performance-related pay plan

Qualifications

• Strong leadership and management experience, with the ability to inspire teams.
• Solid understanding of asset management and engineering best practices.
• Exceptional communication skills to influence senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of strategic Asset Plans.
• Oversee planning and justification of Maintenance interventions.
• Ensure a deep understanding of asset risk and mitigation strategies.

Skills

Leadership and management experience

Understanding of asset management

Exceptional communication skills

Proactive problem-solving

Knowledge of regulatory frameworks

Education

Degree or significant equivalent experience

Job description

At Thames Water

At Thames Water, every decision we make helps to shape the future of water for over 16 million people. Supplying billions of litres daily, we’re committed to delivering vital services while protecting our environment and communities. Right now, we're looking for a strategic-thinking System Planning Lead to help us build resilient water systems for generations to come.

What you’ll be doing as our System Planning Lead

In this influential role, you’ll lead a team to develop dynamic, system-wide in-AMP Asset Plans and Capital Maintenance plans. You’ll 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

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

Base Location: Hybrid working from either Hampton or Orpington

Working Pattern: 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, engineering, 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.

Extra qualities that would be a great fit for our team

• Ideally, degree‑qualified or significant equivalent experience, with professional membership being an advantage.
• Driving Licence and access to a car.

What’s in it for you

Joining Thames Water means becoming part of a supportive, innovative team where your strategic vision makes a tangible difference. You'll play a vital role in creating sustainable water management strategies. Alongside career growth and professional recognition, you’ll receive:

• Competitive salary from £62,215 to £75,000 per annum depending on experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Car Allowance.
• Annual Bonus.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you 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.

Inclusivity and support

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.

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.