Water Resources Business Partner

South West Water Limited; Redhill; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

Company bonus scheme

Pension scheme with employer matching

Life assurance

Employee share schemes

Job summary

South West Water is seeking a Water Resources Business Partner to lead the sustainable management of water resources across Bristol, Bournemouth and the SES Water region. You will work with local teams to optimise resource performance, ensure regulatory compliance and support resilience planning.

Based in Bristol, Bournemouth or the SES Water area with travel as required, you will develop strategies, provide expert guidance on licences and risk, and build strong relationships with regulators and

Qualifications

• Experience in water resources operations and management.
• Ability to develop and implement operational or business strategies.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of water resources operational strategies.
• Provide expert advice on water resource management, abstraction licences, and operational risk.
• Work with operational teams to ensure effective decision-making and efficient use of water resources.
• Develop and implement decision-support tools that improve operational performance.
• Monitor compliance with licences and provide performance reporting.
• Build strong relationships with regulators and act as a key business contact.
• Identify and mitigate risks affecting water resource operations.
• Support and train colleagues on procedures and water resource strategies.
• Collaborate across teams to align with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Water resources operations

Regulatory knowledge

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Decision-support tools

Regulatory reporting

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

About The Role

At South West Water, water is one of our most valuable resources. As a Water Resources Business Partner, you will play a key role in ensuring the efficient, sustainable, and resilient management of water resources across the Pennon Group. This role supports operations across our Bristol, Bournemouth and SES Water areas, working closely with local operational teams to optimise water resource performance, maintain regulatory compliance, and support long-term resilience planning. As a result, the successful candidate can be based in Bristol, Bournemouth, or within the SES Water region, with flexibility to travel as required.

What You'll Be Doing

• Leading the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of water resources operational strategies.
• Providing expert advice and guidance on water resource management, abstraction licences, and operational risk.
• Working with operational teams to ensure effective decision-making and efficient use of water resources.
• Developing and implementing decision-support tools that improve operational performance.
• Monitoring compliance with abstraction and impounding licences and providing performance reporting.
• Building strong relationships with regulators, including the Environment Agency, and acting as a key business contact.
• Identifying and mitigating risks that could impact water resource operations.
• Supporting and training colleagues on operational procedures and water resource strategies.
• Collaborating across multiple teams to ensure alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry best practice.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Experience working within the water industry.
• Strong understanding of water resources operations and management.
• Experience developing and implementing operational or business strategies.
• Ability to work effectively with regulators, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and support business decisions.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• High level of numeracy and attention to detail.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Why Join South West Water?

At South West Water, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe in creating an environment where everyone can thrive, bring their best every day, and feel truly valued.

Benefits Include

• 26 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), increasing with length of service
• Holiday buy & sell scheme
• Company bonus scheme
• Competitive pension scheme with company contribution matching
• Life assurance
• Group income protection
• Enhanced family leave policies
• Employee share schemes, including share matching opportunities
• Health cash plan
• Free annual flu vaccination
• Employee Assistance Programme providing 24/7 support
• Cycle to work scheme
• Car share scheme
• Give as You Earn charitable giving scheme
• Paid volunteering day
• Access to thousands of retail discounts and offers

Closing Date: 29th October 2026

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.