Waterlink Smart Metering Delivery Manager

South East Water; Coldharbour; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme

5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays

Flexible annual leave policy to buy or

Cycle to work scheme

Health cash plan

Life assurance

Wellbeing related benefits

Job summary

South East Water seeks a Waterlink Smart Metering Delivery Manager to lead field operations, drive performance, and ensure regulatory compliance across the team.

You will manage the NHH/HH Smart meter replacement programme, coordinate stakeholders, and align routes, safety, and budget while delivering high standards of customer service.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE/O‑Level Grade A–C standard or equivalent or demonstrable experience in a similar role that evidences equivalent literacy and numeracy skills.
• Knowledge of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.
• Proven experience of managing people in an office and field environment.
• Clean driving licence.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for delivering the NHH/HH Smart meter replacement programme within strict timeframes and budget constraints.
• Proactively identify project delivery risks, highway obstacles, or resource bottlenecks, implementing recovery plans and escalating to senior leadership when necessary.
• Communicate delivery updates, project risks, and KPI trends to senior executives, clients, and Internal Business leaders.
• Support internal and external smart metering stakeholders, leveraging field insights to influence project strategy.
• Ensure all work complies with best practice and relevant industry regulations.
• Lead and develop the team in an inclusive manner, including appraisals and regular reviews.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Education

GCSE/O‑Level

Equivalent experience

Tools

Word/Google Docs

Excel/Google Sheets

Job description

Summary

As the Waterlink Smart Metering Delivery Manager, you will play a pivotal role in leading, managing, and optimising field operations, coordination, performance reporting, and financial efficiency across the team. In this self‑motivated leadership position, you are responsible for driving operational excellence and maintaining exceptional standards of customer service while actively championing a culture centred on continuous improvement, safety, and regulatory compliance. By drawing on your extensive industry knowledge, you will empower, develop, and motivate your teams to consistently deliver the highest levels of quality, operational output, and customer satisfaction.

Main Responsibilities

• Accountable for delivering the NHH/HH Smart meter replacement programme within strict timeframes and budget constraints.
• Proactively identify project delivery risks, highway obstacles, or resource bottlenecks, implementing recovery plans and escalating to senior leadership when necessary.
• Communicate delivery updates, project risks, and KPI trends to senior executives, clients, and Internal Business leaders.
• Leveraging project insights to influence wider strategy.
• Support key internal and external smart metering stakeholders, leveraging field insights, operational and practical delivery experience to influence project strategy, and support wider business decision making.
• Ensure all work is carried out in accordance with best practice and complies with all relevant regulations.
• Ensure strict compliance with New Roads and Street Works Act to eliminate overrun charges and defect notices.
• Identify new opportunities and implement improved processes and systems where applicable.
• Liaise with the scheduling Team Manager to optimise team allocation, route planning, and permit alignments against gang/technician availability.
• Liaise directly with the Plumbing Delivery Manager to ensure relevant resource is available for internal meter exchanges, customer wait times are minimal and aborted visits are avoided.
• Communicate with the Health and Safety team to ensure field teams follow correct policies and procedures.
• Ensure all work complies with best practice and relevant industry regulations.
• Effectively lead and develop the team in an inclusive manner, in line with HR, H&S, and business guidelines.
• This includes, but is not limited to, conducting appraisals, bi‑monthly 1‑2‑1s, absence reviews, and ongoing people management.

Qualifications and Experience

• Educated to GCSE/O‑Level Grade A–C standard or equivalent or demonstrable experience in a similar role that evidences equivalent literacy and numeracy skills.
• Knowledge of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.
• Proven experience of managing people in an office and field environment.
• Clean driving licence.
• Good general IT skills, including proficiency in Word/Google Docs and Excel/Google Sheets.
• Must be self‑motivated, committed, organised, and able to work under pressure using own initiative.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
• Positive, flexible and adaptable with a ‘can do’ attitude to overcoming challenges in a demanding delivery environment.
• Be able to communicate at all levels of the organisation and influence others.
• A minimum of 5 years' experience in a relevant role.
• Extensive operational and industry knowledge and experience.
• Essential knowledge of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.
• Effectively manage people, focusing on coaching, development, and the professional resolution of team concerns in line with company policy and procedures.
• Experience within the water industry is highly desirable, though candidates with transferable knowledge from related utility sectors (e.g., gas, electricity, or telecommunications) will be strongly considered.
• Previous experience in field‑based site supervision, utility infrastructure, or civil engineering is essential.
• Proven ability to coordinate third‑party contractors or site gangs to deliver work safely and to specification.
• Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities.
• The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity.

You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Benefits Package

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

Compensation Package

£47,000–£52,000p.a. (dependent on experience) plus Car Allowance of £6,492p.a.

Be you, belong and valued. Grow a career with a meaningful purpose. Introduce yourself to our recruiters and we’ll get in touch if there’s a role that seems like a good match. We supply top‑quality drinking water to 2.3million customers in the southeast of England. Through a network of 9,000 miles of pipe, we deliver 544million litres of water every day. It’s the skill and expertise of our employees that ensures our water meets the highest standards. We make sure we can meet the needs of our customers both now and in the future. Come to work to be safe, valued, and trusted. We’ll encourage you to create and pursue new opportunities for personal growth. A place to be the real you, build deeper connections and enjoy a sense of belonging. Be invested in helping us to create a sustainable water supply for now, and in the future.