Yorkshire Rivers Strategic Partnership Manager

Kelda Group Limited 0000411940 - Kelda Group Limited; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car scheme

Private health care

Pension scheme (12% company contrib)

Life assurance

2 wellness days

Health & lifestyle perks

Retail savings scheme

Health/GP & Cycle to work

Job summary

Yorkshire Water is seeking a Yorkshire Rivers Strategic Partnership Manager to lead a multi‑partner collaboration focused on catchment-based river restoration and value delivery. The role drives governance, funding strategies and coordinated delivery, aligning with regulatory expectations and stakeholder needs.

You will work across organisations to secure investment, shape business planning, and champion a nature-first, catchment-based approach, delivering measurable outcomes for customers and

Qualifications

• Experience collaborating across organisational boundaries and influencing stakeholders.
• Ability to translate strategic ambition into clear plans and delivery.
• Knowledge of environmental and catchment management, with water sector insight.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and coordination across the Yorkshire Rivers Partnership.
• Lead cross-organisational work to develop business cases and planning.
• Manage partnership governance, meetings and decision logs.
• Oversee a portfolio of cross‑organisational projects and address risks.
• Build relationships with internal/external stakeholders and regulators.
• Identify opportunities to maximise investment and funding.
• Lead communications and engagement to share successes.
• Deliver environmental and customer benefits from programmes.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Programme management

Environmental knowledge

Facilitation & comms

Analytical problem-solving

Continuous improvement

Driving licence & travel

Job description

Yorkshire Rivers Strategic Partnership Manager

• We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience up to £60,000
• A company car lease/allowance scheme (£500 per month/£6,000 per year, based on full-time employment on joining the company). You can opt to sign up to the EV Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme 6 months after joining the company
• Annual incentive related bonus (up to 15% of annual salary).
• Private health care (self only)
• Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution)
• Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays - plus 2 extra wellness days!
• A great benefits package - choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.
• Retail savings scheme
• Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!

Location: This role will be based in Leeds Valley Park - Hybrid Working 1-2 office days a week

Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Yorkshire Rivers Strategic Partnership Manager to join the Partnerships and Sustainability team at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to deliver our vision of A Thriving Yorkshire - Right for Customers, Right for the Environment. Could this be you?

What we do:

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it's so much more than this.

We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire's water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region's health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. The Partnerships and Sustainability team are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators.

The Yorkshire Rivers Partnership is a long-term strategic collaboration between Yorkshire Water, the five regional Rivers Trusts operating across Yorkshire, and The Rivers Trust nationally. The partnership brings together the complementary strengths of all organisations to improve the health, resilience and ecological condition of Yorkshire's rivers through a shared catchment-based approach. Working together, partners aim to secure greater environmental, social and customer benefits than any organisation could achieve independently by aligning investment, developing evidence-led river restoration programmes, attracting additional funding, influencing policy and regulation, and delivering integrated catchment solutions at scale. The partnership's long-term ambition is that Yorkshire's rivers are thriving, healthy and resilient, supported by a single shared plan, collaborative delivery and sustained investment over the coming decades.

The Yorkshire Rivers Strategic Partnership Manager will provide strategic leadership for the partnership between Yorkshire Water and the Rivers Trust movement, ensuring shared ambitions are translated into coordinated action and measurable outcomes. Acting as the central point of leadership across multiple workstreams, the role will align priorities, maintain momentum, and oversee a portfolio of collaborative projects from development through to delivery. It will navigate partnership governance, funding mechanisms and delivery models, removing barriers and driving solutions to enable successful project outcomes. Working across departments and organisations, the role will lead key meetings and work programmes, influence strategic direction, and ensure decisions are translated into action. Representing Yorkshire Water within the partnership, the postholder will build trusted relationships, champion a nature-first and catchment-based approach, identify opportunities to maximise value from investment, and support Integrated Water Management Planning and Business Plan submissions. The role will also work closely with Rivers Trust partners to influence regulators, develop business cases, and shape business planning and PR submissions, helping to deliver greater environmental and customer benefits than either organisation could achieve independently.

Where you fit in:

As our Yorkshire Rivers Strategic Partnership Manager you will

• Provide visible, inspiring leadership and coordination across the Yorkshire Rivers Partnership, ensuring shared priorities are translated into coordinated delivery and measurable outcomes.
• Lead collaborative working across both organisations to develop business cases, support PR29 business planning, Integrated Water Management Plans and wider partnership initiatives.
• Manage partnership governance, including preparing for and facilitating key meetings, maintaining decision logs and ensuring agreed actions are delivered.
• Oversee a portfolio of cross-organisational projects, monitoring progress, identifying risks and resolving barriers to keep delivery on track.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, external partners and regulators, influencing decision-making and championing a catchment-based, nature-first approach.
• Identify opportunities to maximise investment, secure funding and drive continuous improvement to enhance partnership impact and value.
• Lead communication and engagement activities, promoting the benefits of partnership working and sharing successes across both organisations and wider stakeholders.
• Deliver and evidence environmental and customer benefits from partnership programmes, ensuring outcomes exceed what could be achieved by organisations working independently.

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• Strong experience of working collaboratively across organisational boundaries, with the ability to build relationships, influence stakeholders and drive collective action.
• Experience of managing programmes, projects or complex workstreams, with the ability to translate strategic ambition into clear plans and delivery.
• Knowledge of environmental and catchment management, ideally including experience of working with Catchment Based Approach partnerships or similar collaborative groups.
• Strong facilitation, communication and presentation skills, with experience of leading meetings, workshops and discussions with a range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to identify issues, solve problems and work through complexity to maintain progress and deliver successful outcomes.
• Experience of identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and applying learning to improve ways of working and delivery.
• Full UK driving licence and ability to travel across Yorkshire as required.

You will also benefit from having:

• Understanding of the water industry regulatory environment, including WINEP, Advanced WINEP, Integrated Water Management Planning and periodic review processes.
• Knowledge of environmental management, river restoration, catchment management and nature-based solutions, ideally within the water, environmental or conservation sectors.

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it's important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn't always easy!

Do we sound like your cup of tea?

If you've got experience as a Partnership Manager and want to help us deliver great service for our customers whilst looking after the environment, then be sure to apply today to find out what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you.

Advert Closing - 16th September 2026

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.

All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.