Water Process Optimisation Manager

Uisce Éireann; Ireland; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Uisce Éireann, Ireland's national water utility, is seeking a Water Process Optimisation Manager within the Asset Operations function. You will lead national process optimisation expertise for water operations, ensuring 24/7 service delivery, compliance with regulatory standards, and ongoing improvements in energy, chemical use and plant performance.

Reporting to the Asset Operations Technical Services Senior Manager, you will define SOPs, mentor teams, and drive Drinking Water Safety Plans,

Qualifications

• 7+ years of relevant experience in process optimisation within the water industry.
• Solid knowledge of water and wastewater process technologies and operational performance.
• Experience leading a large team and driving improvements.

Responsibilities

• Oversee national water process optimisation expertise to ensure regulatory compliance and cost efficiency.
• Define and implement best practice methods for water treatment process analysis.
• Drive optimisation opportunities in water treatment processes and network.
• Provide training content and site instruction for Treatment Operatives.
• Report progress to senior management and manage technical services.

Skills

Water process optimisation

Team leadership

Regulatory compliance

ISO 9001/14001 knowledge

Decision making

Education

Relevant third level qualification

Tools

ICA (Instrumentation, Control and Automation) systems

Job description

We are Uisce Éireann. Every day, we are responsible for the delivery of secure, safe, and sustainable water services for the people of Ireland. As Ireland’s national regulated water utility, our vision is a sustainable Ireland where water is respected and protected, for the planet and all the lives it supports.

Our purpose at Uisce Éireann is to rise to the challenge of delivering transformative water services that enable communities to thrive. That means we are proud to take on the responsibility of protecting our water supply and passing on a safe and secure water system to a rapidly growing population and empowering Ireland’s social and economic growth.

We are passionate about empowering our people, enabling them to make a positive impact on communities across Ireland. We are guided by a shared vision and purpose, grounded in values that define who we are and shape how we work, where we deliver for customers and communities, we work better together, we do the right thing, we aim high, and we keep each other safe. Our behaviours define how we interact, communicate, and succeed together. These values and behaviours apply to each one of us, across every role, location, and level.

Our goal is to attract and develop skilled and talented people from diverse backgrounds, who bring a dynamic range of expertise and insights to our work. With a strong, values-driven workforce, we ensure Uisce Éireann can continue advancing Ireland’s water services and meeting the needs of the communities we serve for generations to come.

The Role:

The Asset Operations function forms the cornerstone of service delivery to customers, protecting the environment and meeting regulatory standards as well as managing the majority of operational expenditure. The Asset Operations function has responsibility for operational and maintenance strategy, policies, planning and standard operating procedures for Water and Wastewater operations both nationally and regionally, ensuring that value for money and customer service is delivered.

Reporting to the Asset Operations Technical Services Senior Manager, the Water Process Optimisation Manager is responsible for managing the provision of process optimisation services for Water Operations. The role will be accountable for the operation of the team to ensure water services are delivered to Uisce Éireann customers 24/7 in accordance with all regulatory standards, in order to protect public health and the environment, and for the continuing optimisation of water plant processes in areas of cost, chemicals, energy, resource utilisation and output. The role holder will focus on ensuring that current assets are optimally operated and that investment needs are correctly identified to deliver the best outcomes from plants using the current assets.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the overall management of Water process optimisation expertise nationally to ensure regulatory compliance is maintained and processes are optimised to minimise energy and chemical usage and costs where possible.
• Define and implement best practise methods for Water treatment process analysis (to include process audit tools, analytical tools, etc)
• Support the wider team to identify and implement opportunities to optimise the Water treatment processes (including in network)
• Support the maintenance and operation of site safety to ensure safe and cost-effective operations
• Define and optimise employees’ activities to ensure an efficient, safe and cost-effective operation of water treatment plants, including the development and deployment of Standard Operating Procedures
• Drive the implementation of Drinking Water Safety Plans including the management of all operational improvements identified in the Drinking Water Safety Plans
• Take the lead technical role in oversight of the performance of water treatment processes during the handover of projects from Infrastructure Delivery and DBO contracts to the Asset Operations Function.
• Work with the Portfolio Team in providing technical support to the Asset Planning and Infrastructure Delivery Functions for design and construction stages of new assets, in particular relating to end-state process design, and temporary/interim process operational measures required where construction works interface with live treatment activities.
• Provide technical training course content and review for water Treatment Operatives, and provide site instruction, demonstration and support to Treatment Operatives.
• Provide regular progress reports to the Asset Operations Technical Services Senior Manager and the Asset Operations Management Team
• Manage the provision of technical and scientific services to operational functions as required
• Contribute to achieving the objectives and targets of the Asset Operations Business plans (1Year and 5 Year Rolling Plans)
• Manage issues within the team and act as a point of escalation for management within the function
• Liaise with external contractors on works affecting sites as well as customers to help resolve customer issues
• Support adherence to HSQE policies and the implementation of HSQE Integration Management System objectives and targets for process optimisation
• Other duties as required from time to time

General Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaboration with key internal stakeholders across the UÉ business
• Responsible for promoting and delivering health and safety commitments across UÉ and its supply chain, reinforcing positive behaviours and delivering health and safety objectives and requirements to the highest industry standards.
• Support the delivery of the Uisce Éireann Transformation Programme, driving results required within the Directorate and supporting organisation-wide objectives.
• Provide visible leadership for your team, coaching and developing them to achieve their full potential and deliver business objectives, promoting collaboration and highlighting the behaviours that are expected from everyone in the team.
• Conducts duties and responsibilities in accordance with Uisce Éireann’s Information Security policies, standards, processes and controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UÉ business information, and delivery of critical services, in accordance with the NIS Directive and any other relevant cybersecurity regulations
• Other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

• Relevant third level qualification
• 7+ years’ relevant experience , with a focus in process optimisation in the Water Industry
• We deliver for customers and communities - expert knowledge of water and wastewater process technologies, operational performance and energy efficiency is required
• Solid practical operational experience allied to technical knowledge (design, equipment selection and commissioning experience), together with an excellent understanding of the best operating practices is desirable
• We work better together - experience managing a large team, resolving conflicts of opinion etc. is required
• Knowledge of monitoring, load management and ICA (Instrumentation, Control and Automation) systems is desirable
• We do the right thing - Must be aware of the regulators expectations, targets and quality standards
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
• Ability to:
• Prioritise tasks, work with schedules and manage resources while remaining focused on team goals
• Develop relationships to accomplish team goals coupled with dealing effectively with differences of opinion and conflict management
• Establish courses of action for self and others to ensure that work is completed efficiently
• Clearly convey information through a variety of media to individual across the organisation
• Driver of high standards for individual, team and organisational accomplishment and delivering desired results
• Demonstrated leadership ability, proactive development, motivation and engagement of staff
• Experience of developing and maintaining effective strategic partnerships with key stakeholders

• We aim high- able to work to deadlines and adapt to changing conditions and ambiguity generating effective and pragmatic solutions to new situations and problems as they are presented.

The closing date for receipt of applications for this vacancy is 18/09/2026

* Successful external candidates will be offered a salary within the advertised range based on an assessment of their relevant skills, qualifications, experience and readiness to undertake the responsibilities of the role.

Internal candidates will be considered in line with the application of Uisce Éireann's Pay Model and associated pay policies.

The salary range is designed to recognise that successful candidates may join the organisation at different stages in their career, while also providing scope for future salary progression as capability and experience develop.

Uisce Éireann is an equal opportunities employer.

We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive place of work and have a robust strategy and framework called ibelong to enable this. We are an equal opportunity employer and through our recruitment process we welcome and encourage applications from interested and suitably qualified individuals regardless of gender, age, racial or ethnic origin, membership of the traveller community, religion or beliefs, family or civil status, sexual orientation/gender identity or disability