Special Projects & Delivery Manager

Thames Water is the largest Water and Sewerage Company (WaSC) in the UK, serving 15 million customers—nearly a quarter of the country’s population. We're committed to restoring Thames Water to a leading position within the industry through a focused Turnaround Plan.

To help drive this plan, we’ve established a Turnaround Management Office (TMO), responsible for prioritising, coordinating, and governing key initiatives. As part of our investment in building internal change capability, we’re looking for experienced professionals to take on new roles in support of the plan’s delivery.

We’re currently recruiting for a Special Projects & Delivery Manager to lead and support strategic projects that go beyond the day-to-day running of the TMO

What you’ll be doing as a Special Projects & Delivery Manager

• Lead/support special strategic projects that aren’t directly governed by the TMO, working closely with the TMO team and key stakeholders to assess their impact on the wider turnaround programme.
• Collaborate with stakeholders such as regulators, shareholders, and others to address turnaround-related issues.
• Work with the Turnaround Communications and Engagement Lead to develop materials for external stakeholder engagement (e.g., Ofwat, DWI, EA).
• Support the creation of high-quality, timely reports for executives and the Board related to the turnaround.
• Assist the Head of Turnaround Delivery and Turnaround Director in managing the TMO team’s objectives and addressing cross-cutting challenges.
• Provide occasional support for critical planning periods and assist TMO Business Partners as needed.

Base Location: Clearwater Court, Reading – Hybrid working
Working Pattern or hours: Full Time

What you should bring to the role:
We’re looking for someone who is highly motivated, independent, and goal-oriented, but also values teamwork and collaboration. You’ll receive expert coaching and upskilling as part of our investment in building internal change capability.

Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience in project/programme management, ideally in large, complex programmes within a corporate environment.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of guiding teams through change.
• Ability to engage senior leaders, facilitate workshops, and build consensus across different governance levels.
• Expertise in problem solving and navigating complex challenges.
• Experience in budget management and resource optimisation.
• Ability to translate strategies into actionable plans, business cases, and delivery controls.
• Excellent attention to detail, organisational, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office, with experience in Excel, PowerPoint, and collaboration tools like Teams and SharePoint. Power BI experience is a plus.

Leadership Behaviours:

• Collaborative team player who supports peers and embodies Thames Water values.
• Proactive, accountable, and able to motivate others while delivering results.
• Skilled at building trust and influencing across internal and external teams.
• Resilient and adaptable, maintaining focus on outcomes even when facing challenges.
• Politically savvy and tactful in addressing sensitive issues.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £52,000 - £70,000 per annum depending on experience
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service (Plus bank holidays)
• Car Allowance
• Annual Bonus
• Private Medical Health Care
• Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution
• Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year
• Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing

Who are we?
At Thames Water, our purpose is crystal clear - to deliver life’s essential service so our customers, communities and planet can thrive.

Water is life’s great leveller. Every living thing needs it, every single day. From people to plants, birds to bees, farms to factories, we all need it to thrive, and we’re committed to taking care of it for us all.

But keeping water flowing is becoming harder. From scorching summers to wetter winters, extreme weather affects everything from our pipes to our local rivers. We need to keep millions more kettles boiling, public services operating, washing machines spinning, showers running and more, so every drop is more precious than ever. Are you ready to play your part?

Working at Thames Water
At Thames Water we recognise that people are at the heart of our business. To help us succeed in providing life's essential service, we need a range of skills and capabilities, representative of society throughout our business.

We seek to attract and retain a cultural mix of people who can offer different but complementary attitudes, values, talents, and knowledge. We understand the importance of appreciating and harnessing the unique skills, experiences, background, and differences that each individual brings.

Our over-arching diversity and inclusion aim is to ensure Thames Water is a diverse and inclusive great place to work. We encourage applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process.

Find out more about working at Thames Water.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business, meet colleagues and earn some extra money along the way.

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.