Water Resources Planning Lead

This is a fantastic opportunity to lead in the future direction of water resources in the Southeast of England. You will be a leader in the Water Resources Management Team who is responsible for ensuring a cost-effective balance of supply and demand options to deliver water to our customers by the year 2100. This activity is critical to the ongoing success of Thames Water, ensuring we deliver what our customers expect of us, including a safe and reliable supply of water, environmental benefits and reductions in leakage and customer usage.

As the water resources planning lead, you will be responsible for developing and managing the work programme required to produce our next water resource management plan (WRMP29). You will technically manage the work program of around £20m, working with a team of skilled water resources specialists to successfully develop the plan. You will work closely with five other water companies that form part of Water Resources South East to produce a regional plan that our WRMP forms part of, and several regulators, stakeholders and pressure groups.

What you’ll be doing as a Water Resources Planning Lead

• You will also be involved in the delivery of our current water resource management plan (WRMP24), which includes the largest role out of customer metering in the UK water industry, plans to reduce leakage by 50%, and includes the need to develop multi-billion pound strategic resources options.
• You will be managing consultants and internal staff, working closely with other internal and external parties, such as the Environmental Agency, Ofwat, Defra, councils, other water companies, and the public. Governance and approval require frequent formal contact with the Executive and Board of Thames Water.
• You will be required to support discussions at the senior level within Thames to secure support for the development of the plan, and within our regulators to help shape their requirements and expectations concerning reporting and assurance.

This is a hybrid role based out of Clearwater Court, Reading with 2 days a week in the office.

What you should bring to the role

• Industry experience managing complex business projects with proven cost-effective results.
• Experience leading teams and overseeing external providers, ensuring performance and budget control.
• Experience in the water industry is preferred.
• A resilient, proactive team player who thrives in fast-paced, changing environments.
• Proficient in Microsoft applications and IT.
• Confident in working with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Can support and develop a team.
• Experience managing relationships.
• Understanding of the water system, ideally with experience in water resource management or a related environmental field.

What’s in it for you?

• £75,000 - £85,000 depending on experience.
• 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays)
• Car Allowance.
• Annual Bonus.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• Access to many benefits to help you take care of your and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.
Whether you’re interested in a role in one of our call centres or science labs, we’re looking for people like you with real passion and a burning desire to make things better.

So, if you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region and our planet.

The real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is a great, diverse and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process. Our aim is to remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, we’re here to help and support you.

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.