Job Description

Are you ready to take on a pivotal role at the heart of Thames Water's operations? We're looking for a passionate and strategic leader to help us deliver safe, clean water to millions of customers every day - all while optimising our network and driving innovation.



As our

Head of Water System Operations

, you'll be responsible for ensuring the optimal use of our above and below ground assets. Your mission? To keep our systems running efficiently and safely, while meeting key targets in water quality, customer satisfaction, leakage reduction, and energy use.

What you'll be doing as Head of Water System Operations

You'll be the driving force behind a proactive, centralised control function that ensures we're always ready to meet customer demand. And will achieve this as follows:


Develop clear, customer focussed control and planning & and supply optimisation strategies. Line management of our Transmission Control team, Network Management Centre, Strategic Control, Production and Outage Planning, and Calm System Operations. System Operations financial delivery, including balancing cost with effectiveness and efficient control strategies. Adopting the "Always in Supply" concept to continuously improve the customer experience. Leading in the development of Operational and Information Technology strategy. Provide clear governance, oversight and instruction to Water Operations when responding to events, seasonal trends and variances. Oversee control of outage planning, taking a system-level view to ensure consideration of wider asset availability. Provide clear governance and standing orders to Water Operations when responding to events, seasonal trends and variances. Lead a team to develop and deliver the People Strategy, including recruitment, training, development and succession. Oversee the response to all water incidents across the organisation. The base location is Kemble Court, Reading. 36 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

What you should bring to the role

Have a track record of leadership and delivery within large-scale senior utility roles, along with appreciable experience across a range of functions. Have a broad understanding of the water industry or have significant experience working at a senior level within a regulated utilities organisation. Ability to collaborate with operational teams to implement significant changes, plus transformation and planning skills to drive cost reduction & performance improvement. Ability to lead, communicate and influence to drive improved performance and continuous improvement. Your engagement style will make you comfortable communicating in an influential and positive manner from the executive level to frontline operations teams. You will be able to think strategically within a fast-moving, changing environment whilst using sound judgement and excellent decision-making. Experience in responding to and managing operational incidents would be advantageous, as would control room management experience. Media skills and experience would be a distinct advantage.

What's in it for you?

Competitive salary between 80,000 & 100,000 per annum, depending on experience. Annual Leave allowance is 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays) Car Allowance of 5,800 per annum. Annual Bonus. Generous Pension Scheme through AON. Private Medical Health Care. Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you 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 Wate

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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's 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.



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. We aim to remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, we're here to help and support.



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 and meet colleagues.

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.