Role: Director of Water (Ref: 196649)
Location: UK – Hybrid
Salary: DOE + Benefits & Bonus
Type: Perm
Overview of the role:
Are you looking for your next challenge
?We are seeking an experienced Director of Water Delivery to lead the successful delivery of a diverse portfolio of programmes across the water and wastewater sector
.
This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for overseeing multiple teams, projects, and programmes that are critical to operational performance, customer outcomes, regulatory commitments, and long-term business objective
s.
The role will suit an individual who combines strong delivery leadership with deep water sector expertise and enjoys working across operations, engineering, capital investment, digital transformation, asset management, and organisational change. You will be responsible for ensuring programmes are delivered safely, effectively, and efficiently whilst creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improveme
nt.
We are seeking an experienced water industry leader who is looking for something exciti
ng.
The
Role:As the Director of Water you will take ownership of a broad portfolio of strategic initiatives across water and wastewater operat
ions.You will provide leadership across multiple functions and delivery teams, ensuring programmes are aligned to business priorities, regulatory requirements, customer commitments, and operational object
ives.This role requires an individual who can operate strategically whilst remaining close enough to delivery to support teams, remove barriers, manage risk, and ensure successful outc
omes.You will work closely with senior operational leaders, engineering teams, programme managers, digital teams, asset management functions, and executive stakeholders to drive performance and deliver meaningful ch
ange.
Key Responsibi
litiesDelivery Lead
* ershipLead the delivery of a portfolio of complex water and wastewater programmes, projects, and initia
* tives.Provide strategic oversight across operational, capital, digital, and transformation activ
* ities.Ensure programmes are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and to agreed quality stan
* dards.Establish effective governance, reporting, assurance, and performance management frame
* works.Oversee programme risks, dependencies, issues, and resource require
* ments.Act as the senior escalation point for delivery challenges and operational i
* ssues.Drive a culture focused on delivery excellence, accountability, and continuous improv
ement.Operational & Programme Lead
* ershipLead teams delivering improvements across water and wastewater opera
* tions.Support the successful delivery of operational performance, resilience, and customer outcome commit
* ments.Drive programme prioritisation and resource alignment across multiple workst
* reams.Maintain visibility of programme performance and delivery out
comes.Stakeholder Mana
* gementBuild trusted relationships with senior internal stakeholders and leadership
* teams.Engage effectively with operational, engineering, regulatory, and programme delivery func
* tions.Facilitate collaboration across business areas to ensure successful programme out
* comes.Provide clear communication, challenge, and support to stakeholders at all l
* evels.Represent delivery performance through executive governance forums and leadership mee
tings.People Lead
* ershipLead, mentor, and develop programme and delivery
* teams.Foster a high-performing culture focused on ownership, collaboration, and re
* sults.Support capability development and succession planning across delivery func
* tions.Create an environment where individuals are empowered to make decisions and deliver out
* comes.Champion wellbeing, safety, and employee engag
ement.Continuous Improvement & Inno
* vationDrive improvements in delivery methodology, governance, reporting, and operational effectiv
* eness.Promote the adoption of innovative approaches, technologies, and best pra
* ctice.Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity, and customer out
* comes.Support the development of future delivery capability and organisational mat
urity.
What Were Look
ing ForEssential Exp
* erienceSignificant experience delivering programmes, projects, or transformation initiatives within the UK water and/or wastewater
* sector.Proven leadership experience across one or more of the fol
* lowing:Water Ope
* rationsWastewater Ope
* rationsAsset Man
* agementCapital D
* eliveryEngineering & Infrastructure Pro
* grammesOperational Performance Impr
* ovementDigital Transfo
* rmationNetwork Ope
* rationsControl Room Ope
* rationsExperience leading large, multi-disciplinary
* teams.Strong stakeholder management experience across operational, technical, and executive fun
* ctions.Experience managing complex delivery portfolios with multiple concurrent works
* treams.Strong understanding of governance, risk management, performance reporting, and programme co
* ntrols.Demonstrable ability to deliver measurable business and operational ou
tcomes.
Leadersh
ip StyleWe are particularly interested in individu
* als who:Lead with credibility, pragmatism, and in
* tegrity.Balance strategic thinking with hands-on delivery lea
* dership.Build strong relationships and influence at all
* levels.Create clarity and direction in complex envir
* onments.Focus on outcomes rather than process for proces
* s sake.Are comfortable operating in fast-paced, evolving envir
* onments.Empower teams whilst maintaining accountability for d
elivery.
Measures o
f SuccessSuccess in this role will be measured
* through:Safe and successful delivery of programmes and
* projects.Achievement of operational, customer, and regulatory
* outcomes.Delivery against agreed time, cost, quality, and performance
* targets.Effective management of programme risks and depe
* ndencies.Strong stakeholder engagement and co
* nfidence.High levels of employee engagement and team per
* formance.Continuous improvement in delivery capability and operational effec
tiveness.