Automation architect

Closing Date

Job Title: Automation Architect

Location: Hybrid working between our head office in Durrington (Worthing) 2 days pw, and home.

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday

Salary: Starting salary of up to £62,000, commensurate to skills and experience.

About the role

Water underpins everyday life, yet it remains an industry that is still evolving in how it uses technology, data and automation. At Southern Water, that is changing.

We are building a new Intelligent Automation and Process Engineering capability at the heart of the organisation. This is not about incremental improvements, it is about redefining how work gets done, embedding automation, data and AI into our core processes, and creating a more efficient, resilient and future-ready business.

As Automation Architect, you will play a critical role in shaping that future.

This is a foundational leadership role within a brand-new capability, giving you the opportunity to define and own Southern Water’s enterprise-wide automation and AI architecture. You will set the long-term vision, standards and guardrails that ensure all automation, workflow and AI solutions are scalable, secure and aligned to our wider digital, data and cloud strategies.

Working closely with senior technology leaders and business stakeholders, you will act as the principal authority for automation architecture, influencing investment decisions, driving platform maturity, and ensuring consistency across delivery teams.

This role goes beyond solution design – it is about defining the architecture that enables automation and AI at enterprise scale.

What you’ll be responsible for:

What you’ll bring to the role:

Essential

Desirable

About Southern Water

Southern Water is delivering a generational transformation across the business, investing significantly to improve resilience, sustainability and customer outcomes.

You will be joining at a time of real change, as part of a new capability that sits at the core of how the organisation evolves. This is a unique opportunity to define the foundations of process architecture in a business that is actively transforming how it operates.

We offer an environment where you will have real ownership, visibility and impact, working alongside senior stakeholders to shape strategic direction and deliver meaningful change.

Our mission is to protect and enhance life through water – and this role will directly contribute to how we achieve that.

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If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details here: Introduce Yourself (myworkdaysite.com- Introduce Yourself)

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additional information

In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years.

Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre‑employment checks, including security vetting.

Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.

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