About The Role Right across infrastructure, there’s a requirement to not only maintain, but also renew and reimagine. Whatever stage you’re at in your career, with us you’ll have an opportunity to grow and develop. Delivering essential infrastructure services for life, while being safety first, and client and customer centric in a friendly, fun and respectful environment where you are encouraged to thrive. Where will you be working? We help our clients safeguard the water supply, improve environmental performance and manage demand for future generations. We enhance and extend asset life, ensuring compliance with water quality and environmental standards. We’re problem solvers with over 140 years of combined experience in engineering and infrastructure. This role will be within our demand management and network infrastructure team. We look after 60 million meters and our teams provide advanced metering solutions to help manage demand for essential suppliers. Want to be a part of it? What will you be doing? This critical role supports the Operations Manager, who holds overall accountability for the programme, by driving industry-leading standards in safety, installation volumes, and continuous improvement, with a strong focus on empowering and developing people. The Programme Manager will ensure exceptional performance in all aspects of smart meter installation, maintenance, and supplier assurance, with robust support from the Operations Manager to achieve these goals. As part of the UK’s leading water smart metering programme, you will play a key role in delivery the programme ensuring compliance with regulatory and company standards. This role requires a people-focused leader who can inspire and develop teams, foster strong client relationships Thames Water, and drive efficiency while maintaining an unwavering commitment to safety, customer satisfaction, and employee wellbeing, with the Operations Manager providing guidance and oversight. As a Programme Manager, your duties and responsibilities will be; Leading the delivery of all operational objectives for meter installation, repair, and maintenance, achieving ambitious installation volume targets. Ensuring full compliance with M Group Water and Thames Water policies to deliver industry-leading safety, wellbeing, environmental, and customer performance, with a focus on fostering a supportive team environment. Achieving performance targets in collaboration with Thames Water, and the Operations Manager, ensuring contract margin and gainshare objectives are met. Collaborating with Service Delivery, SHEQW (Safety, Health, Environment, Quality, and Wellbeing), and Commercial teams to optimise team performance, with guidance from the Operations Manager. Driving continuous improvement in operational processes, safety protocols, and productivity, while nurturing a culture of learning and professional growth. Reducing internal damages, leaks, and escapes, particularly in pipework, through innovative technical and behavioural improvements, with input from engaged teams. Minimising fleet and road risks through proactive safety and operational enhancements, involving team feedback and participation. Fostering a proactive, people-focused health, safety, and wellbeing culture that sets the industry standard and prioritises employee welfare. Delivering exceptional customer service, achieving high customer satisfaction scores, and minimising complaints through team empowerment and customer-focused strategies. Establishing a performance management culture, using data to identify underperformance and drive improvements, while supporting team members’ growth, with guidance from the Operations Manager. Supporting Thames Water, in meeting OFWAT performance metrics and delivering outstanding value for money. Promoting commercial awareness and compliance across all operational teams, encouraging a sense of ownership and pride in their work. Representing or deputising for the Operations Manager in meetings and operational activities as needed. Ensuring compliance with M Group Water’s environmental processes and specific quality/policy requirements set by Thames Water. Monitoring team training, certification, and competence to maintain class-leading compliance levels, with a focus on developing team skills and career progression, with oversight from the Operations Manager. Leading the metering installation team to adopt behaviours aligned with M Group Water’s values, fostering a collaborative and inclusive team culture. What will you be doing? Exceptional relationship-building skills with clients, supply chain partners, and team members, emphasizing a people-centric approach. Ability to command respect and establish credibility at personal and business levels through empathy and leadership. Uncompromising commitment to delivering the highest health, safety, and wellbeing standards. Experience Proven experience leading large, multi-skilled teams in high-volume utility operations, with a focus on people development. Commercially astute with a focus on achieving financial and operational targets. Demonstrated ability to deliver excellent customer service through team empowerment. Extensive experience in an operational leadership role with a focus on team engagement.What’s in it for you? We offer a range of benefits designed to support your life in and out of work, some of which include; Matched or contributory pension scheme Online GP service, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year Employee assistance programme My Rewards portal, access to 1000’s of retail discounts Life assurance Cycle to work, salary finance and give as you earn schemes Enhanced maternity, paternity leave and adoption leave Reward and recognition schemeIn addition, this role offers; Company car and fuel card with a range of EV and hybrid vehicles to choose from My Car Choice our salary sacrifice EV/ Hybrid car scheme Private health care for you and your family Health Care Cash Plan, giving you the ability to claim back medical expenses for things like dental, eyecare and physiotherapy and much more! 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays Recommend a friend – get rewarded for introducing people to us! Personal Accident CoverAbout us We want to be an employer of choice and a great place to work, attracting diverse and talented people, who join us and make a difference. We’re one of the Top 100 UK companies actively supporting and recruiting army veterans. Our ENABLE inclusion networks bring together people who have a shared passion, to help create an environment where everyone belongs. Our values help to shape our culture and how we work with one another. We recruit with these values in mind, to ensure your aspirations, and ways of working, align with ours. We’re responsible and go further for our people, clients, communities and the planet We’re open and seek new and better ways of exceeding expectations We’re together and as one team; the whole is greater than the sum of the parts We’re ambitious and embrace opportunity, to lead essential infrastructure services for lifeWhether you’re a trainee, apprentice or graduate, or progressing through your career, our people benefit from industry recognised programmes, training and development. It’s an exceptional time to be a part of M Group. Please note: Occasionally, job adverts might be closed before the stated closing date. Do apply as soon as possible to ensure your application is considered. For certain roles, successful candidates will be subject to 3rd party background checks as part of the hiring process. Some roles require drug and alcohol testing as part of induction and onboarding. MGroupW