Job number UU04019 Country United Kingdom Region Manchester Location name Davyhulme Wastewater Treatment Works, Trafford Way, Urmston, Manchester, M17 8DD Posting End Date 11/11/2025 Band 2 Role Type Permanent Work hours 37 Hours per Week Salary Competitive salary
Own the plan. Lead the people. Deliver operational excellence at scale.
The Role
Are you a visionary leader with the drive to shape the future of essential infrastructure?
As Head of Wastewater, you’ll take on one of the most influential leadership roles in our organisation—responsible for the full lifecycle of wastewater assets across a major geographic area.
With end-to-end accountability for a £50 million annual budget and a team of around 200 dedicated professionals, you’ll lead the charge in delivering safe, sustainable, and high-performing services that directly impact communities, the environment, and the region’s economic resilience.
This is your opportunity to make a lasting difference—translating strategy into action, driving innovation, and ensuring we deliver on our promises to customers, regulators, and stakeholders.
Role Accountabilities
* Hold full accountability for the strategic and effective management of an annual operating budget of approximately £50 million, ensuring value for money and alignment with business priorities.
* Lead, inspire, and empower a diverse team of around 200 colleagues, fostering a culture of inclusion, collaboration, and high performance that reflects our values and enhances our reputation.
* Shape and deliver the county’s business plan by translating company‑wide strategy into local action, including active sponsorship of major transformation and change initiatives.
* Play a key role in shaping regulatory submissions, including contributions to the Price Review, ensuring our plans are robust, future‑focused, and customer‑centric.
* Oversee all asset‑related activity—from planning and investment to operations and maintenance—ensuring safe, efficient, and resilient service delivery across your geographic area.
* Build and manage strategic relationships with internal and external partners, suppliers, and stakeholders to optimise service quality, cost, and risk, and to ensure effective response to operational events.
* Sponsor and steer capital investment programmes, ensuring they deliver the intended outcomes for customers, communities, and the environment.
* Drive continuous improvement in asset performance, customer outcomes, and operational efficiency, using data and insight to inform decision‑making.
* Embed strong governance across all aspects of operational risk, regulatory compliance, security, contingency planning, and business continuity.
* Take ownership of customer experience related to assets and services in your area, ensuring issues are resolved effectively and sustainably.
* Champion health, safety, and wellbeing, ensuring our “Home Safe and Well” principles are embedded in every aspect of our operations and culture.
* Represent the business externally, building trusted relationships with regulators and key stakeholders such as the Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate.
Essential Skills & Experience
* Proven leadership of a large‑scale operational function, with a strong track record of managing significant budgets (c.£50m+), resources, and performance in a complex, regulated environment.
* Educated to degree level (or equivalent), ideally supported by a relevant professional qualification.
* Strategic mindset with the ability to shape long‑term plans, contribute to company‑wide strategy, and influence senior stakeholders at Executive and Board level.
* Deep experience in business planning, translating high‑level strategy into actionable, measurable plans and budgets that drive performance and deliver value.
* Exceptional people leadership, with the ability to build, develop, and inspire high‑performing, inclusive teams—creating a culture of trust, accountability, and continuous improvement.
* Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the confidence to engage and collaborate across functions, and the credibility to represent the business externally.
* Commercial acumen, ideally gained through managing large‑scale contracts or partnerships with third‑party providers or internal service agreements.
* Proven change leadership, with a track record of successfully sponsoring and delivering transformation programmes that drive measurable business benefits.
* In‑depth understanding of operational environments, ideally within utilities or similarly complex, asset‑intensive sectors.
* Collaborative by nature, with a history of building strong cross‑functional relationships to deliver shared goals.
* Market awareness, including emerging technologies, regulatory trends, and the evolving landscape of the UK utilities sector.
* Customer‑focused, with a passion for delivering high‑quality, reliable services that meet the needs of diverse communities.
* Expertise in asset management, with a strong track record of optimising performance, investment, and service delivery across complex infrastructure.
About Us
Salary - Competitive salary
Work Type - Onsite
Job Location - Davyhulme Wastewater Treatment Works, Trafford Way, Urmston, Manchester, M17 8DD
Role Type - Permanent
Employment Type - Full Time
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week
United Utilities’ (UU) purpose is to deliver great water for a stronger, greener and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society.
We value diversity, inclusion and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves.
We uphold our ethics, values and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long‑term value for our colleagues, customers and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of.
We’ve got a lot to offer. You’ll be part of a thriving FTSE 100 company and will enjoy a range of core benefits that reflect your value and value contribution.
Benefits
* A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service (increases one day per year), in addition to 8 bank holidays
* A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover
* Car cash allowance - £7,500
* Up to 35% performance‑related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements
* A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company‑funded scheme
* MyGymDiscounts - gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions
* Best Doctors
* Salary Finance
* Wealth at Work courses
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