Head of Water Quality

at  Affinity Water

The Head of Water Quality provides the strategic leadership for water quality across the Affinity Water business. The team sits within the Asset Strategy/Capital Delivery Directorate and supports on all quality related matters source to tap including capital delivery projects and support for business planning. This role leads the water quality science and technical teams who work across the organisation to ensure that water quality is the number one priority for everyone who contributes to supplying our 3.8m customers with high quality drinking water every day. The role is responsible for delivering our water quality regulatory requirements, water quality operations and network audit and fittings inspection programmes to ensure that we annually achieve the best possible water quality results. Internal reporting and water quality related risk management support is incorporated into this role. This individual is expected to provide strong industry leadership and have extensive external relationships with regulators, public health professionals and researchers.
In this role it is expected to have responsibility to identify, sponsor and lead change projects within their own team, directorate and across the business (including partner organisations) outside their direct teams’ accountabilities.
The post holder will be expected to represent Affinity Water (in their area of expertise) in national level groups including government, regulators and speaking at external conferences and events. The individual should be confident to speak and present to stakeholder groups such as politicians, government officials, journalists and regulators both within their own area of expertise but also on broader business issues.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Substantial water industry experience gained within an appropriate scientific discipline.
• Educated to degree level in a scientific or technical discipline and a Chartered Member of a recognised professional institution. Ideally with skills in public or environmental health.
• Have at least five years post graduate experience in a relevant activity, which should include managing and developing teams of professional and technical staff and having budget responsibility.
• Literate with effective and professional communication skills and proven stakeholder management with both internal and external influencers and regulators.
• Ability to read, interpret and implement primary and secondary legislation within the business supported by documented processes.
• A confident leader and team player with strong influencing skills who can operate at all levels and who can quickly integrate with new cross functional teams to facilitate desired outcomes.
• Be able to solve problems, innovate and improve continuously performance in water quality and other areas of the business.
• Experienced in applying coaching and mentoring skills to develop direct reports and wider network.
• Experience working within an ambiguous and dynamic regulatory environment, prioritising team resources with dynamic workloads
• Experience of regulatory price reviews.

In return we offer you a range of benefits and including the following:

• Salary circa £95,000
• Flexible hybrid working model with a minimum of 2 days per week (subject to job role) in the office.
• Entry into the senior manager annual bonus scheme
• Annual leave entitlement from 26 days rising with length of service.
• Generous ‘double match pension scheme’ that doubles the contributions you make (company contribution capped at 12%).
• Enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Shared Parental Leave and a range of other benefits that aim to support our employees, including a Carers policy and Menopause policy

Affinity Water recognises the benefits of greater diversity in our workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We are committed to building a more inclusive culture where every member of our workforce can thrive

Please refer the Job description for details