Waste OT Architect

at  Severn Trent

Business Unit : Chief Engineer
Division : CE AI Asset Intelligence & Innovation
Pay Grade Level : Level 3 - Senior Professional
Post end date : 12/09/2024
Salary Range : £60,000.00 to £85,000.00
Role Type : Full Time Contract
Secondment length : NA
Recruiter : Kirsty Keenan
Manager Name : John O’Kelly
Our innovation strategy is simple - We want to solve the challenges we have today as well as find answers to some of our industry’s bigger long-term challenges.
Whether it’s delivering water that is always good to drink, reducing waste in our processes with energy efficient technologies or improving visibility of the network, our150+ strong team of innovators are working day in day out to make it happen. If you want to do more because you care, we’d love to talk to you. There really is something for everyone here.
Our Chief Engineering team are looking for a Waste OT Architect
At Severn Trent, we’re not just managing water – we’re redefining the future of water networks through cutting-edge innovation. As part of our Chief Engineer’s Asset Intelligence and Innovation team, we’re tackling the most critical challenges facing the water and wastewater utility sector.
As a Waste Networks Innovation Architect, you will play a pivotal role in identifying and solving the complex challenges that are crucial to Severn Trent’s strategic objectives. You will be responsible for developing long-term strategies, scouting emerging technologies, and driving innovative solutions that address both national and global issues within the water and wastewater utility sector. Your work will ensure that Severn Trent continues to lead the industry in innovation, delivering value for our customers and stakeholders.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Visionary Planning: Craft and implement strategies to tackle both immediate and long-term challenges in waste network management, with a focus on the next 5 to 25 years.

• Technology Roadmaps: Develop and execute comprehensive operational technology and information technology roadmaps that align with Severn Trent’s business strategies, demonstrating incremental value delivery.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Partner with business stakeholders to synchronize technology roadmaps with strategic planning, enhancing business capability maturity and value realization.
• Portfolio Development: Define a dynamic innovation portfolio, prioritizing initiatives based on their strategic value and business impact.
• Innovative Scouting: Lead the discovery and assessment of emerging technologies that align with Severn Trent’s strategic goals, staying ahead of industry trends through market research, networking, and key event participation.
• Relationship Building: Foster robust relationships with stakeholders, academic institutions, government agencies, and industrial partners to drive collaboration and innovation.
• Thought Leadership: Serve as a thought leader by articulating complex technical concepts in an accessible manner to diverse audiences, both internally and externally.
• Knowledge Management: Document and disseminate insights from technology scouting activities in a centralized database, ensuring organization-wide knowledge accessibility.
• Pipeline Development: Establish and maintain a dynamic innovation pipeline aligned with Severn Trent’s strategic priorities, clearly defining each initiative with a problem statement, desired outcomes, and feasibility assumptions.
• Strategic Alignment: Secure approval from strategic leads and asset planning managers for the innovation pipeline, ensuring alignment with capital investment forecasts.
• Grant Funding and Partnerships: Spearhead the development and promotion of external grant funding applications and form cross-sector and third-party collaborative delivery teams.

We are looking for a candidate with a technical background and knowledge of water and wastewater services. This includes a deep understanding of operating practices, technologies, and business processes within the sector.
The ideal candidate will have significant experience in strategy development, particularly in shaping both operational and digital technology architecture within medium to large companies.
The candidate would ideally demonstrate proven leadership and influence, with the ability to gain buy-in from senior leadership for technology strategies. They should also be skilled at networking with external organizations and universities. A successful track record in technology scouting and innovation management is essential, along with the ability to justify and defend investment recommendations effectively.
Collaboration is key in this role, so the candidate must possess strong skills in working across functions and driving change in people, processes, and technology. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are also crucial, as the candidate will need to explain technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.