At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead Developer and Wholesale Services, enhancing customer experiences and driving strategic performance.
- Company: Affinity Water, a leader in the water industry focused on customer satisfaction.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, learning opportunities, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of customer service in a dynamic, impactful role.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in regulated environments and strong commercial acumen required.
- Other info: Join a diverse team committed to community and employee wellbeing.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We are looking for a Head of Developer and Wholesale Services to lead our Developer Services, Wholesale, and Non-Household (NHH) customer operations. Reporting to the Director of Customer Experience, this is a senior, strategic leadership role responsible for elevating our D-MeX and BR-MeX performance, strengthening commercial outcomes, and delivering exceptional end-to-end experiences for developers and NHH customers. You will lead a function of approximately 60 colleagues, shaping a high-performing, customer-centric operation that balances commercial efficiency, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.
The Role
You will own the strategic direction and delivery of Wholesale Services, Developer Experience, and NHH customer performance. You’ll set clear expectations, build strong partnerships across the business, and use data, insight, and governance to drive improvements, reduce complaints, enhance service quality, and deliver financially sustainable outcomes across AMP cycles. You will act as a visible leader internally and externally representing Affinity Water across industry bodies, influencing best practice, and ensuring we are recognised as a top-three performer in D-MeX and BR-MeX.
Key Responsibilities
- Set and deliver the Wholesale & Development Experience strategy, ensuring alignment to regulatory obligations, customer expectations, and corporate goals.
- Lead performance across key measures including D-MeX, BR-MeX, NHH revenue collection, complaint reduction, PCC/demand reduction, and income assurance.
- Manage commercial relationships with delivery partners, ensuring quality, compliance, and operational resilience.
- Act as Affinity Water's external ambassador, influencing industry forums, NAVs, SLPs and Water UK committees.
- Ensure full compliance with all regulatory licences, charging rules, codes, and competition law.
- Provide financial leadership, managing a circa £20m annual budget (Totex-neutral approach across Opex and Capex).
- Lead a function of ~60 FTE, fostering a high-performance culture built on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Oversee customer experience, charging, revenue, governance, and risk, ensuring transparency, fairness, and trust.
- Champion health, safety and wellbeing across the function, ensuring suppliers meet CDM standards and Affinity Water policies.
- Participation on Emergency Controller standby rota.
About You
We’re looking for a decisive, strategic, and customer-focused leader with deep experience in Developer Services, NHH markets, or regulated customer operations.
Essential Experience
- Senior leadership in regulated, customer-facing environments.
- Strong understanding of Developer Services, NHH retail market, charging frameworks and regulatory expectations.
- Evidence of delivering customer experience improvements and strong MeX performance.
- Experience managing commercial partners and supply chains.
- Financial and commercial acumen, including revenue-focused operations.
- Outstanding communication and stakeholder influence, including senior forums.
Desirable Experience
- Experience presenting to Executive and Board-level audiences.
- Track record in emerging or competitive market environments.
- Experience delivering operational change in complex or regulated settings.
Skills & Attributes
- Customer-first mindset and strategic thinking.
- Strong judgement, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to inspire teams and lead change at pace.
- Confident, clear communicator with excellent written and verbal skills.
- Collaborative, relationship-focused leadership style.
Benefits
- Salary circa £100,000 dependent on skills and experience.
- Car allowance.
- Minimum 2 days per week in our Hatfield office.
- Learning and development opportunities including mentoring, formal courses, and open learning resources.
- Entry into the Senior Manager bonus scheme.
- 26-30 days annual leave, rising with service, plus the option to buy up to 5 extra days.
- A personal Celebration Day for a religious or cultural occasion important to you.
- Generous double-match pension scheme (company contribution capped at 12%).
- Enhanced family policies including Maternity, Adoption, Paternity, Shared Parental Leave, Fertility Support Leave, and paid Carers Leave.
- Menopause and Reasonable Adjustments policies.
- Access to our Wellbeing Centre for physical and mental health support.
- Discounts on retail, dental, and medical insurance through Tap4Perks.
- Up to 4 Affinity Days per year to volunteer in the community.
- Life Assurance.
- Disability Confident.
As a Disability Confident employer, we offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria and opt in on the application form. If application numbers are very high, we will take a fair and proportionate number of disabled candidates through. A full job description is available from the Talent Acquisition team.
Affinity Water is committed to building a diverse, inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone can thrive.
Head of Developer and Wholesale Services in Watford employer: Affinity Water Limited
Contact Detail:
Affinity Water Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Developer and Wholesale Services in Watford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn or at events. Building relationships can open doors to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Know their values, recent projects, and challenges they face. This will help you tailor your responses and show you’re genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You should be able to clearly articulate your experience and how it aligns with the Head of Developer and Wholesale Services role. Keep it concise and impactful.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows your enthusiasm for the position. Plus, it keeps you on their radar.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Developer and Wholesale Services in Watford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in Developer Services and NHH markets. We want to see how your skills align with our goals, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Leadership Style: As a senior role, we’re keen to understand your leadership approach. Share examples of how you’ve inspired teams and led change in previous positions. This will help us see how you can shape a high-performing culture at Affinity Water.
Be Data-Driven: We love numbers! When discussing your past experiences, include specific metrics or outcomes that demonstrate your impact on customer experience improvements and operational efficiency. It’s all about showing us the results of your strategic decisions.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Affinity Water Limited
✨Know Your Numbers
As a candidate for the Head of Developer and Wholesale Services, you need to be well-versed in key performance metrics like D-MeX and BR-MeX. Brush up on these figures and be ready to discuss how you've influenced similar metrics in your previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This role requires leading a team of around 60 colleagues, so be prepared to share examples of how you've inspired teams and fostered a high-performance culture. Think about specific instances where your leadership made a tangible difference.
✨Understand Regulatory Frameworks
Since the position involves navigating regulatory obligations, make sure you can articulate your understanding of relevant regulations and how they impact customer operations. Be ready to discuss how you've ensured compliance in past roles.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement
You'll be acting as an ambassador for Affinity Water, so practice how you'll communicate with various stakeholders, including industry bodies. Prepare examples of how you've successfully influenced senior forums or managed commercial relationships in the past.