Senior Programme Manager – Customer Transformation

At Affinity Water, we are embarking on Phase 2 of our Board-approved Customer Transformation Programme - a flagship, enterprise-wide change initiative that will redefine our Customer Experience operating model and replace our legacy billing and debt management platforms. This is a career-defining opportunity to lead a transformation programme with full accountability for delivery to time, cost and quality.

The Role

• As Programme Director, you will lead and orchestrate a complex, multi-year transformation spanning technology, operating model redesign, customer journeys, data migration and cultural change.
• Own end-to-end delivery of the Customer Transformation Phase 2 programme.
• Lead a programme structure of up to 40+ colleagues (internal and external), evolving across delivery stages.
• Oversee replacement of core billing and debt management systems and integration with CRM, digital channels, and contact centre technologies.
• Design and embed a future-ready Customer Experience operating model.
• Manage phased migrations including build, data migration, UAT and cutover.
• Lead procurement and ongoing oversight of a Systems Integrator.
• Own a multi-million-pound budget with rigorous forecasting, benefits tracking and governance compliance.
• Engage regularly with Executive leadership and provide strategic oversight reporting to Board representatives.
• Translate complex technical and data concepts into clear, compelling narratives for senior stakeholders.

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring strong commercial acumen, strategic oversight and hands-on delivery credibility.

What We're Looking For:

• 10+ years' senior programme leadership experience delivering large-scale technology and business change initiatives.
• Proven end-to-end delivery of enterprise billing and/or collections platform transformation.
• Experience leading cross-directorate change at scale, driving alignment across complex organisations.
• Strong Systems Integrator and multi-vendor management expertise, including commercial oversight.
• Deep knowledge of data migration, reconciliation and phased cutover strategies.
• Demonstrated benefits realisation, including measurable improvements such as cost-to-serve reduction, bad debt optimisation and customer experience uplift.
• Confidence operating in hybrid delivery environments, blending Agile-at-scale with robust governance controls.
• Executive-level stakeholder engagement capability, with the credibility to influence at Board level.

Additionally:

• Experience within utilities, financial services, telecoms or the public sector is highly desirable.
• Professional certifications such as PRINCE2, APM, SAFe, Lean/Six Sigma or PROSCI are advantageous — however, proven delivery experience and impact are valued more highly than formal qualifications.

Personal Qualities

• Credible, visible and inspiring leader.
• Strategic thinker who connects change initiatives across the organisation.
• Strong communicator able to simplify complexity.
• Commercially astute with strong financial oversight.
• Resilient, decisive and delivery-focused.
• Collaborative, inclusive and committed to customer outcomes.

Benefits:

• Salary dependant on skills and experience.
• This role operates on a hybrid basis, with attendance in our Hatfield office required 2–5 days per week, aligned to programme demands and key delivery milestones.
• Car cash allowance.
• Learning and development opportunities, including mentoring and a range of formal courses and open learning resources.
• Entry into the company annual bonus scheme.
• Annual leave from ***** rising with length of service, and the option to purchase up to 5 extra days.
• A 'Celebration Day' in addition to public holidays that people can use to celebrate a religious festival or other occasion that is important to them.
• A generous 'double match pension scheme' that doubles the contributions you make (company contribution capped at 12%).
• We offer a range of family benefits including enhanced Maternity, Adoption, Paternity, Shared Parental Leave, Fertility Support Leave and up to 5 full or 10 half days of paid Carers Leave.
• Menopause policy and Reasonable Adjustment policy to help everyone perform at their best.
• Access to our Wellbeing Centre with support for looking after your physical and mental health.
• Discounts at a Range of Retail Outlets and on Dental and Medical Insurance through our Tap4Perks scheme.
• Up to 4 Affinity days a year to volunteer in the community.
• Life Assurance.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident employer, we're committed to offering interviews to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria and opt in on the application form. If we have a very high volume of applicants and we're not able to offer interviews to all, we'll take a fair and proportionate number of disabled candidates through.

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. You can find out what it's like to work at Affinity Water through our career site where our colleagues share their career development stories and you can get a feel for our company culture.