At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive innovation in water supply and demand, tackling real-world challenges.
- Company: Join Yorkshire Water, a leader in environmental sustainability.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, wellness days, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Exciting career growth opportunities in a dynamic, collaborative environment.
- Why this job: Make a tangible impact on communities and the environment through innovative solutions.
- Qualifications: Technical knowledge in clean water and a passion for continuous learning.
The predicted salary is between 43016 - 52576 £ per year.
Join our dynamic Innovation Team at Yorkshire Water and help us provide the best possible service to our customers while protecting the environment. We're looking for curious minds who are passionate about innovation and eager to make a difference.
Why You'll Love Working With Us:
- Competitive Salary: Starting at £50,719 progressing up to £63,398 based on experience and development.
- Development in Role: Role specific progression plan to support and enable personal development.
- Annual Bonus: Up to £1,000 based on company performance.
- Fantastic Benefits: Enjoy a generous pension scheme with up to 12% employer contribution, 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, 2 wellness days off work, life assurance cover, and optional benefits like health cash plans, dental insurance, and gym membership discounts.
- Flexible Work Arrangements: Our hybrid working model allows you to balance office and home working, giving you the flexibility you need.
- Career Growth: Take advantage of our training and development opportunities to advance your career.
This role has been classified as a Business Needs Users (BNU) and is eligible for a Company Car or Cash Allowance subject to company criteria.
What You'll Be Doing:
As our Innovation Technical Specialist for Water Supply and Demand, you'll be at the forefront of driving change - shaping how Yorkshire Water tackles some of its biggest drinking water challenges and unlocking new opportunities.
You will:
- Get under the skin of the business - understanding strategic and operational needs, translating complex risks and challenges into clear opportunities, and identifying the gaps where innovation can deliver real impact.
- Spot and champion transformative ideas - scanning the horizon for cutting-edge solutions, rigorously evaluating their potential and alignment with needs, and supporting the selection of innovations that will make the biggest difference, both now and in the future.
- Lead innovation from concept to reality - prioritising and driving a dynamic programme of projects that test new ideas, prove concepts, and enable accelerated adoption - while building strong sponsorship and momentum across the business.
- Be the technical authority and connector - bringing the right expertise to the table, whether from within YW or beyond, and unlocking additional funding to amplify impact through routes such as Ofwat's Water Innovation Fund, UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR), or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
- Turn innovation into business-as-usual - ensuring successful ideas don't stop at trials, but are embedded into operations through compelling business cases and clear, actionable insights for colleagues to deliver.
- Be a visible advocate for innovation - actively promoting its value across Yorkshire Water and the wider sector, influencing strategy, shaping industry thinking, and representing YW on national and international stages.
This is your opportunity to lead from the front - transforming bold ideas into real-world environmental impact and helping shape the future of wastewater innovation at scale.
What We're Looking For:
- Demonstrable technical knowledge and experience in Clean Water, focusing on solutions for network asset management, leakage, bursts and repairs, supply/demand balance and water efficiency.
- A science or engineering degree and/or significant (5+ years) experience in the relevant technical area.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a particular talent for communicating complex, technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- A drive for continuous learning and development in your technical specialist area, with a curiosity and passion to keep at the forefront of emerging knowledge and technologies.
- Ability to analyse and challenge perceived norms and new ideas, and to be creative with solutions and ways of working to solve problems.
- Ability to develop and maintain effective internal and external relationships with experience of collaborative working and ability to influence for real change.
- Technical appreciation of the operations of a water company, including treatment assets, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks and customer service requirements.
- Experience of working within a team to deliver projects in a Research and Development environment.
- Experience of supporting and embedding change, able to influence and drive the right culture and behaviours.
- Experience in a commercially orientated role within a regulated sector.
- A positive attitude and a growth mindset.
Why Yorkshire Water?
We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire's water, today, tomorrow, 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region's health, wellbeing, and prosperity.
New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry.
Location: This role will be based at our new office at Leeds Valley Park, which opens in September 2026. We have a hybrid working arrangement in place, a mix of office and home working, and travel around the UK from time to time.
Work type: Permanent, working full time 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it's important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options where we can, to help you make the best of both your work and home life.
Ready to Apply? If you're excited about the challenge and want to be part of a forward-thinking team, apply today and discover what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you. Please submit your CV and a covering letter to complete your application.
Closing Date: 10 September 2026.
Interview Dates: 21 & 23 September 2026.
If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.
All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required. We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.
If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.
Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
No agencies please.
Innovation Technical Specialist in Leeds employer: All The Top Bananas
My Four Wheels is an exceptional employer, offering a rewarding career as a Trainee Driving Instructor with flexible working hours and the potential to earn up to £50,000+ annually. With comprehensive training provided through our new Training Academy, employees benefit from ongoing support and resources, ensuring a fulfilling journey towards becoming a qualified instructor while enjoying the satisfaction of teaching locally in Westfield, Surrey.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Innovation Technical Specialist in Leeds
✨Leverage Innovation Hubs
Tap into local innovation hubs and research centres. These places often host events and workshops where you can meet like-minded people and industry leaders. Plus, they might have job openings that aren't widely advertised, so keep your ears open!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Turn your past innovation projects into compelling stories. Create a portfolio showcasing your creativity and problem-solving skills. This can give hiring managers a real flavour of what you can bring to the table at companies like All The Top Bananas.
✨Connect at Industry Conferences
Make it a point to attend industry conferences and seminars focused on R&D and innovation management. These events are fantastic for networking and often have job boards or career fairs where you can connect directly with firms looking for talent.
✨Use Your University’s Resources
If you're fresh out of university, don't forget to tap into your institution's career services. They often have exclusive partnerships with companies seeking new talent in R&D, especially for full-time roles. It's a good shortcut to landing a gig at places like All The Top Bananas.
We think you need these skills to ace Innovation Technical Specialist in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Creative Thinking:In innovation and R&D management, it's all about thinking outside the box. Make sure your CV highlights any projects or experiences that showcase your creative problem-solving skills. Use specific examples to illustrate how you've developed and implemented innovative ideas in previous roles.
Tailor Your Experience to R&D:When you're crafting your CV, focus on your experience in research and development. Highlight any relevant projects you've worked on, including methodologies used and results achieved. This will show us at All The Top Bananas that you understand the R&D process and can contribute meaningfully to our projects.
Let Your Passion Shine in the Cover Letter:For a full-time role like this, your cover letter should reflect your genuine passion for innovation and development. Share your excitement about the opportunity to work at All The Top Bananas and touch on how your goals align with our mission. This helps us see your motivation for wanting to join our team!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers speak volumes in R&D! Whenever possible, quantify your achievements in your CV. Whether it’s a percentage improvement in project outcomes, the budget size you’ve managed, or the number of successful products you've launched, these figures will help paint a clearer picture of your impact and capabilities.
How to prepare for a job interview at All The Top Bananas
✨Show Off Your Innovative Thinking
In an Innovation R&D Management role at All The Top Bananas, they're going to want to see how you approach problem-solving. Be ready to discuss previous projects where you introduced a new idea or process. Highlight your ability to think outside the box and provide examples where your innovations drove significant results.
✨Familiarity with Tools and Technologies
Make sure you're clued up on the latest tools and technologies related to innovation management, such as project management software and data analysis platforms. Being able to discuss specific tools you’ve used or have experience with will show All The Top Bananas that you’re ready to hit the ground running.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, emphasising your teamwork skills will be essential. In innovation, collaboration often sparks the best ideas, so be ready to talk about how you've worked effectively within cross-functional teams in your past roles. Have concrete examples at the ready!
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions in your interview that reflect real challenges you might face in the role. £At All The Top Bananas, they might want to see how you handle tight deadlines or manage conflicting ideas within a team. Prepare some responses that demonstrate your critical thinking and decisiveness in high-pressure situations.
