At a Glance
- Tasks: Support target cost calculations and ensure commercial principles are applied across diverse projects.
- Company: Join Anglian Water, a leader in infrastructure and environmental programmes.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private healthcare, generous pension, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Structured development with clear progression to Target Cost Engineer role.
- Why this job: Kickstart your career in commercial assurance and make a real impact on water services.
- Qualifications: Degree in a relevant field and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 33000 - 37000 £ per year.
Circa £35k, salary depending on skills and experience. Full time, with the flexibility for part-time. Permanent. Hybrid working: Peterborough with the expectation of 3 days in the office.
Are you looking to build a career at the heart of major infrastructure investment and commercial excellence? As an Assistant Target Cost Engineer, you'll play a key role within our Commercial Services & Assurance team, helping to ensure Anglian Water delivers maximum value from its investment programmes while operating within our commercial and contractual frameworks.
Working alongside experienced commercial professionals and delivery partners, you'll support the development, review and assurance of target costs across a diverse portfolio of regulated projects. You'll gain exposure to a variety of delivery models, including alliance contracts, design and build arrangements, and NEC-based frameworks, developing a strong understanding of commercial principles, investment decision-making and target costing methodologies.
This is an excellent opportunity for an analytical and commercially minded individual who enjoys building relationships, challenging assumptions and working collaboratively to drive the best outcomes. You'll work closely with internal teams and external partners, developing the skills and experience needed to influence commercial performance across the business.
With structured development and hands-on experience, this role offers a clear pathway to progress into a Target Cost Engineer position as your knowledge and expertise grow.
What you'll be doing:
- Supporting the calculation and assurance of target costs across a diverse portfolio of regulated projects, ensuring costs align with approved investment decisions and commercial frameworks.
- Working with internal teams, alliance partners and contractors to ensure commercial principles are understood, applied consistently and accurately reflected in project targets.
- Reviewing and validating commercial and contractual data, helping to maintain accurate governance records and reporting across the business.
- Acting as a key link between planning and delivery teams, providing commercial insight and helping stakeholders make informed decisions.
- Supporting target cost reviews and assurance activities, helping to identify risks, opportunities and areas for improvement.
- Contributing to the development of commercial policies, principles and processes that support successful delivery across Anglian Water's investment programmes.
- Identifying opportunities to improve ways of working, including supporting process automation and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Helping to create and maintain guidance documents, training materials and business processes that enable consistent application of commercial practices.
- Supporting the delivery of awareness and training sessions to colleagues and partners across the business.
- Assisting with assurance audits, benchmarking exercises and performance reviews to help drive efficiencies and share best practice.
- Promoting a culture of good governance and commercial awareness, helping teams make the right decisions while delivering value for customers and the business.
We're looking for someone who can combine strategic thinking with exceptional communication skills, bringing together complex information to support major investment decisions.
Skills & Experience we're looking for:
- Degree qualified (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.
- Strong analytical skills with excellent attention to detail and the ability to interpret and validate complex information.
- A proactive, resilient and forward-thinking approach, with the confidence to challenge constructively and drive continuous improvement.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex information clearly and build effective working relationships across a range of stakeholders.
- Comfortable working independently while also collaborating as part of a wider team.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to adapt to changing priorities and make informed decisions.
- Good IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
- An interest in commercial management, target costing, estimating or cost assurance within an engineering, utilities or construction environment.
Desirable:
- Knowledge of target costing, estimating or commercial performance management.
- Experience within a construction, infrastructure or utilities environment, ideally within the water sector.
- Familiarity with Anglian Water cost models, Copperleaf, or similar investment and cost management systems.
- Professional qualification or membership of a relevant professional body.
- Experience assessing risks and making decisions in dynamic or uncertain situations.
We invest in our people - as a valued employee, you'll be entitled to:
- Personal private health care
- Generous double match pension - contribute 7% and Anglian Water will contribute 14%, giving a total contribution of 21%
- 24-hour Virtual GP service for you and your household
- 25 days annual leave - rising with length of service and the ability to buy more
- Life assurance (up to 8 x salary)
- Personal accident cover (up to 5 x salary)
- Excellent family friendly policies, such as 26 weeks full pay for maternity / adoption leave, as well as 4 weeks paid paternity / partner leave.
- Opportunity for shared parental pay
- Bonus scheme
- Flexible benefits and working culture to support your wellbeing and lifestyle.
Why apply:
This is a fantastic opportunity to build a career in commercial assurance and target costing within one of the UK's largest infrastructure and environmental programmes. You'll gain exposure to a wide range of delivery models, work alongside industry experts and play a key role in helping Anglian Water deliver value for customers and the environment.
As an Assistant Target Cost Engineer, you'll develop specialist skills in commercial management, cost assurance and investment governance, while working on projects that make a real difference to the region's water and wastewater services. You'll also benefit from structured development, hands-on experience and a clear pathway to progress into a Target Cost Engineer role.
Closing date: 21st July 2026
Assistant Target Cost Engineer in Peterborough employer: Anglian-Water-5
Anglian Water is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth, offering a flexible working environment and a competitive salary package. With comprehensive benefits such as a double-matched pension scheme and private healthcare, employees are supported in both their personal and professional lives while contributing to meaningful projects that enhance customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Target Cost Engineer in Peterborough
✨Join Construction Networks
Get yourself involved in local construction networks or industry events. They often have job boards, and networking can lead to unadvertised positions. Plus, it’s a great way to meet potential future colleagues!
✨Show Off Your Skills on Site
If you’ve done any hands-on work, whether it's through internships or personal projects, make sure you can showcase it. Consider volunteering for local construction projects or getting involved in community build days; it’s a solid way to demonstrate your skills and build connections.
✨Utilise Construction Job Sites
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✨Tailor Your Application for Full-Time Roles
Make your application stand out by tailoring it specifically for full-time positions. Highlight how your previous projects align with the company's work. At StudySmarter, we encourage you to demonstrate your commitment and long-term interest in the industry when applying for roles like Assistant Target Cost Engineer at Anglian-Water-5.
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Relevant Experience:In the construction industry, it's essential to highlight any hands-on experience you have. Whether it’s past projects you've worked on or specific roles you've held, make sure your CV emphasises your practical skills and contributions to construction sites.
Include Certifications and Qualifications:Don’t forget to list any certifications relevant to construction, like CSCS cards or other safety qualifications. These can really set you apart from other candidates and show that you’re serious about health and safety on-site.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Construction:When writing your cover letter for a construction role, focus on your problem-solving capabilities and teamwork. Construction relies heavily on collaboration, so mention how you’ve worked successfully with others to complete projects on time and within budget.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Anglian-Water-5
✨Brush Up on Technical Knowledge
For a construction role, it's crucial we have a solid grasp of industry standards, safety protocols, and specific tools used on-site. Make sure you're familiar with relevant regulations and can talk confidently about them, as these often come up in interviews.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Since this is a full-time position, be ready to discuss any previous construction projects you've worked on. Bring a portfolio or have detailed descriptions that highlight your role, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them—this’ll show you’re not just book-smart but also practically savvy.
✨Understand the Team Dynamics
Construction is all about teamwork, so prepare to discuss how you interact with different stakeholders like architects, engineers, and contractors. Maybe think of examples from past experiences to illustrate your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.
✨Prepare for On-the-Spot Problem Solving
Be ready for some practical questions or scenarios where you'll need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Interviewers might present you with a hypothetical construction issue to solve, so practice articulating your thought process clearly and logically—this could really set you apart!
