Optioneering Services Manager in Newport, Wales

• What you’ll be responsible for
• Provide strategic direction, management and support to a high‑performing team of Project Managers and a Programme Manager, incorporating technical wastewater assurance expertise and embedded commercial capability.

Create a collaborative environment with clear expectations, strong governance and accountability for programme and commercial performance.

• Manage and assure the effective application of the Investment Decision Process (IDP) across consultant‑led optioneering activities.

Recognise its importance in meeting regulatory assurance requirements, AMP commitments and value‑for‑money expectations.

Ensure options are developed, evaluated and approved through established IDP review stages, with clear justification, whole‑life cost considerations, transparent risk assessment and alignment to regulatory outcomes, asset needs and long‑term resilience priorities.

Provide assurance to senior stakeholders and regulators regarding investment recommendations.

• Provide strategic oversight and governance of engineering design activities delivered through consultancy frameworks, including accountability for Minimum Viable Solution selection and investment approval stages.
• Maintain strategic oversight of consultant performance, with responsibility for programme scope, timescales, cost and quality.

Ensure consultancy resources are deployed effectively and aligned with organisational and programme priorities.

• Coordinate the contributions of Subject Matter Experts and specialist engineering disciplines, ensuring timely, proportionate and robust technical input to support option development and design outcomes.
• Provide oversight of optioneering, concept development and early‑stage design activities, including pre‑IDP2 work, ensuring outputs are suitable for review and aligned with asset strategy requirements.
• Coordinate contributions from assurance and review activities undertaken by central engineering, technical, scientific and specialist teams.

Ensure compliance with DCWW standards, regulatory expectations and asset owner requirements.

• Maintain framework‑level oversight of design risks, assumptions, constraints and opportunities, providing evidence‑based recommendations to stakeholders to support effective investment planning and delivery.

Ensure alignment with relevant CDM obligations associated with early design stages.

• Develop and maintain consistent design governance arrangements, including processes, templates, standards and approval pathways across consultancy partners, promoting efficiency, consistency and quality.
• Work closely with Asset Planning, Asset Management, Capital Delivery, Maintenance and Operations teams to ensure design solutions are integrated, practical and appropriately developed for progression into delivery.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with consultants, contractors and internal stakeholders.

Establish clear expectations, facilitate collaboration and support the timely resolution of issues to enable successful delivery.

• Promote continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned and sharing insights to enhance frameworks, design processes, standard solutions and ways of working.
• Provide out‑of‑hours support as part of a standby rota arrangement.
• Undertake any additional responsibilities required to support business needs and organisational priorities.

About you

• The following are essential requirements for the recruitment of the role:
• Degree or equivalent qualification in Engineering or Project Management.
• Significant experience managing teams responsible for engineering consultancy services within complex, asset‑intensive capital programmes or regulated organisations.
• Demonstrated experience procuring and overseeing assurance activities delivered by external engineering consultants and framework partners.
• Experience supporting capital programmes and complex projects throughout all phases of design and delivery.
• Proven ability to operate within established technical governance, assurance and commercial control frameworks.
• Experience working within the design stages of water industry or comparable infrastructure projects.
• Experience managing multi‑disciplinary teams, fostering collaboration, accountability and high performance.
• Strong understanding of engineering consultancy delivery models and consultancy contract arrangements (e. g. NEC PSC or equivalent).
• Knowledge of design assurance, technical governance and quality management within regulated environments.
• Ability to oversee consultant performance, costs, risks and resource requirements across multiple programmes.
• Strong commercial and financial awareness, including budget management and contract performance monitoring.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication and influencing skills.
• Good to know
• There will be a requirement to participate in standby rota.
• Car allowance provided.
• If you would like any further information on this role, please contact .

Benefits

As well as a market competitive salary, 36 days annual leave (pro‑rata, including public holidays), we offer a range of employee benefits and rewards including:

• Variable pay schemes (your salary band will remain the same, but performance depending, you could receive an incremental within‑band increase and a yearly incentive).
• Option to buy additional annual leave up to 5 days per year.
• Enhanced employer pension contributions – up to 11% employer contributions.
• Free mortgage brokering services.
• Enhanced family‑friendly policies.
• Progression opportunities, including the ability to apply for funded training and coaching and mentoring programmes.
• Gym and fitness discounts as well as high‑street shopping.
• Cycle‑to‑work scheme.
• Discount off all Welsh Water visitor attraction centres and gift shops.
• Car‑leasing scheme and free on‑site parking at all sites.
• Health cashback scheme and access to an online GP service.
• An employee assistance programme for employees and their immediate family.
• Many more can be found on our website.
• Private health insurance.
• Employment Conditions

Due to the nature of the industry, we require satisfactory references, post‑offer medical clearance, and a criminal records Basic Disclosure check on all new employees joining the business.

For some roles there may be additional checks and security clearance required, and this offer is subject to all checks being satisfied.

You will receive further information on how to complete these checks via email once you have accepted this offer.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water keeps 3 million people healthy each day with safe, reliable water, and takes away wastewater to clean, before returning it safely to our beautiful rivers and seas.

To be able to deliver high quality, essential services which help to protect the health of our customers, colleagues and our environment, we need the right people to deliver on our vision.

This is achieved by living our core values and demonstrating the core behaviours that underpin them.

The security of our people, assets and information is key to us, so we are looking for people who understand and comply with the company’s required security objectives.

We know that the most successful teams are the most diverse teams.

Equality, diversity and inclusion provide the very foundation to our culture at Welsh Water.

We want every individual to feel confident, proud and able to bring their whole selves to work.

To ensure an improved representation in our workforce, applications are particularly welcome from minority groups including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people, Females, LGBT+, Non‑binary and people with disabilities.

Together we continue to build a workplace that not only celebrates the diverse voices of our colleagues but also represents each customer we serve.

In essence, ours is a company based on trust, openness, respect, commitment and honesty. A company that our colleagues are proud to work for.

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