Innovation & Asset Standards Lead in Exeter

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

We’re looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Innovation & Asset Standards Lead to drive innovation across our organisation while ensuring our technical standards continue to support safe, efficient and future-ready asset management.

This is a unique opportunity to influence how a major infrastructure business evolves, connecting people, ideas and technology to solve some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. You’ll play a pivotal role in identifying, developing and scaling innovative solutions while maintaining the governance and standards that underpin the performance of our assets.

If you’re passionate about innovation, collaboration and engineering excellence, we’d love to hear from you.

What You’ll Be Doing

As our Innovation & Asset Standards Lead, you’ll act as the central coordinator for innovation activity across the business, helping teams identify opportunities, secure funding and turn great ideas into practical outcomes.

You’ll also own the technical standards framework that guides how assets are designed, constructed, commissioned and maintained, ensuring our standards remain current, practical and capable of supporting innovation.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Leading and coordinating the organisation's innovation portfolio
• Developing and managing submissions for external funding opportunities, including innovation funds and research programmes
• Building strong partnerships with universities, technology providers, industry bodies and supply chain partners
• Supporting business units to develop innovation capability and scale successful solutions
• Owning and continuously improving the company's technical standards framework
• Ensuring standards reflect regulatory requirements, operational learning and industry best practice
• Creating governance processes that balance technical assurance with innovation and flexibility
• Championing modern methods of construction, digital engineering and emerging technologies
• Reporting on innovation performance, benefits realisation and strategic outcomes

What We’re Looking For

You’ll bring a combination of technical expertise, strategic thinking and stakeholder engagement skills, alongside a genuine passion for driving improvement.

We’re Particularly Interested In Candidates With

• Significant experience in engineering, asset management or technical leadership within a regulated utility or infrastructure environment
• Experience leading or coordinating innovation programmes, portfolios or funding bids
• Knowledge of innovation funding streams such as the Ofwat Innovation Fund, Innovate UK or similar programmes
• Experience developing or managing technical standards, engineering governance or assurance frameworks
• Strong partnership and stakeholder management skills across internal and external organisations
• The ability to influence and engage a diverse range of audiences, from operational teams to executive stakeholders
• Experience balancing innovation, risk and compliance in complex environments

Essential Qualifications

• Degree qualification in a relevant discipline
• Chartered status, or working towards chartership, with a recognised professional institution (such as ICE, CIWEM, RICS, BCS or equivalent)
• Understanding of asset management, risk management and resilience principles

Desirable Qualifications

• Project or programme management qualifications or experience
• Knowledge of asset management frameworks such as ISO 55000
• Knowledge of information management standards such as ISO 19650
• Understanding of the UK water regulatory landscape

Why join us?

This role offers the opportunity to leave a lasting impact across the organisation by shaping how innovation is developed, funded and embedded into everyday practice.

• 30 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Bonus
• Private Healthcare
• Company car or cash for car allowance
• Competitive contributory pension
• Share-save scheme
• Health benefits & wellbeing support programmes
• Group discounts
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Financial support services
• Development and training opportunities … and much more!

Closing Date: 14th Aug 2026

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid

Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You

We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future

Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.

We look after the water and wastewater services for 1.8 million customers across Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Dorset and Somerset.

From treatment and maintenance, to innovation and improvements, we’re busy every day finding and fixing leaks, unblocking sewers and going bigger and further in our environmental work to be a company you can be proud of.