At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead our leakage strategy and drive innovation in water loss reduction.
- Company: Join South West Water, part of Pennon Group, committed to a greener future.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days leave, private healthcare, and development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values inclusion and celebrates uniqueness.
- Why this job: Make a real environmental impact while shaping your career in a vital role.
- Qualifications: Significant experience in leakage management and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 61408 - 80000 £ per year.
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 include lowering our carbon footprint, planting 300,000 trees, restoring peatlands, and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
We’re looking for an experienced and strategic leader to join us as Head of Leakage, a critical role responsible for shaping and delivering our end-to-end approach to water loss reduction. The role will be based in either Surrey, Exeter or Bristol, with an expectation of regular travel across our operational areas.
About The Role
You will own the organisation’s leakage strategy and performance, ensuring we meet ambitious regulatory commitments while driving efficiency, innovation and value for customers and the environment. Acting as the single point of accountability for leakage performance, you’ll bring together strategy, operations, data and regulatory insight to deliver sustainable outcomes across our network.
What You'll Be Doing
- Defining and leading our long-term leakage strategy, aligning with water resource planning and regulatory cycles.
- Owning performance against regulatory commitments and ODIs, ensuring delivery is robust, measurable and continuously improving.
- Leading the development of leakage components within Price Reviews (PR) and Water Resource Management Plans (WRMP).
- Acting as the senior representative for leakage, engaging with regulators and industry bodies.
- Setting clear expectations for operational teams and ensuring delivery against stretching targets.
- Overseeing water balance, leakage reporting, data quality and assurance frameworks.
- Driving innovation in leakage management, including smart networks, analytics and new technologies.
- Establishing effective governance, operating models and cross-functional collaboration.
- Leading and developing a high-performing team of specialists.
Essential Experience
- Significant experience in leakage, water loss or network performance within a regulated utility.
- Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks, including PR and WRMP processes.
- Proven ability to lead strategy development and performance management at scale.
- Experience contributing to or leading regulatory submissions and business cases.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data to drive decisions.
- Ability to influence and challenge across a matrix organisation.
- Excellent stakeholder management, including senior leadership and regulators.
Desirable
- Experience with smart water networks, digital transformation or advanced analytics.
- Knowledge of water balance methodology and assurance frameworks.
- Commercial awareness, including investment optimisation and cost-benefit analysis.
- Experience delivering cross-functional transformation programmes.
What's In It For You
We know our people drive our success — so we’re committed to offering an excellent range of benefits, including:
- 30 days annual leave + bank holidays.
- Bonus Plan.
- 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.
This is a unique opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping how we manage one of our most valuable resources. You’ll work at the intersection of strategy, operations and innovation, helping to deliver real environmental impact while ensuring value for customers.
Closing Date: 26th June 2026. We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. 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 every day. 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.
Head of Leakage in Redhill employer: Pennon Group Plc
At South West Water, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. With a commitment to employee growth, we provide extensive training opportunities and a comprehensive benefits package, including private healthcare and a competitive pension scheme. Join us in the stunning landscapes of Surrey, Exeter, or Bristol, where you can make a meaningful impact on water management while enjoying a supportive and inclusive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Leakage in Redhill
✨Get Involved in Local Environmental Initiatives
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Check out organisations like the Institution of Environmental Engineers for networking opportunities and resources. They often host events and seminars that can help us connect with key players in the industry, including potential employers like Pennon Group Plc.
✨Show Off Your Projects and Passion
Create a portfolio that highlights any relevant projects, whether it's coursework, internships, or personal initiatives. Share this online, perhaps even on platforms like GitHub or your own website, to grab the attention of hiring managers looking for talent like us.
✨Utilise Environmental Job Boards
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We think you need these skills to ace Head of Leakage in Redhill
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Technical Skills:When applying for a role in environmental engineering tech, make sure to highlight your technical skills like CAD software proficiency, data analysis, or modelling techniques. These are essential for the job and should stand out in your CV and cover letter, showing how you can contribute to projects at Pennon Group Plc.
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Tailor Your Application to the Role:Don't just send a generic CV and cover letter. Make sure to tailor your application to the specific role of Head of Leakage at Pennon Group Plc. Highlight experiences that align directly with the job description and give concrete examples of your work to demonstrate that you’re the right fit for a full-time position.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Pennon Group Plc
✨Brush Up on Environmental Regulations
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest environmental regulations and standards. In an environmental engineering tech role at Pennon Group Plc, you might be asked specific questions about compliance measures, so understanding these will definitely give you an edge.
✨Showcase Your Technical Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your proficiency with relevant tools and software, such as AutoCAD or GIS. You might be given a practical problem to solve during the interview, so it’s a great idea to brush up on these skills and perhaps even bring a portfolio of your projects to showcase your technical prowess.
✨Highlight Your Passion for Sustainability
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✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Be ready for behavioural questions that assess how you handle teamwork, conflict, and project management. Think of examples from your studies or practical experiences where you tackled challenges effectively, showcasing both your technical and interpersonal skills.
