SEMD Lead in Snodland

Are you a proactive project manager with a knack for compliance, risk mitigation, and team leadership? South East Water is seeking a hands‑on SEMD (Security and Emergency Measures Direction) Lead to ensure our operations meet vital regulatory standards under the Water Industry Act. Whether you bring deep expertise in emergency planning and the water sector or offer exceptional project management skills from another regulated industry, this high-visibility role places you at the heart of our operational resilience.

Key Responsibilities & Ownership:

• Serve as the strategic connector across South East Water, ensuring SEMD guidance is seamlessly understood and embedded in daily operations.
• Drive two critical workstreams:
• SEMD RAG Assessment ‘Go Green Plan’: Act as Lead Project Manager to drive milestones and maintain momentum across departments. Produce monthly performance and progress reports for the SEMD Steering Group and Regulatory Steering Groups. Deliver comprehensive quarterly updates directly to the Executive team.
• SEMD Legal Instruments Delivery: Manage and deliver required legal instruments, ensuring strict adherence to internal and external reporting deadlines. Proactively identify milestone risks, devise mitigation strategies, and implement corrective actions. Oversee and mentor a small, dedicated team, providing direct, hands‑on support to execute daily objectives.

What We Are Looking For:

• Proven Leadership & Project Management: Demonstrated ability to track complex milestones, manage risk, and deliver executive-level reporting.
• Collaborative Mindset: Strong cross‑departmental communication skills to educate, align, and gain buy‑in on regulatory compliance.
• Hands‑On Team Manager: Readiness to dive into detail while leading and developing a small specialist team.
• Industry & Security Experience (Preferred): Prior experience in emergency response, resilience, or the water industry is an advantage, but transferable experience in compliance‑heavy or utility sectors is highly valued.

Main Responsibilities:

• Good standard of secondary education and able to demonstrate a good standard of numeracy and literacy skills.
• A formal qualification in security and or emergency planning would be advantageous.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences and build strong working relationships.
• Highly organised, methodical and adept at managing time effectively.
• Demonstrate thoroughness and a strong attention to detail.
• A curious and innovative thinker who is comfortable constructively challenging the status quo.
• Able to simplify complex topics and issues to engage with a wider range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to plan effectively and deliver against deadlines, even when facing significant obstacles.
• Managed projects from initial discovery and scoping through to execution and post‑launch evaluation.
• Proven track record in managing teams, projects, or large‑scale programmes.
• Proficiency as a technical author, capable of creating structured business templates and procedural documentation.
• Demonstrable experience working on projects or initiatives relating to SEMD and a clear understanding of the requirements.

Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities.

Grow a career with a meaningful purpose. We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Benefits package:

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

What can you expect from your recruitment?

It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water. Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

Compensation package: Up to £60,000

South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.