At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead customer research projects to shape essential services and influence strategic decisions.
- Company: Join South West Water, part of Pennon Group, committed to a greener future.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, annual bonus, flexible working, and healthcare benefits.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for career growth and personal development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by turning customer insights into actionable strategies.
- Qualifications: Experience in research and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 51750 - 63250 £ 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?
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.
Customer Research Manager
Based out of Bristol, Exeter or Redhill site| Customer Department | Hybrid Working - 12 month fixed term contract - maternity cover
Make an Impact Through Insight
At South West Water, we're passionate about delivering exceptional services for our customers and communities.
As part of the Pennon Group family, we provide water and wastewater services across the South West, alongside Bournemouth Water, Bristol Water, and Sutton & East Surrey Water.
We're looking for an experienced
Customer Research Manager to join our Customer team and play a pivotal role in ensuring the customer voice informs strategic decision‑making across our businesses.
This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled research and insight professional to lead significant customer research programmes, influence senior stakeholders, and help shape the future of essential services.
What You'll Be Doing
As Customer Research Manager, you'll work as part of a specialist team responsible for designing, managing and delivering customer research programmes across South West Water, Bournemouth Water, Bristol Water, and Sutton & East Surrey Water.
You'll use robust research methodologies and analytical expertise to provide meaningful insight that influences business strategy, customer experience, and regulatory outcomes.
Key responsibilities include
- Building strong relationships with stakeholders to understand business challenges and research requirements.
- Designing, managing and delivering customer research projects across the Group.
- Conducting in‑house research, including survey design, scripting and analysis.
- Commissioning external research projects and working closely with procurement and legal teams.
- Managing third‑party research agencies to ensure high‑quality delivery and value for money.
- Interpreting customer and regulatory research findings and translating them into actionable insights.
- Presenting research outcomes and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
- Supporting evidence‑based decision‑making across Customer, Strategy and Regulation teams.
- Ensuring research activities comply with legal, regulatory and data protection requirements.
- What You’ll Bring
We're looking for an analytical, commercially aware and customer‑focused professional who can turn complex data into compelling insights.
Essential
- Experience working within a research, insight, customer insight or policy environment.
- Proven experience designing, managing and delivering robust market or social research projects.
- Strong analytical skills and extensive experience using Excel for data analysis.
- Experience managing research projects from inception to delivery.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong project management, planning and organisational capabilities.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver to challenging deadlines.
- Critical thinking and problem‑solving skills.
- Degree educated or equivalent qualification.
- A-Level Mathematics or equivalent.
Desirable
- Experience working within a regulated sector or utility environment.
- Experience working with regulators and regulatory research.
- Experience commissioning external research and managing suppliers.
- Experience working with procurement, legal and data protection colleagues.
- Experience managing project budgets.
- Knowledge of SPSS, R or other statistical analysis tools.
- Qualification including research methods, statistics or data analysis.
- We believe in rewarding our people for their hard work and dedication. As our
Customer Research Manager you'll enjoy
- Competitive Salary
- Based on experience and skills
- Annual Bonus Scheme
- Recognising company performance
- Pension Scheme – Helping you plan for your future
- Flexible Working Options – We value work‑life balance and offer flexible hours and hybrid working where possible
- Healthcare Benefits – Access to employee assistance programs
- Employee Discounts – On various products and services
- Annual Leave – Take time to recharge with our holiday entitlement
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.
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Customer Research Manager in Redhill employer: South West Water Limited
South West Water Limited is an exceptional employer, offering a unique apprenticeship opportunity that combines earning with learning in the beautiful regions of Cornwall and Devon. With a strong focus on employee growth, apprentices will gain invaluable hands-on experience in automation and controls engineering, while benefiting from a supportive work culture that prioritises career progression and skill development. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to innovation and sustainability in the water industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Customer Research Manager in Redhill
✨Get Social with Customer Support Communities
Join customer support groups on platforms like Facebook or Reddit. They often share job openings or temp opportunities. Engaging with these communities can help you learn more about the specific skills and experiences employers are looking for, plus you'll meet folks who might know about openings at companies like South West Water Limited.
✨Leverage Seasonal Hiring Trends
Since customer support roles can spike during busy seasons (think holidays and sales periods), keep an eye out for timelines when companies ramp up hiring. Make sure to apply early and stay active; sending a quick follow-up a week after applying can show your enthusiasm for the role.
✨Flex Your Communication Skills
In customer support, communication is key! Prepare for hypothetical scenarios that test your problem-solving and customer interaction skills. Practising answers to common role-play questions can really help you shine in interviews—trust us, it makes a difference!
✨Make the Most of Job Boards
Use industry-specific job boards like Glassdoor or Indeed to find temporary roles. Don’t forget to set up alerts for customer support positions at companies like South West Water Limited. The earlier you apply, the better your chances, so keep your finger on the pulse!
We think you need these skills to ace Customer Research Manager in Redhill
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Communication Skills:In customer support, top-notch communication is key. Make sure your CV showcases any previous experience where you’ve had to clearly convey information or resolve issues. If you’ve handled customer queries via email or chat, mention it! Let’s see those strong verbal and written skills shine through.
Showcase Problem-Solving Experience:Employers love to see how you've handled tricky situations. Include examples in your application where you’ve tackled customer concerns or had to think on your feet. It's all about proving you can keep cool under pressure and find solutions—something super important in a temporary customer support role!
Tailor Your Approach for Temporary Roles:Since this is a temporary gig, make sure your cover letter emphasises your flexibility and eagerness to dive right in. Mention that you're ready to hit the ground running and are adaptable to new tools or systems—this shows that you understand the urgency often needed in temporary positions.
Proof of Customer Satisfaction:If you’ve got any quantifiable achievements from past customer support roles, like improved customer satisfaction scores or successful project completions, make sure to include them. Numbers speak volumes! This not only shows your capability but also gives us a reason to believe you'll bring that same success to South West Water Limited.
How to prepare for a job interview at South West Water Limited
✨Master the Customer Interaction Game
In customer support, we need to showcase our people skills. Prepare for role-playing scenarios where you'll demonstrate how to handle difficult customers or resolve complaints. Think about the types of issues common in South West Water Limited's industry and how you can respond empathetically and effectively!
✨Know Your Products Inside Out
For a temporary role, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the products or services South West Water Limited offers. Brush up on key features, common issues, and FAQs. This knowledge will enable you to respond quickly and confidently to customer queries, showing you’re ready to jump in at a moment’s notice!
✨Flexibility is Key - Emphasise Your Adaptability!
Since this is a temporary role, we're looking to convey how quickly we can adapt to new systems or processes. Be ready to share examples of how you've quickly learned new tools or adjusted to changing environments in past roles. Show them you're the go-to person when the pressure's on!
✨Prepare for Quick Conversational Q&A
You might face a rapid-fire round of questions about customer service principles or how you'd handle specific situations. To ace this, think through different customer scenarios ahead of time, and practice your responses to ensure they're concise and impactful. The aim is to demonstrate your quick thinking and problem-solving skills!
