Mid Planner in Devon, 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 support 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. Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.

Role Overview

The DWS M&E Operations Planner based at Crownhill Depot or Plymouth is responsible for developing, coordinating, and maintaining detailed operational plans and schedules to support the efficient operation and maintenance of water treatment facilities. This role ensures that all planned activities are delivered safely, on time, and in line with agreed service level agreements (SLAs), while maintaining compliance with environmental and regulatory standards. Working cross-functionally with operational teams, delivery partners, and stakeholders, the Operations Planner will optimise resource allocation, minimise downtime, and deliver a robust end-to-end access plan for field-based teams. The role plays a key part in ensuring high standards of service delivery, customer focus, and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Planning
  • Develop and maintain detailed operational plans to ensure efficient service delivery across water treatment facilities and the distribution network.
  • Coordinate and manage all planned activities ensuring they are tracked through to completion.
  • Produce draft operational programmes to support safe, structured, and customer-focused outcomes.
  • Support Investment Manager submissions, including RIO, Health & Safety, and Planned Need Statements.
• Resource Allocation
  • Optimise the use of resources (personnel, equipment, and materials) to meet operational requirements efficiently.
• Maintenance Scheduling
  • Plan and schedule preventative and routine maintenance to maximise asset reliability and minimise downtime.
  • Schedule all planned work, including major/minor servicing, sump cleaning, and contractor activities.
  • Manage maintenance schedule tasks (MSTs), adjusting frequency and work instructions based on operational feedback.
• Data Analysis & Performance Improvement
  • Analyse operational data to identify trends, forecast future needs, and improve planning processes.
  • Identify asset data quality issues, escalating to the Area Maintenance Manager and recommending improvements to enhance performance.
• Compliance & Standards
  • Ensure all plans and activities comply with environmental regulations, company standards, and statutory requirements.
  • Maintain a strong focus on safety, ensuring all operations adhere to health and safety best practices.
• Stakeholder Coordination
  • Collaborate with internal teams, delivery partners, contractors, and external stakeholders to ensure aligned and effective execution of plans.
  • Maintain positive relationships with internal departments, customers, public authorities, and regulatory bodies.
• Reporting
  • Prepare and deliver reports on planning activities, resource utilisation, and operational performance.
  • Monitor and report on adherence to schedules, including missed maintenance schedule tasks (MSTs).
• Operational Support & Incident Management
  • Provide support during environmental or operational incidents.
  • Participate in out-of-hours (OOH) rotas where required.
  • Support Maintenance and R&P Managers with information and Data and provide support in their absence.
• Health, Safety & Culture
  • Promote a strong safety culture, ensuring all employees and contractors return home safely every day.
  • Contribute to creating an environment focused on zero harm, preventing serious incidents and lost time injuries.

Key Skills & Experience

• Strong planning and scheduling experience within utilities, infrastructure, or operations environments.
• Ability to analyse data and translate insights into actionable plans.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proactive problem-solver with a continuous improvement mindset.

Closing Date: 10th July 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.