At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to design and build innovative data solutions for a sustainable future.
- Company: Join South West Water, a leader in the UK water sector with a mission for a greener future.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, healthcare benefits, and an annual bonus scheme.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse culture that values inclusion and celebrates uniqueness.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by transforming data into actionable insights for essential services.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading data engineering teams and delivering production-ready data platforms.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 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.
At South West Water, we're transforming how we use data to deliver essential services, improve customer outcomes, and support a sustainable future. We're looking for a Data Engineering Manager to lead our data engineering capability, someone who can combine technical expertise, leadership, and strategic thinking to unlock the full value of our data.
The Role
- Lead and develop a high-performing team of Data Engineers, driving the design, build, and operation of reliable, scalable data platforms and products.
- Shape how we deliver modern, cloud-based data engineering while ensuring the stability and evolution of legacy systems.
- Help turn complex data into actionable insights that support business decisions and long-term strategy.
What You'll Be Doing
- Build, coach, and mentor a motivated data engineering team, fostering growth and high performance.
- Plan and prioritise work aligned with business objectives and platform roadmap.
- Deliver high-quality pipelines, data models, and products using tools such as Databricks and Microsoft Fabric.
- Oversee maintenance and modernisation of SQL Server and SSIS environments.
- Embed strong engineering standards including CI/CD, testing, security, and documentation.
- Continuously enhance data quality, stability, and performance.
- Work across architecture, analytics, governance, and business teams to deliver impactful solutions.
- Balance innovation with platform reliability, cost efficiency, and performance.
- Contribute to future platform decisions, tooling, and ways of working.
- Define and track KPIs to drive continuous improvement.
What We're Looking For
- Proven experience leading and developing data engineering or technical teams.
- Strong background in delivering production-ready data platforms and pipelines.
- Experience with cloud data platforms (ideally Azure Databricks).
- Knowledge of legacy environments (SQL Server, SSIS) and migration approaches.
- Track record of delivering complex, outcome-focused data initiatives.
- Strong stakeholder engagement across technical and non-technical audiences.
- Experience with DevOps / CI-CD practices for data platforms.
- Understanding of governance, security, and data quality in enterprise environments.
Qualifications Required:
- Degree in Computer Science, IT, or equivalent experience.
- Hands-on expertise in modern data engineering (ELT, lakehouse, medallion architecture, orchestration).
Desirable:
- Microsoft Fabric or Azure Databricks certification.
- ITIL Foundation or Managing Professional.
- Agile / Scrum certification.
What you'll get
- 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.
Closing Date: 23rd 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.
Locations
Data Engineering Manager (Remote) in Devon, Plymouth employer: South West Water
At South West Water, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that champions innovation and sustainability. As a Data Engineering Manager, you'll lead a talented team in a remote setting, enjoying flexible working options, competitive salaries, and a commitment to employee growth through mentorship and development opportunities. Join us in making a meaningful impact while benefiting from our strong focus on diversity, inclusion, and a greener future.
