At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead asset reliability strategy and drive performance improvements in water services.
- Company: Join South West Water, part of Pennon Group, committed to a greener future.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days leave, private healthcare, and a competitive pension scheme.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on environmental sustainability while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in asset management with a degree in Engineering or related field.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 100000 € 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 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.
This is a pivotal role responsible for driving the reliability, resilience, and performance of vital water and wastewater assets. This is an opportunity to lead at scale - delivering measurable improvements in asset health and operational performance while ensuring we meet regulatory expectations and deliver outstanding outcomes for customers and the environment. Working at the heart of the business, you’ll play a key role in delivering our Asset Management Plan (AMP) commitments and shaping future investment decisions through data-driven insight and continuous improvement.
What you’ll be doing:
- Leading the development and delivery of our asset reliability strategy across water and wastewater infrastructure and non-infrastructure assets
- Driving improvements in asset availability, resilience, and predictability through preventative and predictive maintenance approaches
- Owning and evolving reliability engineering practices, including failure modes analysis and root cause methodologies
- Establishing and embedding performance frameworks, KPIs, and standards aligned to regulatory and customer outcomes
- Using data and insight to identify trends, benchmark performance, and target interventions
- Ensuring asset performance insights inform investment planning, operational decisions, and AMP priorities
- Providing performance assurance to senior stakeholders, regulators, and governance forums
- Collaborating with Digital, Engineering, Operations, and Finance teams to embed end-to-end asset performance thinking
- Enhancing data quality, analytics capability, and predictive tools to support smarter decision-making
What we are looking for:
You’ll be a proven senior leader with deep expertise in asset management and a passion for delivering performance improvement at scale. You’ll bring:
- Significant experience in asset management, reliability engineering, or asset performance (ideally within utilities or a regulated environment)
- Strong understanding of asset lifecycle management and ISO 55000 principles
- Demonstrated success in improving asset reliability, resilience, and operational performance
- Experience of AMP delivery and regulatory frameworks
- Ability to translate complex technical insight into strategic and commercial decisions
- A track record of leading and developing high-performing specialist teams
- Experience with risk-based investment planning and asset health modelling (desirable)
- Exposure to digital asset tools, predictive maintenance, or advanced analytics (desirable)
Qualifications:
- Degree in Engineering, Asset Management, or a related discipline
- Chartered status (CEng/IEng) or equivalent (desirable)
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
Closing Date: 29th May 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
Director of Asset Reliability & Performance 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 fosters innovation and collaboration. Located in the picturesque city of Exeter, our hybrid working model allows for flexibility while you lead the charge in enhancing asset reliability and performance within the vital water sector. With a strong commitment to employee development, competitive benefits, and a focus on sustainability, we empower our team to make a meaningful impact on both the environment and our communities.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Asset Reliability & Performance in Devon, Plymouth
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its values. Understand their goals around sustainability and asset management, so you can show how your experience aligns with their mission.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your skills in asset reliability and performance can drive improvements. Keep it concise and impactful, focusing on measurable outcomes you've achieved in the past.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Asset Reliability & Performance in Devon, Plymouth
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for asset management and performance improvement shine through. We want to see how your passion aligns with our mission of delivering outstanding outcomes for customers and the environment.
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in asset management and reliability engineering. Use specific examples that demonstrate your success in improving asset performance, as this will resonate with us and show you understand what we're looking for.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on communicating your skills and achievements effectively. This will help us see your potential as a leader in our team.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Don’t miss out!
How to prepare for a job interview at South West Water
✨Know Your Assets
Before the interview, dive deep into South West Water's asset management strategies and recent projects. Familiarise yourself with their approach to reliability engineering and how they align with regulatory frameworks. This will show your genuine interest and understanding of the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
As a Director, your leadership style is crucial. Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading high-performing teams and driving performance improvements. Be ready to discuss how you’ve successfully implemented asset reliability strategies in previous roles.
✨Data-Driven Insights Matter
Since the role involves using data for decision-making, come prepared with examples of how you've used data analytics to inform asset management decisions. Discuss specific tools or methodologies you've employed, such as predictive maintenance or failure modes analysis.
✨Align with Company Values
South West Water values trust, individuality, and progress. Reflect on these values and think about how your personal values align with them. Be ready to share how you embody these principles in your work and how you can contribute to building a culture of belonging.
