Technical Lead in Chatham, Kent

Location: Chatham, Horsham, Otterbourne

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37

Salary: From £40,000, based on skills and experience

About the role:

The Technical Lead will provide operational leadership and technical oversight for the Audit & Investigations Team, ensuring that investigations, audits, and legal casework are executed to a consistent, compliant, and auditable standard. The role is responsible for providing field supervision, ensuring the quality and compliance of audits, overseeing the preparation and review of legal case packs, and coordinating activities across the team to support effective operational delivery. By managing operational workloads and maintaining adherence to defined protocols, the Technical Lead supports the Audit & Investigations Manager in fulfilling governance, compliance, and regulatory responsibilities, enabling the effective delivery of a proactive, evidence-led function.

What you will be responsible for:

• The role requires the ability to demonstrate a high level of analytical thinking and sound investigative judgement, particularly when reviewing suspected unauthorised or non-compliant connections.
• You will be expected to apply coaching, mentoring, and influencing skills to support the Audit & Investigation team in improving performance, embedding sustainable behavioural change, and ensuring consistent adherence to Southern Water’s policies, statutory obligations, and relevant industry standards.
• Provide daily operational oversight of field activities to support the Network Audit & Investigations team, and ensure effective deployment across Southern Water’s operational area.
• Lead the technical review of audits, including “audit of audits,” standpipe case files, and evidence submissions, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance with required standards.
• Oversee the preparation, quality assurance, and timely completion of legal packs required for enforcement and cost-recovery actions relating to non-compliant connections and hydrant/standpipe misuse.
• Conduct field-based support and coaching to Audit and Investigation team members, ensuring consistent standards in evidence gathering, case handling, and operational compliance.
• Support Investigators out in the field on a regular basis, ensuring high quality operational delivery.
• Coordinate the team’s contribution to multidisciplinary operational activities, including DWI audits, standpipe and hydrant inspections, non-compliant connection investigations, and health and safety audits.
• Ensure operational compliance by monitoring audit outputs, identifying non-compliance trends, and escalating issues appropriately to support regulatory requirements.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders and contractors to resolve issues relating to illegal connections, standpipe use, and compliance breaches, ensuring cases progress effectively.
• Maintain oversight of evidence management processes and case-file workflows to ensure investigative activity is robust, auditable, and aligned with enforcement requirements.

What you’ll bring to the role:

• Comfortable with internal reporting and the use of GRC tools.
• Experience conducting operational, compliance, or regulatory investigations within a utilities, enforcement, or technical field environment.
• Proven knowledge of water distribution networks, non-compliant connection risks, standpipe management, and hydrant misuse controls.
• Strong understanding of audit methodology, compliance testing, and health and safety/water hygiene requirements.
• Ability to mentor, coach, and influence field teams to improve standards and behaviours.
• High-level analytical skills, with the ability to identify trends, assess risks, and interpret complex operational evidence.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present findings clearly and professionally to senior stakeholders.
• Prior experience producing evidence files or legal packs for enforcement, cost recovery, or regulatory action.
• Full, clean UK driving licence and expectation to work across the entire operational area.

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

Our mission is to protect and enhance life through water—and we need passionate people to help us achieve it. If you’re inspired by our purpose and believe you can contribute, apply today. You don’t need to meet every criterion; what matters most is your drive to make a difference.

If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details on our Southern Water Careers page.

Our Commitment to Diversity:

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additional information:

In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre-employment checks, including security vetting. Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.