Technical Lead - Fully Remote in Chatham, Kent

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.

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.
• 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.

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.

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.

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. 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.