MIA Performance & Quality Lead in Reading

Location: Clearwater Court, Reading, RG1 8DB (Hybrid). Occasional travel required to Langley Metering Office, Other Thames Water offices and operational sites, Contractor meetings and site visits.

Working Pattern: 36 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

About the role

At Thames Water, every decision we make has a direct impact on our customers and the environment. We’re looking for a Performance and Quality Lead to play a critical role within our Metering & Demand Reduction function—driving data quality, operational performance and customer outcomes. In this role, you’ll lead a high‑performing team responsible for ensuring meter data and property information is accurate, timely and compliant. You’ll work closely with internal teams, contractors, developers, and external partners to ensure every new development connection is set up right the first time—accurately, efficiently and with smart metering at its core. This is an exciting opportunity to influence service delivery, improve performance and make a tangible difference to how we meter our new development properties to reduce unaccounted water and minimize issues for managing water usage and customer accounts.

What you’ll be doing as a MIA Performance & Quality Lead:

• Leading and developing a team to deliver against performance, quality and service targets.
• Driving improvements in data accuracy to ensure customers are billed correctly and on time.
• Analysing performance trends and using insight to improve operational outcomes.
• Building strong relationships with contractors, developers and internal stakeholders.
• Holding partners and stakeholders accountable for delivery against agreed standards.
• Leading and presenting at stakeholder meetings, providing insight and driving action.
• Managing risks, resolving high‑impact issues, and continuously improving processes.
• Making new developments smart, leading on implementation and change to new smart technology.
• Budgeting and forecasting.
• Embedding a strong customer‑first culture to improve outcomes and reduce complaints.

What does great look like in this role:

We’re looking for someone who leads through behaviours and delivers through strong core competencies:

• Leadership & Team Development: You inspire and motivate others, setting clear direction and expectations. You develop capability, recognise talent and drive continuous improvement.
• Planning & Organising: You manage competing priorities effectively in a fast‑paced environment. You anticipate challenges and plan proactively to meet deadlines.
• Analytical Thinking & Insight: You use data to identify trends, risks and opportunities. You translate analysis into clear actions that improve performance.
• Customer Focus: You put customers at the heart of decision‑making. You continuously strive to improve service and reduce complaints.
• Risk Management & Attention to Detail: You understand the importance of data accuracy and compliance. You identify risks early and take action to mitigate them. You build strong relationships across teams and partners. You confidently engage stakeholders and influence outcomes.
• Personal Drive & Innovation: You are proactive and resilient, always looking for better ways of working. You challenge the status quo and drive meaningful improvements.

What you should bring to the role:

• Experience leading or influencing teams in an operational, performance or quality‑focused environment.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to turn insight into action.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• A passion for delivering high‑quality outcomes and improving customer experience.

What’s in it for you?

• Salary £50,000 per annum
• Annual Leave – 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process.

Disclaimer: Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.