Senior Sponsor - SRO

Job title Senior Sponsor – SRO Ref 40769 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Hybrid – Clearwater Court – RG1 8DB Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Salary Offering a salary between £70,000 – £75,000 per annum depending on skills and experience Job grade C Closing date 21/11/2025

At Thames Water, we make a daily difference to 16 million customers by supplying 2.6 billion litres of water through 32,000 km of pipes, keeping taps flowing and toilets flushing. We believe every drop counts—and so does every project. That’s why we’re hiring a Senior Sponsor (Programme Lead) to drive key water and wastewater infrastructure projects, ensuring they align with our long‑term goals and deliver real benefits for customers, communities, and the environment.

What you’ll be doing as a Senior Sponsor (Strategic Resource Options)

This is a unique opportunity for a Sponsor to join our Strategic Resource Options (SRO) major projects Sponsorship team. The team is responsible for providing strategic direction and oversight for the development and delivery of a programme of circa £10 billion capital investment in new water infrastructure. The SRO projects include water recycling solutions in London, a reservoir in Oxfordshire and inter‑company water transfers to improve Thames Water’s resilience to more extreme droughts whilst protecting the environment. The role will work across the Thames Water SRO portfolio, providing technical direction, guidance and assurance that the schemes will deliver the planned operational water supply benefits for Thames Water and its regional partners as set out in the Water Resources Management Plans (WRMP).

Key responsibilities will include:

• Working with the SRO Principal Sponsor, co‑sponsors and the SRO Delivery (or Client) team to specify the system operational requirements for the integration of the new SRO projects with existing infrastructure
• Identify any future infrastructure required to meet regulatory, environmental and customer targets. Working with teams to resolve risks and trade‑offs in project execution.
• Contributing to business cases for investment and demonstrating alignment with Thames Water’s objectives.
• Identify the necessary integration infrastructure requirements, as well as authorisations and operating agreements that need to be in place to ensure the SROs deliver planned benefits under a range of operational scenarios.
• Engaging with stakeholders to build alignment and drive successful project outcomes.

Base Location

Base location Clearwater Court, Reading OR Vauxhall, London. Travel within the TV & London Patch.

Working pattern

Full‑time, Monday–Friday (36 hours per week)

What you should bring to the role

• Demonstrable experience in asset management or operations
• Understanding of water supply system operation during drought, major outages as well as BAU
• Previous engagement and liaison with regulators
• Strategic thinking, excellent decision‑making record based on sound judgement
• A collaborative approach, with strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• The ability to deliver clear direction and drive change
• A commitment to putting customers, communities, and stakeholders first

Nice‑to‑haves that would make you stand out

• Relevant degree in water, engineering or environmental subject including particular focus on water resources/ supply
• Experience working with major projects with significant political & stakeholder influence

What’s in it for you?

This is a great opportunity to be part of a high‑impact team that shapes the future of water and wastewater infrastructure. You’ll be working in a dynamic environment where you can make a real difference in communities while building your career with Thames Water. Alongside this, you can expect:

• Competitive salary, between £70,000 and £75,000 per annum depending on skills and experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays)
• Annual Bonus.
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• 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 the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

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. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

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.