Smart Customer Engagement Trials Lead in Bradford

Company description: Water Utility Company based in Yorkshire region of England.

Job description: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:

• We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience £43,525 - £54,406
• Annual incentive related bonus (£1000 maximum bonus opportunity for the performance year)
• Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution)
• Development opportunities in line with the Smart Customer Engagement Trials Lead progression plan
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays plus an extra wellness day!
• Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary
• A great benefits package: choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.
• Retail savings scheme
• Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!

Location: This role will initially be based in Bradford but we are moving our office to Leeds Valley Park in summer 2026, so you’ll be based there in the future / Hybrid Working (1-2 days office a week Bradford/Leeds)

Work type: Temporary 12 Months. 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Smart Customer Engagement Trials Lead to join the Water Quality at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers.

What we do: Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it’s so much more than this. We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire’s water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region and play a key role in the region’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. Water Quality are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators.

Yorkshire Water has ambitions to reduce Leakage, Per Capita Consumption and Non-household demand, and have recently submitted its case to the environmental regulator DEFRA/EA and financial regulator OFWAT for the next 5 years funding. Within these plans we wish to replace 1.4 Million customer meters with Smart Meters, between 2025-2030, and install a further ~160,000 meters. This means moving from a solution which logs how much water has been used on a monthly basis and which is read every 6 months by AMR, to understanding what water has been used on an hourly basis with only a 6 hour delay in receiving the reading, utilising an Internet of Things Network.

To leverage this data to its full extent we are putting in place a team to fully understand the future service improvements, cost efficiencies and new service offerings we can provide. The team will be looking to design the end-to-end transition for meter related services, creating new or amending existing capabilities, designing new processes, defining analytic requirements, improving data quality, effectively contract managing partners and working with Tech to develop and embed the solutions to have us ready for smart metering in April 2025.

The project team initial objective is to create an initial capability and programme roadmap, at which point the ongoing team requirements can be designed for extension of the programme team into 2026 and beyond.

The Smart Trials Lead will be responsible for designing, running, and evaluating trials to target performance improvements for the Yorkshire Water Smart metering rollout programme within the Asset Management Directorate. This role ensures innovative solutions are tested effectively to improve operational efficiency, customer experience, and regulatory compliance. The postholder will lead cross-functional teams to implement trials, analyse outcomes, and provide evidence-based recommendations for wider rollout.

Where you fit in: As our Smart Customer Engagement Trials Lead you will:

• Trial Design & Delivery: Develop and manage end-to-end smart trial plans, including objectives, scope, timelines, and success criteria. Ensure trials align with strategic priorities and regulatory requirements.
• Performance Measurement & Evaluation: Define KPIs and outcome indicators for trials. Collect, analyse, and interpret data to assess trial performance and impact. Produce clear, evidence-based reports and recommendations for senior leadership.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with internal teams (Operations, IT, Customer Services, Finance) and external partners to ensure seamless trial execution. Communicate progress and insights effectively to senior stakeholders, including Directors and Programme Boards.
• Governance & Risk Management: Establish governance frameworks for trial oversight and decision-making. Identify and mitigate risks associated with trial delivery.
• Continuous Improvement: Capture lessons learned and embed best practices into future trials and business processes. Support the development of scalable solutions for full implementation.

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• Stakeholder management and influencing skills - strong preference for collaboration and winning together; how you build relationships is really important.
• Excellent communication skills.
• An agile mindset - in Smart we’re brave enough to try new things and learn from our mistakes, so iterating for success is what we’re all about; we’re looking for someone to jump in and enjoy the curve balls that innovation brings.
• Significant experience of working with data to instigate test and learn and decision making; you’ll need your analytical skills to be on point.
• Significant experience of using IT systems including Excel and Power BI.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Influencing and negotiation skills.
• Proven experience in programme or project management within utilities or regulated industries.

You will also benefit from having:

• Knowledge of smart metering or transformation in the water sector desirable.
• Professional qualifications (APM, PRINCE2, Agile) preferred.
• Experience of process mapping and business change.
• Experience of working in a regulated environment.
• Experience of smart metering technologies.
• Understanding of Leakage and PCC.

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it’s important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn’t always easy!

Do we sound like your cup of tea? If you’ve got experience as a Smart Customer Engagement Trials Lead and want to help us deliver great service for our customers whilst looking after the environment, then be sure to apply today to find out what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you.

Closing date - 4th February 2026

Interviews to be held: Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th February

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.

All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible. If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.

Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

We’re committed to helping colleagues prioritise their growth and development in their current roles, building essential knowledge and capabilities in their area of expertise to support a successful career. To support this, we expect colleagues to have completed a minimum of two years in their current role before applying for internal job opportunities. For more information, please speak to your local HR Business Partner.