Commercial Specialist - Functional Improvement in Leeds

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 (£50,663 - £63,329)
• 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 Commercial Specialist 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’re moving our office to Leeds Valley Park in summer 2026, so you’ll be based there in the future. There will hybrid working in place, with an expectation to be in the office for 1-2 days per week.

Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

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. Commercial Services plays a critical role in enabling the business to deliver its long‑term strategy and maintain financial stability through effective procurement and commercial management. The function works closely with the wider business and supply chain to secure value, manage risk, and ensure robust commercial outcomes.

Within Commercial Services, the Commercial Excellence is responsible for leading our Centre of Excellence approach. These roles are responsible for embedding clear standards, improving processes and building sustainable capability across the department, ensuring that “what good looks like” is well defined, consistently applied and continuously improved. There are 3 roles available focusing on the below areas:

• Commercial Capability – Focused on strengthening people standards, ensuring the right skills and capacity are in place to elevate performance and support team development.
• Operating Model – Driving enhancements to the operating model and process management systems to improve efficiency and optimise workflow across departments.
• Continuous Improvement – Supporting teams to continuously refine and improve their processes, embedding a culture of ongoing development and higher performance.

Where you fit in:

• Define and maintain clear standards for how Commercial work is performed.
• Design, own or support the department’s management system for processes, standards and controls.
• Analyse end to end processes to identify inefficiencies, risks and improvement opportunities.
• Design improved future state processes that are simpler, practical and effective.
• Lead or facilitate process improvement activity across teams.
• Ensure improvements consider people, process, systems and controls holistically.
• Support the transition of improved processes into business as usual ownership.
• Build capability by developing frameworks, guidance, tools and learning materials.
• Support teams to understand and apply standards and improved ways of working.
• Work with leaders to identify capability gaps and development priorities.

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• Strong experience in at least one of: capability development, process management, or continuous improvement.
• Understanding of how governance, people, process and technology interact in operational environments.
• Ability to define standards and embed them across multiple teams.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Ability to influence, challenge and support stakeholders without direct authority.
• Experience working across complex, multi team environments.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, able to translate concepts into practical guidance.

You will also benefit from having:

• Experience within Commercial, Procurement or other regulated environments.
• Knowledge of continuous improvement or quality management methodologies.
• Experience supporting change initiatives.
• Experience designing or operating management or operating model frameworks.

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!

If you’ve got experience in framework management 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.

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. Closing date for this role is the 30th June 2026.