Location
Lea Bridge Depot, Walthamstow, London

Hours
Monday to Friday, 36 hours per week

Salary
Up to £100,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience

About the Role
What could be more professionally fulfilling than leading the team that provides a continuous supply of safe drinking water to our capital city? We are seeking a strategic and dynamic leader to head the water network team in North London, responsible for delivering drinking water to over 5 million people, including the West End, the City, Enfield, Hampton, and Earling. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a highly motivated, high-performing team providing life’s essential service to north and central London.

As Head of Water Networks, you will develop, lead, and execute the business plan across your region, ensuring the efficient distribution of safe, wholesome water. You will continue the transformation in operational performance through your Field Operations team and external suppliers, reducing reactive incidents, improving leakage and customer service, and ensuring all activities are delivered safely, efficiently, and on schedule.

You will lead the team to provide exceptional service standards, improve network performance, minimise disruption, manage leak repairs, and enable our largest ever capital investment programme to sustainably build for the future. Proactively identifying and responding to current and emerging network risks will also be key.

Reporting to the Water Director, you will collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders, oversee forward planning, and recommend improvements on critical regional issues.

Key responsibilities include:
- Championing a safety-first culture and ensuring compliance with Health and Safety regulations
- Overseeing operational performance, resource allocation, and supplier management
- Driving continuous improvement initiatives and supporting long-term asset management planning
- Leading, mentoring, and developing a high-performing regional team
- Managing regional budgets with commercial accountability and challenging suppliers on cost and performance

Experience
- Outstanding leadership experience with a proven track record of engaging, inspiring, and developing teams
- Strong ability to influence, negotiate, and collaborate across a geographically diverse region
- Experience managing contractor relationships and leading teams through change
- Evidence of driving cultural change and continuous improvement within a regulated environment
- Commercial acumen with previous responsibility for managing budgets

About you
- A forward-thinking and strategic leader passionate about operational excellence and customer service
- Ability to foster a culture of excellence, customer focus, and two-way communication
- Comfortable working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to deliver results

Qualifications
- Exposure to LEAN, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies is desirable
- NEBOSH qualification and knowledge of the Road and Streetworks Act are advantageous