Operational Technical Lead

This role offers a great opportunity to play a key part in how we manage and protect our clean water network. You’ll be supporting operational teams, helping to assess risks, and making sure our customers receive a reliable and safe service every day.

What you’ll be doing as an Operational Technical Lead

• Taking ownership of the hydraulic system risk assessment process for repair and maintenance activities.
• Supporting and guiding Risk Analysts, helping them develop their technical capability.
• Providing clear operational direction during risk assessments and ensuring high-quality outcomes.
• Using data to analyse system performance and prepare reports for internal stakeholders.
• Working with colleagues across Operations to meet service levels and regulatory expectations.
• Identifying improvements and contributing to new ways of working.
• Helping colleagues understand risks and sharing technical knowledge across the business.

Standard hours: 9 am to 5 pm or 8 am to 4 pm.
Base Location: Hybrid, three days per week in Kemble Court, Tuesday to Thursday, with the remaining days from home.

What you should bring to the role

• Operational experience or a background in a STEM or water-related discipline would be an advantage, though not essential; candidates coming from NST, Leakage, Field Operations, Network Management Centre environments or with GIS analysis experience may also be well suited to this role.
• Strong IT skills with the ability to analyse qualitative and quantitative data.
• Clear communication skills and confidence engaging with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.
• Experience using GIS mapping systems is really important for this role.
• Knowledge of SCADA telemetry, Salesforce, PI/Aorta and good Excel/PowerPoint skills would be helpful, but if you don’t have all of these, we’re happy to provide training.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £34,820 to £45,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays).
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of yourself 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.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

Who are we?
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.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water
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.