About the role?
The aim of this role is to lead the Below Ground Capacity Planning, Data & Insight Team within the Workload Demand, Capacity Planning & Insight function. The team exist to provide industry-leading service to the Water Networks and Waste Networks businesses, covering:
- Capacity Planning; helping to drive operational efficiency through both rationalisations of workload demand and helping to build an understanding of resource availability – underpinned by a quarterly forecast process.
- Data & Insight; working to provide the Operations business teams with the performance information and insight they require, helping to drive a data-led culture and improving operational decision making and outcomes
- Outcome Focused; the above supporting optimal business decisions enabling delivery of our commitments across both regulatory and customer outcomes.
This is a leadership role, with the successful candidate leading directly up to 6 team leads – a total team size of c. 25 Thames Water colleagues and an offshore team of c. 7 colleagues. This team is in place as a service provider to the water network and waste network senior leadership teams, who are reliant on the critical output to enable optimal decisions for their business areas. You will be a self-starter responsible for supplying the business with capacity planning and business performance insight as well as delivering on outcomes; defining and delivering development roadmaps to enable these required outcomes.
What makes this role unique?
This is a unique and exciting role sat centrally within the wholesale water business, which will provide you with exposure to liaise and engage with senior leaders across the business. You will have a direct influence on the development of the role, shaping and designing the strategy from a holistic perspective.
You will be given autonomy to mould the Below Ground function as a result of the insight you deliver, directly influencing the service we provide to our customers and subsequently customer satisfaction scores and other key measures.
There are new opportunities and challenges to overcome every day in a fast-paced and stimulating environment. The success of this function is heavily reliant on engagement and in this role you will be helping to inform us how we do this successfully.
Key Accountabilities:
- Continue to embed the team and its ways of working into the business as usual environment.
- Continue to drive the capacity planning and data insight team as a central hub/centre of excellence.
- Shape and drive the functional strategy, directly influencing any changes required within our service management centre to achieve this.
- Coordinate and communicate the forecasting and capacity planning model.
- Be a leading contributor to the financial annual budget cycles.
- Liaise with field and office teams to ensure data is accurate, we are resourced and in control of our expected volumes to achieve business targets.
- Accountability for data integrity across the centralised service centre.
- Manage and coach a team of managers and analysts including performance management, direction and career progression.
What skills are we looking for?
This role requires a candidate who has a wealth of experience within the capacity and/or data & insight and/or planning arena, with previous experience of interpreting complex data and reports and communicating in simple terms with a wide range of stakeholders. In addition, the role requires an individual with experience of people leadership – helping to create and drive a positive environment where colleagues in the team have the opportunity to deliver their best.
To be considered for this role, it is essential that you have worked in a similar role, focusing on business improvements within an operational/central services environment. It would be ideal if you have experience in operational planning, capacity planning and/or data & insight background, as this would be highly advantageous to truly understand the challenges this area may be faced with.
You will have a wealth of analytical experience, making recommendations using data as well as managing and developing teams with strong analytical capability. You will be resilient in your approach and must be able to build credibility quickly. You will also have experience of working with, and influencing, director-level colleagues – helping to understand, shape and deliver their needs.
Strong leadership and team management skills are essential to lead a high performing area of the business. Presentation skills are key and you will be a high achiever and have gained experience leading and managing an analytically minded team.
If you have previous experience within the water industry, this would be highly advantageous however similar industries such as manufacturing, telecommunications or other utility industries would be considered.
What’s in it for you?
Our competitive salary and package include a competitive bonus, car allowance, private healthcare, an excellent contributory pension, 26 days holiday. There is also a wider benefits scheme which includes an annual pay review, season ticket loans and loyalty awards for continuous service plus discounts at a wide range of retailers via Benefits on Taps. We also have a referral scheme, where you can receive £750 for helping someone get a permanent position within the company.
We’re proud to be here for our local community, offering everyone two days paid volunteer leave a year, as well as proudly supporting a lot of local events and charities.
Click here to find out more about working at Thames Water
About us:
Thames Water is the UK’s largest water and wastewater company. We make a daily difference to millions of customers by supplying 2.7 billion litres of world-class water to around 10 million homes.
As our world changes, the need to take care of our most precious resource is greater than ever, both locally and globally. That’s why, at Thames Water, every one of our actions, big and small, matters every day. Water is essential to daily life, and that means our business is always open. We’re passionate about providing world-class tap water, now and for the future.
We’re also turning waste into power, self-generating 20% of the energy we use and, in turn, doing our bit for the planet. We’re reducing plastic waste by celebrating our tap water and rolling out an ambitious water fountain project. We’re using our voice to lobby for change and partnering with WaterAid to provide clean water to the world’s poorest communities.
Together, we’re building a better future for our customers, our region and our planet.
Thames Water is a unique, rewarding and diverse place to work. If you join our team, you’ll enjoy fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and unparalleled benefits. We’re also proud to be an equal opportunity employer, Stonewall Diversity Champion and Disability Confident Leader, welcoming individuals from all walks of life and leading the way with award-winning mental health and well-being strategy.