Head of Water Planning

Shape how essential water services are planned and delivered for more than 16 million customers.

Every day, more than 16 million people rely on Thames Water. We are transforming how we serve customers now and for generations to come, building a more resilient, transparent and sustainable water business.

As Head of Water Planning, you will lead the central planning capability at the heart of Water Operations. Bringing together strategy, operational delivery, customer outcomes and infrastructure planning, you will help determine how our above-ground and below-ground teams deliver safe, reliable services across our region.

This is a high-profile opportunity for a visible and influential leader who can connect people, priorities and plans across a complex, regulated organisation—and turn them into measurable outcomes for customers. You will need to build credibility quickly, challenge constructively and create alignment among senior stakeholders with different operational priorities.

What you’ll be doing as Head of Water Planning

As a key member of the Operations Service and Control Centre (OSCC) senior leadership team, you will lead approximately 7–8 direct reports and a wider, centralised organisation of around 200 colleagues. You will lead through an established leadership structure—setting clear expectations, developing your leaders, strengthening accountability and creating the conditions for teams to perform at their best.

  • Lead Water Planning across above-ground and below-ground operations, ensuring plans support business priorities and operational performance.
  • Build trusted relationships across production, networks, asset management, customer and OSCC leadership teams, creating alignment across the division.
  • Lead, coach and develop a large operational function through your leadership team, building an inclusive, engaged and high-performing culture.
  • Contribute to senior leadership decisions and help shape the strategic direction of the OSCC and Water business.
  • Navigate competing priorities in a complex stakeholder environment, influencing decisions and finding solutions that work for customers and the business.
  • Lead change and service improvement, including the adoption of new technology, the future implementation of Salesforce for Above Ground and closer integration of desk-based and field operations.
  • Use data, insight and sound judgement to improve decision-making and performance.
  • Provide effective commercial oversight of key third-party contracts supporting operational delivery, infrastructure planning, winter resilience and safe working, ensuring suppliers deliver safe, reliable and value-for-money services.
  • Represent Thames Water externally, developing productive relationships with highways authorities and infrastructure partners.
  • Ensure effective planning supports critical outcomes including leakage, water quality, supply interruptions, maintenance delivery and regulatory compliance.

What you should bring to the role

We are looking for a collaborative, credible and delivery-focused leader who can inspire people through change and build strong relationships across a broad stakeholder community.

This is not solely a technical planning role. Success will depend on your ability to connect operational teams, influence senior stakeholders and translate competing requirements into clear, deliverable plans.

  • Significant leadership experience in planning, infrastructure, operations, logistics, utilities or another large-scale service environment.
  • Outstanding stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence to build credibility across senior internal and external networks.
  • Experience leading leaders and large operational teams through a clear, inclusive and visible leadership style.
  • A track record of delivering measurable outcomes in complex operational environments.
  • Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively across multiple functions in a matrix organisation.
  • Experience of a regulated environment, or the ability to quickly understand its demands.
  • An analytical mindset, sound judgement and strong commercial awareness.
  • A clear customer focus and an understanding of how operational decisions affect customer outcomes.
  • Experience leading change, transformation, technology adoption or service improvement.
  • The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on operational leadership.
  • Experience managing supplier relationships, contracts and external partnerships.

Water industry experience would be beneficial, but it is not essential. We welcome leaders from sectors such as gas, electricity, telecommunications, rail, aviation and other large-scale infrastructure environments. What matters most is your leadership capability, operational credibility, stakeholder approach and ability to deliver through complexity.

Location and working pattern

Base location: Kemble Court, Reading, with hybrid working.

Working pattern: Full time.

This is an operational leadership role where visibility matters. You should expect to spend at least three days each week across Thames Water offices and operational sites, depending on business needs.

What’s in it for you?

  • Competitive salary: £76,260 to £95,000 per annum, dependent on experience
  • 26 days’ annual leave, increasing to 30 days with length of service, plus bank holidays.
  • Car allowance.
  • Annual bonus.
  • Generous pension scheme through Aon.
  • Private medical healthcare.

Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment)

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.