Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

At Pennon Group, we’re proud to serve communities while protecting the environment. Together with our subsidiaries, South West Water, Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water, SES Water, Pennon Water Services and Pennon Power, we’re leading the way in water and renewables.

We’re proud to be recognised as a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.

Storm Overflow Programme Lead

Full time | Exeter

At South West Water, we're making significant investments to improve river health, reduce pollution and enhance the resilience of our wastewater network. As part of this commitment, we're looking for a Storm Overflow Programme Lead to drive the development of major storm overflow investment programmes, helping shape the solutions that deliver long-term environmental improvements and regulatory compliance.

About the role:

This is an opportunity to play a leading role in delivering one of the water industry's most important environmental programmes. You'll work on complex and high-profile projects that help improve water quality, reduce storm overflow impacts and deliver better outcomes for customers, communities and the environment.

Working closely with colleagues across Asset Management, Regulatory, Operations, Delivery and our framework partners, you'll help identify, develop and assess investment options that support our environmental commitments and regulatory obligations.

What you'll be doing:

As Storm Overflow Programme Lead, you'll lead the development of storm overflow investment programmes from identified need through option selection and outline design, ensuring solutions are deliverable, cost-effective and aligned to regulatory and environmental targets.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading development of the Storm Overflow WINEP programme from identified need through option selection and outline design.

• Delivering programmes capable of achieving Ofwat Performance Commitment Deliverables (PCDs) and storm overflow regulatory commitments.

• Providing technical oversight and assurance of hydraulic modelling methodologies, outputs and investment drivers.

• Maintaining governance and reporting of equivalent storage requirements and programme performance.

• Leading consultants and multidisciplinary teams to develop safe, efficient and deliverable solutions.

• Driving best-value investment decisions through robust option appraisal, challenge and risk management.

• Building effective partnerships across Asset Management, Regulatory, Operations, Delivery and Commercial functions.

• Promoting excellence in health, safety, environmental performance and continuous improvement.

What we're looking for:

We're looking for an experienced programme leader with a strong understanding of wastewater networks, storm overflow performance and environmental regulation, alongside a passion for developing projects that make a tangible difference to the environment.

You'll bring:

• Experience leading wastewater, storm overflow or environmental improvement programmes within the water sector.

• A strong understanding of storm overflow performance, wastewater networks and hydraulic system behaviour.

• Experience of option development, feasibility assessments and outline design.

• Knowledge of environmental regulation and investment drivers associated with storm overflows.

• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams, consultants and stakeholders.

• Proven ability to balance environmental, operational, technical and commercial considerations.

• Experience of programme governance, risk management and performance reporting.

• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.

Qualifications:

• Degree qualified in Engineering or a related discipline.

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, or working towards chartership.

• Experience developing wastewater or storm overflow investment programmes.

• Strong understanding of wastewater networks, hydraulic performance and environmental compliance requirements.

• Experience within the UK water sector and AMP environment is desirable.

• APM, PRINCE2 or equivalent programme management qualification is desirable.

Why join us?

You'll join a business investing heavily in its assets, people and environmental performance, giving you the opportunity to influence major environmental investment decisions and help shape the future of wastewater services across the South West.

Working alongside passionate experts from across the business and our framework partners, you'll help develop solutions that improve river water quality, support regulatory compliance and deliver lasting benefits for customers, communities and the environment.

• 30 days annual leave + bank holidays and the option to buy or sell your holiday

• Bonus

• Private Healthcare

• Company car or cash for car allowance

• Competitive contributory pension

• Share-save scheme

• Health benefits & wellbeing support programmes

• Group discounts

• Cycle to Work scheme

• Financial support services

• Development and training opportunities

and much more!

Closing Date: 22nd October

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.