Programme Delivery Manager

Who are we?

Thames Water is the UK's largest water and wastewater company. We make a daily difference to our 15 million customers by supplying 2.6 billion litres of water through 32,000 km's of pipes, to keep taps flowing and toilets flushing. We are an essential service and have operated throughout the Covid19 pandemic.

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.

What you will be doing:

This is a management role with direct and indirect management responsibility for members of staff and consultants who are key in the successful delivery of the Major Projects Programme.

Reporting to the Head of Major Projects, you will have the single point of accountability and management for the delivery of a defined part of the Major Projects Delivery Programme. This will be 'cradle to grave' project accountability, from needs definition through to negotiation and delivery of engineering of works that successfully delivers the business case into operational business as usual. You will be accountable for delivering a number of major projects with the total investment value circa £250m.
You will be responsible for driving the development and continuous improvement in the delivery of projects and being a key influencer in adapting how we deliver successful complex Major Projects consistently, safely and for best value and purpose.

This role requires strong business acumen and communication skills. You will be required to develop and articulate clear business cases that successfully promotes significant project investments through to Board level.

Water Industry experience is essential as is the ability to successfully navigate this major programme within a complex and regulated business environment. Track record in owning and delivering major complex projects is key.

Key responsibilities for the role include:

• Directing all aspects of Project and Programme delivery from business need including business case development, feasibility, optimised technical solution development, governance, contract development, procurement, design and construction delivery
• Promoting value through commercial and technical management that steers to optimal project, programme and business outcomes for Thames Water.
• Develop and deliver optimised project solutions to achieve desired outcomes including all regulatory, statutory and internal outputs, deadlines and targets.
• Performance manage the service providers to ensure out-performance of service levels and value for money.
• The ability to clearly articulate project and programme performance including technical and stakeholder issues that anticipates and sets strategies for mitigating risks and issues in line with business plan for delivery
• Maintaining strong stakeholder relationships both internally and externally to actively protect and enhance Thames Water's reputation as well as deliver a successful programme.
• Being recognised as manager in the successful delivery of major complex schemes including people management in a culture of accountability and achievement.
• Encouraging and implement innovation from supply chain to develop a continuous improvement project culture.
• Achieve leading edge performance in safe and sustainable delivery of capital projects, as well as their subsequent operation and maintenance.
• Provide assured compliance with statutory obligations and embed leading indicators.

We're looking for you to have:

• A degree qualification with further professional/management qualifications or outstanding role specific experience
• Excellent contractual awareness of major complex projects work and contracts
• Proven track record of managing the performance of third-party organisations
• A track record of success in the delivery of significant capital Programmes at a senior level
• Strong commercial approach with a good level of contract knowledge and able to base decisions on a balance of business development and cost control issues
• The ability to take on management responsibility in different functions/businesses and guide through difficult times
• The ability to develop and implement feedback systems to improve business performance.
• The desire and ability to outperform against stretch targets
• A balanced, realistic approach to pressure whilst always maintaining a positive outlook in front of others
• The ability to demonstrate exposure to risk decisions with implications wider than own area
• Broad industry and business knowledge and experience in complex investment-type decisions

What's in it for you?

• A competitive bonus
• Car allowance
• Private healthcare
• Excellent contributory pension
• 26 days annual leave
• Two days paid volunteer leave a year
• 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
• Referral scheme, where you can receive £750 for helping someone get a permanent position within the company

We're proud of the positive ways of working we have adopted during the pandemic. We want to create a more flexible and dynamic environment so all our colleagues can thrive. For our office-based roles we are moving to a hybrid approach where we will provide options around working from our offices, our operational sites and home dependent on role/team/individual. This will be discussed during the assessment process.

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 and we are a Times Top 50 Employer for Women.