Head of Maintenance

Closing Date

Job Title: Head of Maintenance & Standards

Location: We can be flexible on base location within our region. We offer hybrid working as standard but travel across the region will be required.

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday

Salary: Commensurate to experience + £500 monthly car allowance, up to 20% bonus and PMI.

Job Overview

Southern Water is entering a pivotal phase in its transformation journey, and our water asset maintenance strategy is central to delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective services to our customers. We're seeking an experienced leader to take on the role of Head of Maintenance & Standards (Water), a key position responsible for shaping and delivering our maintenance strategy across water assets.

This role is all about ensuring our assets are maintained to the highest standards, driving innovation in proactive and condition-based maintenance, and embedding technical excellence across our operations. You'll lead a multidisciplinary team and oversee both in-house and contracted maintenance delivery, ensuring compliance, safety, and performance across our network.

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to

• Leading the strategic development and operational delivery of maintenance programmes across water supply works, booster stations, reservoirs, and associated assets
• Driving performance across internal teams and 14+ maintenance contractors, ensuring safe and efficient delivery
• Embedding proactive and reliability-centred maintenance approaches
• Managing statutory inspections for safety-critical systems including pressure vessels, lifting chains, toxic gas detection, and high-voltage equipment
• Overseeing technical governance, audits, and assurance activities
• Leading a team of Field Performance Managers, M&E and ICA technicians, asset reliability specialists, and senior authorising engineers
• Collaborating with internal teams (Operations, Capital Delivery, H&S, HR, Finance) and external stakeholders (regulators, contractors, industry bodies)
• Managing a £5M Opex budget and tracking KPIs such as asset availability, maintenance compliance, and cost efficiency

About You

We're looking for a strategic and technically skilled leader with:

• Proven experience in asset maintenance leadership within water, utilities, or infrastructure
• Strong understanding of asset management principles and technical standards
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience working with regulatory frameworks (e.g. Ofwat, EA, DWI)
• NEBOSH certification (desirable)
• Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil) or Chartered Engineer status (desirable)
• Familiarity with CMMS and data analytics tools (desirable)

You'll be someone who thrives in a fast-paced, change-driven environment, with a passion for innovation, continuous improvement, and delivering long-term value.

Package

This role will be full time Monday to Friday with a hybrid approach to working between one of our regional offices and home.

We are offering a competitive salary commensurate to experience, a £500 monthly car allowance, bonus up to 20% and single cover private medical insurance, as well as a range of other benefits including:

• Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution

• Life assurance payment equal to four times your annual salary

• Health benefits through a Cash Plan

• Two paid community volunteering days a year

• 25 days annual holiday

• Occupational health service

• Perkbox benefits offering discounts and savings on several products and experiences

• Study support may be available for job-related qualifications

• We offer competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave as well as flexible return to work options

Join Southern Water and see how far your career could progress with a company committed to career progression, training and development opportunities, our customers and the environment.

Why Southern Water?

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain's water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for , this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation.

At Southern Water, diversity and inclusion are core values. We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an environment where every individual is empowered to succeed.

This is more than a role; it's an opportunity to lead, innovate, and make a lasting impact. Apply now to be part of our transformational journey.