Leakage Strategy Manager

Summary:

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Leakage Strategy Manager to lead the transformation, scaling, and delivery of advanced smart network solutions across our regional water infrastructure. In this pivotal leadership role, you will be responsible for defining and executing comprehensive leakage reduction and pressure management strategies that directly align with rigorous Ofwat performance commitments and long-term regulatory frameworks. Driving operational resilience and sustainable water balance, you will champion the integration of cutting-edge acoustic sensors, telemetry, and predictive data analytics to proactively detect, locate, and mitigate network losses. Working in close collaboration with capital delivery, field operations, and data science teams, you will establish a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring all leakage management activities are delivered safely, efficiently, and with minimal environmental impact.

To succeed in this role, you will bring an exceptional blend of technical water network expertise, robust commercial acumen, and proven strategic capability. You will manage substantial operational and capital budgets, driving commercial value and contractor performance while optimising end-to-end network efficiency. A confident communicator and influencer, you will engage across senior stakeholders, industry regulators, and technical specialists to communicate risk, report on statutory performance commitments, and justify future infrastructure investments. If you possess a track record of modernising utility networks, delivering high-level regulatory compliance, and motivating high-performing technical teams, this position offers a compelling platform to shape the future of our sustainable water management operations.

Main responsibilities:

• Strategy & Innovation: Leading the development and implementation of comprehensive leakage optimisation strategies and smart network technologies across the supply network. 
• Regulatory & Target Alignment: Aligning leakage operational plans with Ofwat regulatory performance commitments (AMP targets) to ensure compliance and avoid financial penalties. 
• Smart Infrastructure Deployment: Driving the integration of smart network technologies, acoustic logging, and pressure control into existing infrastructure to accelerate leak detection and response. 
• Performance & KPI Management: Managing leakage key performance indicators (KPIs) ensuring localised and region-wide reduction targets are consistently met. 
• Data Stewardship & Analytics: Overseeing network data governance, optimising flow/pressure data feeds, and leveraging predictive analytics to drive proactive maintenance and investment decisions. 
• Project & Scheme Governance: Developing, budgeting, and managing project plans for smart network installations, DMA maintenance, and targeted leakage schemes within defined financial guidelines. 
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborating with internal operational teams, asset management, and external service delivery contractors to ensure smooth implementation and operational alignment. 
• Health, Safety & Operational Risk: Embedding high Health & Safety standards across all strategy implementations and anticipating network risks to support operational contingency planning. 
• Business Transformation: Driving business-wide transformation through data-driven insights, emerging technology trials, and smart system innovations. 
• Evaluation & Reporting: Monitoring, evaluating and reporting performance outcomes to executive leadership, board committees and regulatory bodies as required.

You'll need:
Skills / Qualifications / Experience

• Degree or equivalent professional qualification/in-work training in engineering, water management, hydraulics or a related technical discipline. 
• Relevant professional accreditation (e.g., CEng, CIWEM) or safety management certifications (IOSH/NEBOSH) preferred.
  Strategic thinking and leadership in implementing large-scale network optimisation and leakage reduction programmes. 
• In-depth understanding of water balance methodology, DMA (District Metered Area) design and network hydraulics (pressure management and flow analysis). 
• Advanced data analysis skills, with the ability to manage and interpret complex network data to guide regulatory reporting and operational decisions. 
• Commercial and financial acumen, with experience managing operational/capital budgets and monitoring contractor performance against KPIs. 
• Excellent communication, leadership and stakeholder management skills, with proven experience collaborating across operational, asset management and regulatory teams. 
• Strong technical acumen in leakage detection, smart metering, logging technologies and continuous network monitoring systems. 
• Proactive, safety-first and results-driven approach to project delivery and continuous operational improvement.
• Proven experience in smart networks, hydraulic management and/or leakage optimisation within the UK water industry. 
• Strong practical knowledge of Ofwat regulatory frameworks, AMP performance commitments, and regulatory data governance standards. 
• Significant experience as a strategic thinker implementing large-scale network optimisation and water efficiency schemes. 
• Extensive experience in managing and analysing complex data sets to guide strategic investment and daily operational performance. 
• Demonstrable experience in promoting Health & Safety management procedures and managing operational risk within field environments. 
• Proven track record of leading, influencing and communicating effectively across multidisciplinary teams and external delivery partners.

Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.

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Grow a career with a meaningful purpose.

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Benefits package:

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.

• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.

• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.

• Paid volunteering days.

• Cycle to work scheme.

• Health cash plan.

• Life assurance.

• Wellbeing related benefits.

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What can you expect from your recruitment?

• To apply for this position, please submit your CV on our career’s website.

• It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water.

• Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

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If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, apply now!

South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.

Compensation package:

Up to £70,000 depending on experience. Plus £6,492 car allowance