Water Resources Operational Risk Manager

Supporting the lives of people and places they love for generations to come is our purpose and providing water services to our communities in the most efficient and sustainable way possible is what we do. Our commitment is to always deliver available and sufficient resources, this is what drives the Drought and Resilience Team and in doing so we want to ensure that we enhance our reputation with our customers, regulators and stakeholders. So, if you want to be part of a diverse team where opportunities flow and fresh ideas are welcomed, #JustAddWater.

Opportunity for an Water Resources Operational Risk Manager to lead the reporting of abstraction activities within South West Water covering the South West Water, Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water and Isles of Scilly regions. You will receive a competitive salary of up to circa £52,000 plus an excellent benefits package.

The Role

The business partnering team is responsible for managing the abstraction compliance reporting and supports the operational team to manage emerging risks. They will be the day-to-day contact within the water resources team, providing critical inputs to other teams and acting as the centre of excellence of internal collaboration.

You will lead a team and will be responsible for the preparation of abstraction returns ensuring appropriate assurance checks, and QA is undertaken on abstraction returns. You will own the EA Relationship on abstraction compliance, proactively engaging to build trust and credibility. You will commission and oversee the collection, analysis, and documenting of water abstraction data from various sources, including surface water and groundwater abstraction points.

You will be an experienced and analytical abstraction reporting professional, with excellent organizational and communication skills, capable of effectively coordinating with internal teams and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with permit requirements and reporting standards. 

What you'll be doing:

• You will commission (via the Modelling Data and Systems team) and oversee all abstraction reporting activities, including collection, analysis, and validation of water abstraction data from various sources, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Manage water abstraction permits, including tracking permit conditions, abstraction activities, deadlines, and reporting obligations, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Conduct regular inspections and reports of abstraction sites to verify adherence to approved abstraction limits and operational requirements.
• You will actively support the Abstraction Strategy Manager to understand current abstraction performance and will collaborate to shape the Abstraction Strategy.
• Responsible for abstraction returns ensuring appropriate assurance checks, and QA is undertaken and ensuring timely and accurate reporting to regulatory authorities, stakeholders, and internal departments, in accordance with permit conditions and regulatory standards.
• Responsible for licence changes and applications – working in line with the Abstraction Strategy as established by the Abstraction Strategy Manager.
• Drive response and mitigation plans for emerging licence risks with Operations and other relevant internal stakeholders and internal departments, to fully understand performance, ensure relevant insights are incorporated in to reports, and ensure alignment with organizational objectives and priorities.
• You serve as the primary point of contact for regulatory agencies regarding water abstraction reporting matters, responding to inquiries, providing documentation, and addressing compliance issues as needed.

What we are looking for:

• Proven leadership qualities, including the ability to motivate and mentor team members, prioritize tasks, and manage resources efficiently.
• Track record of delivery, have personal resilience, be a self-starter, and a natural collaborator who actively engages with other senior managers across the business.
• Hydrology/ Environmental Science/ Water resource management /related Degree.
• Experience in water resources management, environmental compliance, or related fields.
• Experience in water abstraction reporting, regulatory compliance, and permit management.
• Analytical and competent with statistical analysis software, data visualization tools, and environmental monitoring instrumentation.
• Confident working with regulatory agencies and stakeholders.

What's in it for you:

• This isn’t just a job, this is a career; the opportunities to develop and grow your career with us are endless.
• Alongside ongoing training and development opportunities we offer some great benefits.
• 26 days holiday allowance rising to 30 days plus bank holidays.
• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Professional progression routes.
• Generous contributory pension scheme.
• Discretionary bonus.
• Share save scheme.
• Subsidised healthcare benefits.
• Plus, many more!