Closing Date
2025-08-15
Job Title: Project Manager (Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force)
Location: This is a hybrid role operating within the Central (Sussex) area of our region (for these reasons, we can only accept applications from people who hold a full, clean driving license).
Contract Type: Full-time, 37 hours, Monday - Friday
Salary: up to £55k, depending on experience and qualifications
Storm overflows are very provocative and not acceptable to our customers and stakeholders. We want to lead the charge in resolving the current situation. That’s where our Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force comes in, creating pioneering and industry-leading solutions to reduce spills and reliance on overflows whilst also enhancing the environment for our communities. Currently delivering a £45million pathfinder programme which rapidly expands to £1.5billion over next 10 years. The programme has been very successful, and we are now expanding the team so we can continue to work in partnership to deliver a larger programme of sustainable and innovative interventions to reduce the use of storm overflows.
Job Overview
As a Pathfinder Project Manager, you will be responsible for ensuring that the Task Force’s Programme of work is delivered on time, within budget and to the required quality standards.
Our Pathfinder Project Managers play an integral role in helping the Task Force to achieve their vision, to enhance the environment through the dramatic reduction in spills and the need to use storm overflows!
You will provide project management assistance and coordination to primarily, the Catchment Risk Management Programme, ensuring that projects conform to the governance process and that projects are delivered on time and to appropriate standards. Promoting good practice in terms of project planning and control, in collaboration with both the customers, and colleagues within the Catchment Risk Management Team, Procurement, the relevant governing bodies, etc.
About You
The successful candidates will be tenacious, resilient, and resourceful but above all else, we are looking for someone who shares our passion for making a difference through the reduction of storm overflows and who shares the vision for what our Task Force are trying to achieve.
The work we are doing is industry leading, so we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences who feel they can work as part of an agile, dynamic and innovative team.
- You are passionate and committed to doing the right thing and improving the environment.
- You will have an understanding of Health & Safety practice and law (desirable).
- You will have had exposure to forecasting, finance and building programmes.
- You are an expert in juggling competing projects and plans.
- High level of planning and scheduling skills, ensuring the complex activities of interrelated project teams are controlled, coordinated and linked into the overall programme.
- The ability to work to tight time pressures and to present clearly articulated reports and presentations is a key component of this role.
- Effective communications skills at all levels, ability to work effectively as part of a team. Strong influencing and persuasion skills required, e.g. to promote change, ensure governance.
- Understanding of industry wide best practice relating to project management.
- Experience dealing with contractors/suppliers.
Package
This role will be full time Monday to Friday with a 60/40 split to working between our sites/field locations and home. We are offering a salary of up to £55,000 per annum depending on skills and experience as well as other benefits including:
- Company and performance-related bonus
- 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 leave and flexible return to work options
This is a unique opportunity to join a high performing and highly engaged team who are delivering a large innovative programme in partnership using sustainable and nature-based approaches to reduce the use of storm overflows and improve the environment. We know that over-use of storm overflows is a problem, so we are excited to invite you to be part of the solution!
Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, because delivering water for life is our core purpose. To achieve this, we need 24/7 support in place to resolve incidents quickly and efficiently. All our employees understand the importance of out-of-hours incident support – because when problems appear, fixing them is our top priority. That’s why our people join together and support when and however needed to make sure our customers get the service they deserve. Joining the Southern Water family means you’ll become part of our incident support team. During your interview, your manager will speak to you about any incident support rotas that apply to your position.
Privacy Statement
Please note: If you are an existing Southern Water employee, you will need to confirm within your application that your Manager is aware of your application.
All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. You will need to provide evidence of eligibility (e.g. a passport or long birth certificate and proof of NI) and current proof of address (dated within the last 3 months), will be required as part of the recruitment process. If you do not meet these criteria, your application will not be considered.
