Bathing Waters Partnership Manager

The Role

Are you driven by environmental improvement and passionate about creating cleaner, healthier bathing waters? Do you enjoy building relationships, influencing others, and bringing people together to deliver shared goals?

As our Bathing Water Partnerships Manager, you will play a key role in driving improvements in bathing water quality across the region. Working alongside Catchment Managers, you will strengthen and enhance existing partnerships, identify new opportunities for collaboration, and help deliver long-term environmental outcomes where partnerships are not yet established.

This is a highly influential role that will help shape our approach to bathing water quality. You'll work across the business and with external organisations to develop innovative solutions, tackle diffuse pollution from third-party sources, and ensure we maximise the value of collaborative working.

Role Accountabilities

• Aiding the development and embedment of the bathing waters strategy, particularly our work with third parties.
• You will work with others across the company to identify priority sites for intervention, identify partnership opportunities, and where appropriate either sit on these partnerships, support the catchment manager or obtain funding for an independent resource to drive bathing water improvements.
• Creating a strategy to maximising the benefit of citizen science opportunities in relation to improving bathing waters.
• Tracking outputs and benefits from all partnership work relating to bathing waters and use this to develop future plans.
• Working closely with the catchment managers to ensure consistency in approach to partnerships, share best practice and maximise benefits from partnership working
• Partnership updates at the bathing waters working and steering group
• Securing funding for interventions from the bathing water base programme as required
• Sponsoring and championing bathing water improvement projects across the region. This may include involvement in Ofwat innovation bids.
• Representing United Utilities at partnership meeting and local community meetings (if necessary).
• Communicating with stakeholders across the business and providing information for customer communications.
• Producing and aiding the production of bathing water content for PR29

Essential Skills & Experience

• Degree qualified in an environmental, scientific, or related discipline, or able to demonstrate equivalent experience.
• UK driving license with the ability to travel across the region.
• Strong understanding of the factors that influence bathing water quality, environmental regulations, and the wider challenges affecting coastal and inland waters.
• Experience building and managing successful partnerships across a range of organisations, including regulators, local authorities, environmental groups, and industry partners.
• Demonstrable knowledge of environmental, water industry, or catchment management practices, with the ability to apply this knowledge to deliver positive outcomes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience using data, insight, and financial information to support decision-making and drive improvements.
• Proven ability to influence, negotiate, and build consensus with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders and external partners.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex technical information into clear and engaging messages for different audiences.
• Strategic mindset with experience contributing to or developing long-term plans, programmes, or environmental strategies.
• A proactive and innovative approach, with the ability to identify opportunities, overcome barriers, and drive change through collaboration.
• Commitment to continuous learning and keeping up to date with developments in environmental policy, regulation, and best practice.

Benefits

• A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service (increases one day per year), in addition to 8 bank holidays
• A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover
• Up to 10.5% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements
• A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme
• MyGymDiscounts - gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions
• Best Doctors
• Salary Finance
• Wealth at Work courses
• Deals and discounts
• EVolve Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Mental health first aiders
• ShareBuy
• MORE Choices flexible benefits
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

About Us

"Salary - "competitive salary"
Work Type - Onsite
Job Location - Lingley Mere (UU), Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 3LP
Role Type - Permanent
Employment Type - Full Time
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week

United Utilities’ (UU) purpose is to deliver great water for a stronger, greener and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society.

We value diversity, inclusion and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves.

We uphold our ethics, values and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long-term value for our colleagues, customers and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of.

We’ve got a lot to offer. You’ll be part of a thriving FTSE 100 company and will enjoy a range of core benefits that reflect your value and value contribution."