Water Quality Monitoring & Assurance Manager

The Role

We're looking for an experienced Water Quality Monitoring & Assurance Manager to provide strategic leadership and assurance across the installation, commissioning and maintenance of continuous water quality monitoring assets throughout our wastewater and final effluent networks.

This is a critical role focused on ensuring that supplier-delivered monitoring solutions consistently meet engineering standards, regulatory requirements and operational expectations. You will be responsible for setting assurance frameworks, leading assurance activities and driving best practice across the asset lifecycle to ensure the delivery of high-quality, reliable data that supports operational decision-making and environmental performance.

Working at the heart of our operational intelligence function, you'll oversee assurance resources and provide expert leadership to ensure monitoring systems enable effective Dynamic Treatment Management (DTM), regulatory compliance and optimised treatment performance. Acting as the authority for assurance decisions, you'll play a vital role in protecting the environment, improving operational control and delivering trusted intelligence that supports the safe and efficient operation of our wastewater services.

What you'll be doing

• Lead and continuously improve the assurance framework for continuous water quality monitoring instrumentation across wastewater and final effluent processes, ensuring robust governance, clear standards, reporting requirements and consistent delivery.
• Provide strategic oversight of installation, design compliance, commissioning and maintenance activities, ensuring all assets meet engineering, operational and regulatory requirements and deliver reliable, high-quality performance throughout their lifecycle.
• Manage, develop and coach a team of assurance professionals, building capability in commissioning assurance, data validation and operational performance, while deploying resources effectively to meet programme and regulatory priorities.
• Ensure commissioning activities, including calibration, verification, testing and telemetry integration, deliver accurate, stable and trusted data that supports effective operational control and Dynamic Treatment Management (DTM).
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex assurance decisions, proactively identifying and managing risks, defects, non-conformances and compliance issues to protect operational performance and environmental outcomes.
• Drive data quality and reliability, ensuring monitoring information is fit for regulatory reporting, treatment optimisation and real-time operational decision-making, while addressing issues that impact compliance or performance.
• Champion health, safety, environmental and engineering standards, promoting a strong safety culture and ensuring assurance activities minimise the risk of permit breaches, pollution incidents and operational failures.
• Hold suppliers accountable for quality, compliance and delivery performance, ensuring defects and deviations are resolved effectively and lessons learned are embedded to improve future delivery.
• Provide assurance reporting and performance insights to senior stakeholders, highlighting risks, compliance status and opportunities for improvement, while supporting informed decision-making across the business.
• Work collaboratively with operational, regulatory and delivery teams to optimise treatment performance, strengthen assurance processes and drive continuous improvement in commissioning quality, asset reliability and data-led operations.

What we're looking for

• Significant experience in instrumentation assurance, commissioning, technical governance or operational delivery within the water or wastewater industry.
• Relevant engineering or technical qualification, or equivalent experience gained through a senior technical or operational role.
• A full UK driving licence and willingness to travel across operational sites as required.
• Proven experience leading, managing and developing technical, operational or assurance teams, with the ability to set direction, drive performance and build capability.
• Strong knowledge of continuous monitoring instrumentation, telemetry systems and data quality requirements, with an understanding of how monitoring data supports operational performance and regulatory compliance.
• Experience managing supplier and contractor performance, holding delivery partners accountable for quality, safety and compliance within a regulated environment.
• The ability to make sound, evidence-based decisions, balancing operational needs, risk management and regulatory obligations.
• Strong understanding of engineering, health and safety, environmental and quality standards, with a commitment to driving best practice and continuous improvement.
• Appropriate health and safety/site safety certification, or the ability to obtain this.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, challenge and engage effectively at all levels of the organisation.

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 - Hybrid
Job Location – Lingley Mere (UU), Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 3LP (main) Blackburn waste water treatment works, Cuerdale Lane Samlesbury Blackburn Lancashire PR5 0UY
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.