Senior Project Manager

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager – Operational Technology Asset Health (OTAH) to define, manage, and deliver complex OT-focused change initiatives aligned with Thames Water’s OT Obsolescence Programme and Turnaround plan. You will lead across multiple projects, ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory expectations, and strategic outcomes while collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive delivery and continuous improvement.

What you’ll do as a Senior Project Manager – Operational Technology Asset Health (OTAH)

Project Leadership & Governance:

• Lead and coordinate internal resources and external vendors for successful project delivery to agreed time, cost, quality, and outcomes.
• Define and maintain project scope, budget, schedule, and resource plans in alignment with organisational goals.
• Ensure governance compliance, manage project lifecycles, and maintain strong internal/external stakeholder engagement.

Delivery Management & Strategic Execution:

• Deliver significant OT and business change initiatives that contribute to the OT Obsolescence Programme and Turnaround strategy.
• Support solution definition and preparation of business cases aligned with project objectives.
• Manage multiple projects under a circa £5m per annum budget, ensuring adherence to SGGC and IC processes.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication:

• Identify, engage, and manage stakeholders from across Thames Water and third-party suppliers.
• Provide regular project updates through clear written and verbal communication, tailored to stakeholder needs.
• Champion collaboration across IT, OT, Engineering, Asset Management, Cybersecurity, H&S, and external partners.

Risk, Performance & Quality Management:

• Identify and manage risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies (RAID) and ensure appropriate escalation.
• Create and maintain cost models, monitor accruals and forecasts, and challenge costs to drive value.
• Manage project change control and lead regular review meetings covering performance and status.

Procurement & Commercial Oversight:

• Engage in specification, tendering, negotiation, and contract management for OT project delivery.
• Ensure performance of consultants and contractors aligns with Thames Water standards and project expectations.
• Define procurement strategies and oversee contract documentation, ensuring commercial efficiency.

Continuous Improvement & Close-Out:

• Embed lessons learned through structured project closure and knowledge-sharing activities.
• Support a culture of continuous improvement and digital enablement within the OT environment.
• Drive innovation through alignment with Thames Water’s digital OT incentives and wider transformation goals.

Base location – Hybrid – Sewage Treatment Works, Reading
Working pattern – 36 hours Monday to Friday

What you should bring to the role:
Essential Experience:

• Proven experience delivering complex, major projects in a regulated infrastructure or utility environment.
• Strong understanding of contract preparation, tendering, evaluation, and negotiation.
• Experience delivering OT projects with third-party suppliers.
• Ability to lead internal teams and external collaborators to successful outcomes.

Essential Technical Skills & Qualifications:

• Higher education qualification or equivalent experience in project management within an engineering discipline.
• Deep understanding of OT systems and architectures.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, proposal development, and project lifecycle control.
• Strong decision-making, personal accountability, and the ability to perform under pressure.
• Excellent communication skills with commercial and financial awareness.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience in water operations and OT solutions.
• Knowledge of OT methodologies and use within the utility sector.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear language for business stakeholders.
• Demonstrated awareness of the role and impact of OT in operational resilience.

Desirable Technical Skills & Qualifications:

• PRINCE2 or equivalent professional project management certification.
• Health, Safety, and Environmental Management qualification (e.g., NEBOSH).

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary up to £70,000 per annum, depending on experience
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

Who are we?
We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water
Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

Whether you’re interested in a role in one of our call centres or science labs, we’re looking for people like you with real passion and a burning desire to make things better.

So, if you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process. Our aim is to remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.