Head of Systems Engineering

At Thames Water, we make a daily difference to our 16 million customers by supplying 2.6 billion litres of water through 32,000 km of pipes, keeping taps flowing and toilets flushing. We deliver life’s essential service so our customers, communities, and the environment can thrive.

We’re on a mission to shape the future of water for generations to come. Our AMP8 Business Plan (2025–2030) is our most ambitious yet, with a proposed £20 billion investment, more than double the last five-year period. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform water infrastructure across London and the Thames Valley, ensuring safe, high-quality water and a resilient network for the future.

You’ll have influence at the highest level, working across the organisation and engaging directly with senior leaders and directors.

What you’ll be doing as Head of Systems Engineering

Our Head of Systems Engineering is a new role where you will be at the forefront of transforming how Thames Water delivers resilient, integrated solutions across our entire network. You’ll champion a systems thinking approach, ensuring our engineering capability consistently delivers for customers, communities, and the environment - now
and for the future.

You’ll join us on a long-term growth journey where engineering sits at the heart of decision-making, driving the right environmental and customer outcomes. This is more than a role - it’s a defining opportunity to transform how we do engineering across the business, aligning with wider strategies and delivering visible leadership.

You’ll be part of a major growth area, leading network upgrades and setting the scene for integrated systems, asset lifecycle management, and resilience. Your expertise will influence how we connect our engineering capability to the wider business through leadership, communication, and engagement.

This is your chance to drive change and transformation, promote innovation, and shape a mindset that brings the whole system together.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the development and implementation of a systems engineering mindset across Thames Water and our partners.
• Promoting integrated catchment management, asset lifecycle management, and project lifecycle delivery.
• Providing visible leadership, inspiring curiosity, agility, and collaboration across teams.
• Developing and tracking a maturity model for systems engineering, driving new ways of working and continuous improvement.
• Ensuring technical governance, design standards, and best practices are embedded across all engineering activities.
• Building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory bodies and professional institutions.
• Managing and optimising resources to deliver affordable, innovative solutions that balance cost, risk, and performance.

Base location: Clearwater Court, Reading (with flexible working arrangements)

Working pattern or hours: Full-time, permanent. A mix of office & site working 3 days per week.

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need is:

• Strategic leadership experience in systems engineering, with a proven ability to drive transformational change.
• Comprehensive knowledge of requirements and design management, asset maintenance, and engineering delivery in complex, real-time operations.
• Excellent understanding of systems integration in an operational business.
• Strong aptitude for holistic, integrated thinking and building collaborative relationships.
• Minimum of an honours engineering degree (or equivalent), with formal professional recognition (CEng, CSci).
• Excellent communication skills, able to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.
• Knowledge of procurement, supplier management, legal compliance, financial management, and project controls.

Additional skills and experiences would be great to have:

• Fellowship of a relevant engineering institute.
• Relevant business degree (e.g. MBA) or equivalent.
• Passion for continuous professional development and inclusivity in engineering.
• Experience operating in complex environments with political and media stakeholders.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays) 
• Car Allowance.
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• 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 meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

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.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, 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.