Instrumentation & Monitoring Manager

Location: Kings Langley, Hertfordshire

Salary range: £65,000 – £80,000 + company car + private healthcare scheme + gym + performance bonus (with progression as the division grows)

• Company car: Company car (available for personal use) with a monthly rental value
• Pension: Automatically enrolled into the WJ Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme. Contributions are made at 5% for both employee (minimum) and employer (maximum).
• Private Healthcare: At six months of service, option to be enrolled into Westfield Health Cash Plan for Specialist Consultations & Diagnostics, Scanning Service (MRI, CT & PET Scans), Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments (Physiotherapy, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Homeopathy and Osteopathy)
• Profit Related Bonus: A profit related annual bonus will be payable in December if WJ meets its profit targets
• Group Life Insurance: Automatically included in the WJ Death in Service Group Insurance at 3 times salary after 6-month probation period
• Gym Membership: Exclusive, discounted access to thousands of gyms, pools and spas with just one pass via our fitness partner, Hussle

About the role

WJ is investing in the future of Instrumentation & Monitoring and is seeking an experienced leader to establish and grow this exciting part of our business. This is a rare opportunity to build a dedicated I&M division within an established engineering company combining technical leadership, business development and operational management.

You'll take ownership of an established and highly respected monitoring team of 16 professionals comprising a Project Management Team, Data Engineer and skilled field technicians at varying grades while shaping the future direction of our I&M capability. Working on major infrastructure, environmental and groundwater projects across the UK, you'll provide leadership, technical direction and commercial oversight, growing the business towards a standalone I&M division with its own commercial identity.

Why join WJ?

This is more than a management position it's an opportunity to shape the future of Instrumentation & Monitoring within the UK's leading water management specialist. You'll inherit an experienced and capable team, work alongside supportive directors committed to investing in the service, and have the autonomy to build a market leading I&M division with your own ideas, leadership and vision. If you're looking for a role where you can genuinely influence strategy, develop people, embrace new technologies and leave a lasting legacy, we'd like to hear from you. In return, WJ offers an attractive remuneration package, comprehensive benefits, and investment in your professional development.

About WJ

WJ is the UK’s leading water management specialist the partner and contractor of choice for major construction and infrastructure programmes. Founded by academics and evolved through expertise, we apply scientific principles to solve complex water challenges: over 40 years’ experience and 4,000+ projects worldwide, including the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the London Olympic Park, Crossrail, Tideway, HS2 and currently Sizewell C. Our expanding service lines span dewatering & groundwater control, water treatment, surface water management, I&M, pumping tests, well drilling and professional services which are grounded in engineering, delivered in partnership. Our values of Confidence, Pride, Clarity & Integrity, and Independence guide every decision we make, and our ambitions are big: the AMP8 water sector, defence, energy and infrastructure markets.

Reports to

Operations Manager (Line Manager).

Direct Reports

Established monitoring team of 16 staff: Project Management Team (Project Manager, Assistant Project Manager, Data Engineer and skilled field technicians at varying grades).

Shares additional operational staff with instrumentation knowledge and expertise with main operations, with a remit to grow dedicated standalone I&M technician capability.

Key areas of responsibility

Service Line Development & Business Growth

• Define and implement the strategy, capability roadmap and commercial model for WJ’s I&M service line, working towards a standalone division with its own P&L.
• Develop WJ’s instrumentation fleet, telemetry platforms, supply chain and standard specifications to support a scalable, repeatable offering.
• Support the Head of Business Development and Sales team in identifying, qualifying and winning I&M opportunities, including client presentations, technical proposals and pricing input.
• Expand the offering across groundwater level and quality monitoring, geotechnical instrumentation, environmental (noise, dust and vibration) monitoring, and remote telemetry and data services.
• Monitor market, regulatory and technology developments (sensors, dataloggers, IoT, data platforms) to keep WJ’s offering competitive.

Team Leadership & Management

• Provide line management and leadership to the established monitoring team of 16 staff, comprising a Lead Engineer, a Data & Telemetry Specialist, a Project Manager and skilled field technicians at varying grades.
• Develop the team structure, competency framework and training plans to grow dedicated I&M technician capability at all grades.
• Coordinate the use of shared operational staff with instrumentation knowledge, working with the Operations Manager to plan resources across projects.
• Set objectives, manage performance, and build a positive, safe and technically excellent team culture.
• Lead recruitment and succession planning as the division grows.

Technical Authority & Design Support

• Act as WJ’s subject matter expert for instrumentation and monitoring, providing technical support to the design team on monitoring strategy, instrument selection, installation methods and specification.
• Design monitoring programmes covering groundwater levels and quality (piezometers, dataloggers, sampling and laboratory analysis), geotechnical instrumentation (settlement, movement, inclinometers, extensometers), and environmental compliance monitoring (noise, dust, vibration).
• Develop and own WJ’s telemetry and data systems capability, including remote monitoring, dashboards, alarm/trigger management and automated reporting platforms.
• Ensure monitoring programmes satisfy planning conditions, discharge consents, environmental permits and contract specifications.
• Develop standard designs, specifications, method statements and guidance to build I&M capability across the wider business.

Project Delivery & Operations

• Oversee delivery of all I&M projects and workstreams, from tender support through installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and demobilisation.
• Ensure data quality, instrument calibration, reading schedules and reporting obligations are consistently achieved across all contracts.
• Ensure timely review and escalation of trigger breaches and anomalous data, with clear protocols agreed with clients and project teams.
• Ensure I&M operations comply with WJ’s SHEQ requirements and safe systems of work, including safe access for installation and reading activities.

Commercial & Financial Management

• Provide accurate cost estimates, pricing input and commercial risk assessment for I&M scopes within bids and tenders.
• Manage budgets, equipment utilisation and margins across I&M works, reporting progress towards standalone P&L status.
• Work with the Managing Quantity Surveyor and Finance to ensure I&M contracts are commercially controlled and profitable.

Reporting & Governance

• Produce regular reports for the Operations Manager and Senior Leadership Team on service line development, project performance, team capability and pipeline support.
• Ensure all I&M activity is aligned with WJ’s IMS, QMS and SHEQ requirements, with auditable data management and record keeping.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Degree in environmental science, geology, civil/geotechnical engineering, instrumentation or a related science/engineering discipline.
• Proven experience designing, delivering and managing instrumentation and monitoring programmes on construction or infrastructure projects.
• Strong knowledge of groundwater monitoring (levels, quality, sampling and analysis) and geotechnical instrumentation.
• Experience with telemetry and data systems, including dataloggers, remote monitoring, monitoring software and reporting platforms.
• Proven people management experience, with the ability to lead and develop a multi-grade technical team.
• Strong commercial awareness, including estimating and pricing of monitoring scopes.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present technical solutions to clients and support business development.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

Desirable

• Experience of environmental compliance monitoring (noise, dust, vibration) on major construction projects.
• Experience of dewatering, groundwater control or tunnelling projects.
• Experience growing a service line, business unit or P&L.
• Chartered or working towards chartership with a relevant institution (e.g. CIWEM, ICE, Geological Society).
• SMSTS/SSSTS and CSCS site qualifications.

Working Conditions

Based at WJ’s UK Head Office (Kings Langley) with regular travel to project sites, client offices and WJ’s yard facilities across the UK.

Site attendance will be required for installations, audits and project oversight, which may occasionally involve out-of-hours working.