Planning and Optimisation Team Leader

We're making a difference: Together, we can ensure that there is enough water for everyone, now and in the future.

Portsmouth Water are delighted to have an opening for a Planning and Optimisation Team Leader to join our highly regarded Production Department. In this role, you will lead and support the planning, scheduling and optimisation of production and storage activity, ensuring water treatment operations are efficient, safe, compliant and cost-effective.

Your team will consist of six people who cover the department’s planning and dispatching as well as procurement and asset administration.

What will you be doing?

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor performance through effective performance management, giving team members clear direction, support and guidance on their areas of responsibility.
• Ensure that Health & Safety procedures and processes are followed including the Management of Risk Assessments, internal inspections and audits and any other Control Measures.
• Conduct regular 1-1's with direct reports, absence reviews and any other associated meetings to support ongoing effective performance management of the team.
• Give input to the Employee Performance Development Review process, identifying training gaps, offering or allocating mentoring and further support as required.
• Ensure optimisation of the treatment processes, balancing water quality against cost (energy and chemical usage).
• Ensure the delivery of agreed programs of planned work to an agreed timeline, taking appropriate action to address any slippage.
• Ensure all Storage and Production assets are maintained effectively by ensuring maintenance is scheduled and completed on time.
• Ensure asset database is current and accurate, overseeing change and quality control.

What do you need?

Skills, Qualifications & Competencies

• Adaptable with good attention to detail.
• Accountable for own actions with a willingness to collaborate with others, whilst developing and sharing knowledge, ideas, and best practice and others.
• Empathetic, self-aware, and comfortable with constructively challenging areas that could be improved.
• Passionate about providing an excellent service, to our customers, colleagues, across teams and the wider Water Industry.
• Proven experience and a practical understanding of water treatment processes water industry exposure.
• Supervisory Qualification Level 3 and/or previous leadership experience and willingness to undertake relevant training to upskill in this area.
• Experience working with and operating telemetry and/or SCADA systems.
• IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent practical understanding and experience.
• A to C grade or Level 4 or above, GSCE English and Maths.
• Knowledge of hydraulic principles is preferrable.
• Computer and smart phone literate.
• Potential to participate in an out of hours coordinator (OHC) standby rota - This role will ensure all out of hours duties are covered by the Production Technical team and may be expected to provide additional support where required.

The successful applicant will be required to have a full UK manual car driving licence (Class B), will have to undergo a driving assessment, consent to ongoing driving licence checks and additionally any other safety measures deemed necessary by Portsmouth Water Ltd in connection with driving.

If you are successful for the role, you will be required to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) pre-employment checks that will include a basic disclosure check. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the national security vetting process for either a CTC or SC clearance check. Any offer of employment is conditional upon completion and receipt of satisfactory checks.

We recognise people want to work in a variety of different ways, and that's why we're happy to consider flexible working arrangements. Please feel free to talk to us at interview about the flexibility you may be looking for.

Please note, we may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications - so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

We're committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we actively encourage applications from all sections of society.

Please be aware, the Company has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Due to the high volume of applications we may receive, we're unable to respond to every applicant individually. If your application is of interest, we'll usually be in touch within 4 weeks of receiving it.

What can Portsmouth Water offer you?

At Portsmouth Water, we believe in rewarding our people. Here's just a taste of what's waiting for you when you join the team:

Enjoy 27 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays, giving you plenty of time to relax, recharge, and explore.

We'll help secure your future with a generous pension scheme, contributing up to 15% - because your tomorrow matters as much as your today.

You could earn a non-contractual bonus of up to 6% of your basic salary, linked to company performance - because when we succeed together, you should benefit too.

Whether you're welcoming a new arrival through birth or adoption, we've got your back with enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave and pay.

All expenses covered summer and winter social events.

Our life assurance scheme gives your loved ones extra security, with a 4x salary lump sum benefit in case the unexpected happens.

Whether you need confidential mental health and wellbeing advice 24/7 through our Employee Assistance Programme, or physical health support via our Virtual GP service (available 8am-10pm, 7 days a week for you and your immediate family), help is always close at hand with the HealthHero app.

Enjoy exclusive discounts at thousands of retailers, plus exciting benefits like:

• Electric Vehicle Scheme (after 1 year)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Health Cash Plan

... and so much more!

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident

Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.

• Company: Portsmouth Water
• Salary: £47,005 - £47,005
• Hours: Full-time
• Location: Havant, PO9 1NU
• Job type: Permanent
• Posting date: 5 Aug 2026
• Closing date: 3 Sept 2026

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