Performance Improvement Manager

Are you passionate about driving operational excellence and helping teams perform at their best? Join us as a Performance Improvement Manager, within the  Water Operations Excellence Team, where you’ll play a crucial role in supporting our regional leadership teams to deliver safe, reliable and high‑quality water services for millions of customers every day. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a team of Performance Partners and Analysts, shape our water performance frameworks, and influence strategic decision‑making at the Director and Executive levels. 

What you’ll be doing as a Performance Improvement Manager 

• Lead, coach and develop a team of Performance Partners and Analysts. 

• Build capability in performance management and analytics. 

• Drive enhancement of our Water Operations performance framework. 

• Act as a strategic link between regional teams and central insight functions. 

• Lead Director and Executive‑level performance cycles and materials. 

• Support regional improvement initiatives and remove blockers. 

The Performance Partners in your team will, 

• Support Operational Teams to understand performance drivers and deliver improvements in their areas 

• Monitor and report on regional KPIs – including productivity, H&S, compliance, performance commitments, and financial performance 

• Support preparation of materials for Performance meetings, driving continuous improvement and standardisation across regions 

• Proactively investigate underperformance – diagnose root causes using data and operational insight, and recommend actions to address 

Base location 
Variable across Thames Water sites (flexible working available) 
Working pattern or hours 
Monday–Friday (36 hours per week) 

Essential criteria 

• Proven leadership experience. 

• Experience in operational performance frameworks. 

• Strong data interpretation and insight generation skills. 

• Excellent communication and influencing skills. 

• Advanced Excel and BI tool experience. 

Desirable criteria 

• Experience in water or a similar industry. 

• STEM degree. 

• Lean/Six Sigma qualification. 

• SQL or similar analysis tool experience. 

What’s in it for you? 

• Competitive salary of up to £71,000 per annum 

• 26 days holiday plus bank holidays (increasing with service). 

• Generous pension scheme. 

• Private medical healthcare (dependent on grade). 

• Wellbeing and development benefits

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.