Water Networks Maintenance Operative

Water Networks Maintenance Operative, (Distribution Maintenance Operative)

Full time, Permanent, 40 hours per week

(5 x 8 Hour shifts Monday to Friday, participation in a contractual, out of hour’s standby rota including weekends and bank holidays).

Salary up to £35,402 (depending on experience) plus overtime and standby payments and Company Van and Fuel Card

Based in Lound, Suffolk

About the role

We’re offering a fantastic opportunity for you to join us as a Water Network Operative, based at our Lound Water Treatment Works. To be considered, applicants should live within a reasonable travel distance to our supply area. In this vital role, you’ll become part of our dedicated Network Services Team, a team where health and safety is always the top priority.

As a Water Network Operative, you'll be responsible for carrying out essential repairs and maintenance on our underground pipes and assets across Suffolk. This is a hands-on and physically active role, often involving manual excavation in public highways. You’ll be provided with a van for business use, including travel to and from work each day. Our team operates around the clock, 365 days a year, and plays a key role in delivering reliable service to both domestic and commercial customers, often being the most visible face of our company in the community.

Reporting to one of our Area Managers, you’ll be expected to complete work on our water distribution network safely, hygienically, and to a high standard, all while maintaining excellent customer service in everything you do.

About you

As a key part of a team that represents Essex & Suffolk Water out in the community every day, we’re looking for people who take pride in delivering high-quality, consistent work. Great communication skills and a flexible, can-do attitude are essential, as is a strong commitment to providing excellent customer service. Our customers rely on us to keep clean water flowing 24/7, so we need team members who can adapt to changing demands and are willing to take part in a standby rota when needed.

While experience in a similar role is helpful, it’s not essential. What really matters is that you bring strong people skills, the ability to explain technical information clearly, and the physical capability to work outdoors in all weather conditions. You should also be confident using your initiative and solving problems on the spot to ensure work is carried out efficiently and effectively.

If you’re looking for a hands-on, physically active career with a company that truly values its employees, this could be the perfect opportunity. Full training will be provided to the right candidates.

Please note – This role has been defined as a safety or security critical role and as a condition of a formal offer of employment you will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol test. Prospective employees and agency workers in defined safety and security critical roles will be required to undertake a drug and alcohol test after the job offer has been made.

This will be prior to or within four weeks of their start date. Prospective employees and agency workers who fail a pre-employment urine drug screen will have their sample analysed by the Company appointed laboratory as a matter of course. Falling a pre-employment drugs or alcohol test may lead to the job offer being revoked.

Here at Essex & Suffolk Water, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity means bringing your full self to work. We encourage and welcome applications from all underrepresented groups, as we believe and strive for community representation within all our teams, structures and organisation.

Our colleague network groups include our Rainbow Support Network (LGBTQIA+), REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), WiSTEM (Women in STEM) and Thisability (disability and neurodiversity) networks. They provide a safe space for colleagues from diverse backgrounds, welcoming all colleagues regardless of their personal characteristics to participate in valuable conversation that improves our organisational awareness, understanding and inclusivity.

We encourage and welcome all applications, as we strive to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to having diverse communities represented within all our teams, structures, and organisation.

Please note this role will require a DBS to be completed prior to employment

NWG are an inclusive employer who support the rehabilitation of offenders, we will not, however consider candidates who have certain unspent convictions to ensure our commitment to fostering a safe and secure working environment for all OR colleagues, suppliers, customers and third parties.

We’re aware that not everyone will have every skill listed in the job description, however if you have some of the skills listed, we'd encourage you to apply.

NWG at a glance:

Our purpose at NWG is caring for the essential needs of our communities and environment, now and for generations to come.

We do this by providing reliable and affordable water and wastewater services for our customers.

We make a positive difference by operating efficiently and investing prudently, to maintain a sustainable and resilient business.

Our vision is to be the national leader in the provision of sustainable water and wastewater services. To support us in achieving our vision, we have five core values which are the guiding principles, defining who we are, what we do and how we do it.

Our benefits

We’re a Great Place to Work because of the amazing people who work for us, and to say thank you we offer a range of benefits to colleagues. Our ‘Tap Into’ benefits include:

• Generous holiday entitlement starting 23 days, plus bank holidays and additional time off on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. There’s also the option to buy or sell holidays.
• Company pension scheme, where we’ll double match your contributions up to an employer contribution of 10%.
• Free access to local attractions.
• A fantastic discount scheme, with savings on days out, shopping, travel and more.
• Award winning ‘Living Well’ wellbeing support, including access to a digital GP service for you and your family members.
• Support with sustainable travel – through salary sacrifice cars and a cycle to work scheme.
• Financial wellbeing support – access our community savings scheme, financial education and low-cost loans through Salary Finance. We also provide 4 x Life Assurance and an Income Protection Scheme.
• Support with your development – we offer a range of development opportunities, can support you through an interest free qualification loan and we’ll even pay for any relevant professional body subscription.

NWG (Northumbrian Water Group) provides water and sewerage services to 2.7 million people in the North East of England as Northumbrian Water, and water services to 1.5 million people in the South East of England as Essex & Suffolk Water.

We are proud to serve our customers and we're committed to delivering great service, putting our customers at the heart of everything we do.