United Kingdom onlySalary & Benefits: £42,950 -£53,689 per annum dependant on experience; company car through company car lease scheme, annual bonus; attractive pension scheme (up to 10% company contribution); 25 days annual leave; 8 x bank holidays plus a wellness day; life assurance cover of four times pensionable salary; and development opportunities in line with the Innovation Technical Specialist progression plan.
We also offer a fantastic flexible benefits package, with a choice of benefits such as a health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover. Colleagues also have access to a retail savings scheme, online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and much more.
Location: Bradford/hybrid working. We offer a flexible work arrangement for this role, working remotely or from the office and travelling across Yorkshire and beyond for meetings and events. It is helpful to work with the team in the office occasionally, and there's desk space available every day, if you prefer.
Work type: Permanent. The role is available on a full-time basis of 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday within a working window of 8:00am-6:00pm. We welcome applications from those who would like flexible or part time working arrangements.
We have an opportunity for an Innovation Technical Specialist to join our Research & Development Innovation team and help Yorkshire Water provide the best possible service to our customers whilst protecting the environment. Our team values creativity offers flexible work arrangements and empowers you to make a lasting positive impact on the business.
What we do:
We provide essential services to over 5.4 million people living in Yorkshire plus the millions who visit the region each year, such as ensuring they have clean and safe drinking water on tap and removing their wastewater. But for us, it is so much more than this.
We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire’s water, today, tomorrow, 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity.
New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers mean that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry.
Where you fit in:
The Research and Development Innovation (R&D Innovation) team is part of the Strategy & Regulation business area, which has a key role to play in shaping Yorkshire Water’s strategic direction and therefore take a forward-looking approach to business planning. We are a committed team with a wealth of technical experiences, accountable for meeting Yorkshire Water’s statutory and legal requirements, whilst also securing opportunities for growth and building our influence.
The R&D Innovation team delivers a programme that aligns with and addresses current operational and emerging strategic risks, considering wider challenges facing the industry such as population growth, climate change, affordability, and stakeholder expectations. We are increasingly focusing on creating commercial opportunities to support non-regulated growth within our portfolio of activity.
Our vision is to deliver opportunities for resilience, improved service performance and business growth through a programme of Innovation based on a clear articulation of risk and opportunity.
We have 6 x Technical Specialist roles, each covering a specific area of technical expertise across the clean water and waste water areas of our business. This role will cover an area related to clean water, which includes drinking water collection, treatment, and/or distribution, contributing to delivery of a secure, high quality water supply to our customers.
You will:
- Find, evaluate, and select the most beneficial ideas to meet short- or long-term risks or to provide an opportunity for Yorkshire Water.
• Continually learn and develop in an area of expertise within the Clean Water area, so that you can articulate the risks and challenges in that business area and seek effective solutions to fill gaps in knowledge, technology, and services.
• Develop and maintain academic and other technical networks to support continuous learning and to remain at the forefront of knowledge and technologies in the specific area of expertise.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and the Innovation Programme Managers to filter and prioritise ideas to create a programme of innovation in your area of expertise.
• Develop business cases to support selected ideas and align business sponsors via your internal networks, influencing a range of stakeholders to ensure the project is well supported.
• Fulfil the role of technical lead in the delivery of innovation projects to ensure they continue to align with business needs and challenges and remain on track to deliver the expected business benefits.
• Foster collaborative relationships with academics, relevant supply chain companies, consultancies, other water companies, and regulators to support with ideas gathering and delivery of projects collaboratively where appropriate.
• Support the transition of project outcomes and knowledge into implementation to realise the anticipated benefits for the business.
• Work to identify and secure additional sources of funding for projects, including engaging with the Ofwat Innovation Fund.
What skills and qualifications you will need:
Essential
- A science or engineering degree, or demonstrable experience in an area related to Clean Water (drinking water collection, treatment, and/or distribution).
• A drive for continuous learning and development in your technical specialist area with a curiosity and passion to keep at the forefront of emerging knowledge and technologies.
• Ability to challenge/question perceived norms and be creative with ideas, ways of working and solutions to problems.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective internal and external relationships with experience of collaborative working and ability to influence for change.
• A UK Driving licence with no more than 6 points
Desirable
- An appreciation of how a water company operates, including treatment assets, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and customer service requirements.
• It would be beneficial to have previous experience:
o working within a team to deliver innovative projects.
o supporting and embedding change and able to influence and drive the right culture and behaviours; and
o working in a commercially orientated and/or regulated environment.
If you have a technical background and experience related to drinking water collection, treatment or distribution and want to help us deliver exceptional service for our customers through innovation, then apply today to discover what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you.
Please complete the online application process and submit your CV along with a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role.
Recruitment Process:
Closing date – 23rd June 2024
Interviews to take place - w/c 1st July 2024
We are proud to serve the Yorkshire region and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage candidates of all diverse backgrounds to apply.
If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.
Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
