Water Demand Strategy Advisor

At South West Water, we believe that the strongest businesses are built on solid, stable foundations - with a vision and a culture that gives them the freedom to change, improve and innovate.

We’re proud to be responsible for providing reliable, efficient and high-quality drinking water and wastewater services for the beautiful South West area.

And we have huge ambitions.

Not only are we committed to reaching net-zero by 2030, but we’ve also partnered with Wildlife Trusts, National Parks and local partners to help ensure a better future for generations to come.

So, if you want to be part of a diverse team where opportunities flow and fresh ideas are welcomed, #JustAddWater.

We currently have an opportunity for a Water Demand Strategy Advisor to join our Water Resources team on a permanent basis in Exeter or Bristol. You will receive a competitive salary of circa £40,000 plus an excellent benefits package.

The role

The Demand Team is responsible for the creation and continual review of the strategy for delivering the water demand reductions set out in the Environment Act (including leakage, and Household (HH) and Non Household (NHH) per capita consumption), and setting targets that are signed off as deliverable by delivery teams. The team provides technical leadership, strategy and monitoring for demand for the short, medium and long term (in year, in AMP to 50 years) and play a critical internal educative role around demand planning and delivery.

You will support the development and implementation of the Water Demand Strategy (all elements, including providing strategy outputs for our Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP)) driving demand reductions aligned with strategic commitments, covering South West Water, Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water and Isles of Scilly regions.

You will collaborate with the Modelling Data and Systems (MDS) team to effectively scope and oversee data extraction analysis and report production that highlights demand position. You will review these outputs from the MDS team to draw out conclusions and actions and embed these in the Demand Strategy as appropriate. Reporting to the Demand Strategy Manager, you will be supporting the annual review of Demand Strategy and collaborating with delivery teams to establish deliverable targets and developing the long term plan for water demand.

To be successful in this role you will have a combination of technical proficiency, analytical acumen, collaborative skills and experience in demand forecasting, overseeing analysis, and strategic planning, within the utilities sector.

What you'll be doing:

• Support the company’s water demand analysis, strategic demand planning and demand forecasting.
• Monitor, report and forecast demand on a long term (eg WRMP) basis and will contribute to the company's strategies on demand management towards regulatory performance requirements.
• Support the Pennon Group aspects of the regional plan and provide expert advice to the West Country Water Resources Group.
• Oversee and contribute to the company population and property forecasts for drinking water and wastewater services, supporting the DWMP, WRMP, Regional Plan and Price Review.
• Contribute to the UKWIR demand network and ensure all work takes account of current research, guidance and legislation.
• Maintain awareness of and contribute to the team’s influence on policy and sector wide issues to the benefit of South West Water customers and the local environment.
• Support development and implementation of the Demand Strategy (all aspects) across the South West Water, Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water, and Isles of Scilly regions.
• Commission and oversee water usage data analysis, trends, and forecasting to inform decision-making, reflecting on outputs to optimize demand management strategies.
• Gather, compile, and organise historical water consumption data from various sources, including water utilities, municipalities, and government agencies.
• Collaborate with others to develop and maintain databases and data management systems to facilitate efficient storage, retrieval, and analysis of water demand data.
• Support an annual review of the Demand Strategy, making adjustments as required and communicating these in a proactive manner to ensure support and alignment to any changes.
• Support the implementation of the strategy for long term NHH / retailer engagement in conjunction with the water efficiency delivery team.
• Work together with internal teams, external partners, and stakeholders to ensure alignment and collaboration in implementing demand management strategies, critical to this is the collaboration with delivery teams to establish targets that have been tested for deliverability.
• Evaluate the performance and accuracy of forecasting models through validation and calibration exercises.
• Prepare comprehensive reports and presentations to communicate strategy effectiveness, progress, and recommendations to stakeholders.
• Collaborate with hydrologists and engineers to incorporate demand projections into comprehensive water resource management models and simulations.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the accuracy of demand forecasts and the success of implemented strategies.
• Analyse the interactions between water demand, supply, and infrastructure to identify potential bottlenecks and vulnerabilities in the water supply system.
• Conduct headroom analysis to assess the capacity for additional water demand within the existing infrastructure.
• Commission and oversee delivery of reports, presentations, and visualizations to communicate forecasting results, findings, and recommendations to stakeholders, including policymakers, water utilities, and community groups.
• Drive the identification of opportunities for process improvements, innovation, and optimisation of forecasting methodologies to enhance the accuracy and reliability of demand forecasts.
• Participate in research initiatives, professional development activities, and knowledge-sharing forums to contribute to the advancement of water demand management practices and methodologies.

What we are looking for:

• Scientific/ Environmental/ related Degree.
• Experience in utilities demand forecasting.
• Experience in managing projects, including defining objectives, developing work plans, allocating resources, and meeting deadlines.
• Experience in preparing reports, presentations, and technical documents for stakeholders, decision-makers, and technical audiences.
• Capability in using statistical software / modelling and visualisation tools such as PowerBI.
• Able to communicate internally and with external stakeholders and ability to interpret and present complex data in a clear and concise manner.
• A good understanding of water resources and the relevant regulatory standards.
• The ability to prioritise work in accordance with ever changing demands, and manage multiple projects and strong attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Ability to develop strong external relationships.

What's in it for you:

• This isn’t just a job, this is a career; the opportunities to develop and grow your career with us are endless. Alongside ongoing training and development opportunities we offer some great benefits:
• 26 days holiday allowance rising to 30 days plus bank holidays.
• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Professional progression routes.
• Generous contributory pension scheme.
• Discretionary bonus.
• Share save scheme.
• Subsidised healthcare benefits.
• Plus, many more!

Closing Date: Monday 18th November 2024

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values which are essential to our success are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.