Job Purpose
As a champion of UU’s purpose and values, the role holder will lead the development of sector leading approaches to systems thinking, including impact & value assessment, circular thinking, and partnerships. Through the exploration and application of these and other emerging concepts and techniques the role holder will inform and shape the Company’s culture, strategic direction and decision-making to protect, grow and evidence the value UU delivers for its stakeholders.
Job Accountabilities
The role holder will lead the development and implementation of a sector leading approach to systems thinking; ensuring this is well defined and practically applied to deliver tangible benefits by shaping UU’s culture, decisions and programmes. This will include developing and embedding the following:
- A strategic approach to quantifying the value that UU delivers, the dependencies we critically rely on, and the positive and negative impact we have as an organisation. Apply this approach to provide insight on risk and opportunity, engage stakeholders, and shape our decisions and reporting. A priority is to underpin the Price Review and other strategic planning submissions with an industry leading approach.
- Horizon scanning and future strategic scenarios that inform the Company’s strategic thinking, strategies and plans to ensure they are robust, adaptive and future proof with clear understanding of emerging and evolving risks and opportunities. Demonstrate and instigate the application of systems thinking in responding to these risks and opportunities.
- A corporate, strategic approach to partnership working; ensuring that a wide spectrum of partnerships are developed in a structured and strategic way, with well evidenced governance and objectives delivering value and outcomes. Line-manage the partnerships role to support our effective approach and ambition.
- A corporate approach to the circular economy that secures efficiencies and other benefits; including being an active sponsor of business cases for improvement opportunities.
The role holder will also –
- Lead products and deliverables for the Price Review process to achieve and showcase an industry leading approach on matters relating to the themes mentioned above, and new themes as they emerge.
- Help shape and govern the corporate framework for policies and strategies to ensure they are well considered and governed in alignment to our corporate purpose hierarchy. The individual will also lead and support the development of strategies, policies and plans.
- Work across the business, with external stakeholders to secure the support of their direct and indirect team. They will prioritise the ongoing health, safety, wellbeing and personal development of their team.
Knowledge and Skills
- Strategic and innovative thinker with the ability to create and deliver plans which align to the strategic priorities and tactical needs of the business, able to make informed judgement through well-developed business acumen and the analysis of complex information, often completed by others
- Possess and be able to generate confidence internally and externally as a subject matter expert on industry and regulatory matters, and growing a technical expertise on systems thinking approaches.
- Proven communication skills (both verbal and written) with the ability to influence and persuade strategic decisions at a senior level (including board level).
- Ability to influence multiple teams (both direct and indirect) to ensure that the wholesale business plans are delivered through business as usual and business change activity
- Proven ability to commission, marshal and present research and other evidence in support of policy positions.
- Highly numerate with a well-developed understanding of business case development and the benefits framework requirements and workings
- Excellent planning and organisational skills to facilitate management of own workload, and workload of direct and indirect teams to deliver to internal and external deadlines and quality expectations
- Ability to maintain knowledge and skills and to develop themselves and their team.
Desirable Criteria
- Possess strong practical and theoretical knowledge of water and wastewater networks, treatment and waste management within the water industry both nationally and internationally
- Understanding of the regulatory frameworks and company business plan, strategic direction.
- Experience of preparing regulatory submissions, including annual reporting and price control processes; specifically the evidence, assurance and demonstration of regulatory need.
Additional Information
- Home/office based, some/infrequent travel may be required
We need fantastic people to enable us to deliver a great service to the public. We are committed to reaching and recruiting from every community and then supporting employees to achieve their full potential ensuring they feel valued and included, regardless of their gender, age, race, disability, sexual orientation or social background.
If you are offered a job with us, a number of pre-employment checks need to be carried out before your appointment can be confirmed. Any offer of employment with United Utilities will be subject to a satisfactory checking report from the Disclosure Scotland / the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Closing Date: 07/05/21
