Alternative Water Supply Manager

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose
South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.
We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.
Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.
About the Role
At South West Water, we're committed to delivering reliable water services to our customers, even during planned works, incidents, and emergency situations. We're looking for an Alternative Water Supply (AWS) Manager to lead the planning, coordination, and delivery of alternative water supplies across our region.
This is a highly visible role that sits at the heart of operational resilience, ensuring customers, communities, businesses, and vulnerable users continue to receive support when normal water supplies are disrupted. You'll work across operational teams, suppliers, contractors, regulators, and key stakeholders to ensure the right resources are in the right place at the right time.
What You'll Be Doing
Lead and maintain South West Water's Alternative Water Supply (AWS) plans and operational readiness.
Manage a trained network of AWS Coordinators, Administrators, and volunteer resources.
Coordinate bottled water, tankering, logistics, equipment, stock levels, and supplier readiness. Build strong relationships with critical customers including hospitals, prisons, schools, and major businesses.
Act as the operational lead during supply interruption events, providing oversight of resources, priorities, risks, and customer support.
Ensure Priority Services Register customers and vulnerable customers receive appropriate support.
Support regulatory compliance, reporting requirements, and Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS) obligations.
Drive continuous improvement through exercises, lessons learned, and resilience planning.
Lead on the wider business AWS Strategy#Provide regulatory reporting, performance data, and operational assurance to support compliance with industry standards and customer obligations.
What We're Looking For
Essential
Operational, logistics, incident management, or emergency response experience.
Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
Experience leading teams, coordinating resources, and delivering results through others.
Excellent communication, numerical, and IT skills.
Strong problem-solving and organisational abilities.
Full UK driving licence.
Ability to support incident response activities, including out-of-hours and weekend working when required.
Benefits
Generous Annual Leave - Starting from 25 days plus bank holidays, increasing with service.
Holiday Buy & Sell - More flexibility to suit your lifestyle.
Annual Bonus Scheme - Share in our success.
Competitive Pension - Helping you plan for the future.
Life Assurance - Added peace of mind for you and your family.
Income Protection - Financial support when you need it most.
Enhanced Family Leave - Supporting the moments that matter.
Share Schemes - Opportunity to invest in our future and yours.
Health Cash Plan - Everyday health support for you and your family.
Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 wellbeing, financial and emotional support.
Free Flu Vaccination - Helping you stay healthy all year round.
Cycle to Work & Car Share Schemes - Supporting greener, more affordable travel.
Free On-site Parking & Canteen - Making your working day easier.
Volunteer Day - One paid day each year to give back to your community.
Retail Discounts - Savings on shopping, travel, leisure and more.
Closing Date: 2nd October 2026
We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.
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.

- Division
- South West Water
- Department
- Operations and Field Work
- Locations
- Exeter
- Yearly salary
- £45,000 - £50,000
- Employment type
- Full-time
About South West Water
We look after the water and wastewater services for 1.8 million customers across Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Dorset and Somerset.
From treatment and maintenance, to innovation and improvements, we're busy every day finding and fixing leaks, unblocking sewers and going bigger and further in our environmental work to be a company you can be proud of.