Closing Date 2026-06-19 Job Title: Senior Public Affairs Manager Location: Hybrid – minimum one day per week at our Head Office in Durrington, with regular engagement across the region and London Contract Type: FTC to June 2027 Hours: Full time, 37 hours per week Salary: £Ask on application About the role Southern Water is investing billions to improve environmental performance and resilience across the South East. Public affairs sits at the heart of that effort — helping us explain our plans, manage political and regulatory risk, and build credibility with those who influence how we operate. We are looking for a Senior Public Affairs Manager to play a leading, hands‑on role in how Southern Water engages with MPs, government departments and other senior political stakeholders. This is a senior role combining deep public affairs expertise with a strong grasp of process and transformation. Alongside leading high‑profile political relationships, you will help ensure our engagement activity is joined‑up, effective and tells a cohesive story across national, regional and local government. Reporting to the Head of Public Affairs & Stakeholder Engagement, you will provide trusted counsel to senior leaders and act as a key part of the organisation’s political leadership capability during a period of significant change and scrutiny. What you will be responsible for: Strategic political engagement Lead Southern Water’s engagement with senior MPs, peers, advisers, government departments and other priority political stakeholders. Act as a trusted adviser to the Executive team on the political landscape and its implications for the business. Help shape public affairs priorities and approaches in response to emerging political, regulatory and media risk. Briefings, advice and senior counsel Lead the preparation of high‑quality briefings, talking points and advice for the CEO, Executive Directors and senior leaders. Provide clear, confident political advice that supports effective decision‑making and external engagement. Sense‑check and assure public affairs outputs to ensure they are accurate, credible and proportionate. Process, transformation and ways of working Support continuous improvement in how public affairs and stakeholder engagement activity is planned, coordinated and delivered. Help drive consistency, clarity and effectiveness across engagement activity to ensure a cohesive narrative at all levels of government. Contribute to shaping ways of working that enable the team to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, high‑profile environment. Leadership within the public affairs team Support and mentor Public Affairs Manager, providing oversight, challenge and guidance on complex or sensitive issues. Lead by example within the Public Affairs team Act as a senior escalation point for high‑profile stakeholder concerns and politically sensitive casework. Provide cover for the Head of Public Affairs & Stakeholder Engagement when required. Political intelligence and issue management Lead horizon‑scanning and analysis of political and parliamentary activity relevant to Southern Water. Translate external developments into clear internal insight with recommended actions. Support issue management during incidents, regulatory challenges or periods of heightened scrutiny. Partnership working Work closely with colleagues across Strategy, Regulation, Communications, Customer and Operations to ensure joined‑up engagement. Build constructive working relationships with local authorities, regulators and sector partners where political interests intersect. What you’ll bring to the role Essential Significant experience in public affairs, political engagement or a related role, either in‑house or agency. A strong understanding of the UK political system and how organisations influence policy and decision‑makers. A demonstrable track record of managing senior political relationships and advising senior leaders. Experience operating confidently in politically sensitive, fast‑paced environments. Strong judgement with the ability to balance risk, reputation and delivery. Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and persuasively. Desirable Experience at Account Director level (or equivalent) within a public affairs or communications agency. Experience working in a highly regulated or politically sensitive sector. Experience of mentoring or guiding colleagues through complex issues. An understanding of infrastructure, environment, public services or utilities policy. About Southern Water Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025–2030, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in how water services are managed. You’ll be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions and help shape long‑term outcomes. At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you — even if you don’t tick every box. Our Commitment to Diversity We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. Additional information In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, a criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre‑employment and security checks. #LI‑AW1 #LI‑Hybrid Our purpose is big. Our impact is huge. And we know that every single one of us has the power, through our actions, to positively change society and the environment for good. It’s why careers with us have real meaning. Because, if you’re driven and ambitious, we can offer you huge opportunities for personal growth, professional development and constant innovation. Forever evolving. Forever focused on doing the right thing, we empower and encourage everyone to play to their strengths and to help us shape a fair and positive future for all. We believe in Water for Life. If you do too, Dive Right In. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, because delivering water for life is our core purpose. To achieve this, we need 24/7 support in place to resolve incidents quickly and efficiently. All our employees understand the importance of out-of-hours incident support – because when problems appear, fixing them is our top priority. That’s why our people join together and support when and however needed to make sure our customers get the service they deserve. Joining the Southern Water family means you’ll become part of our incident support team. During your interview, your manager will speak to you about any incident support rotas that apply to your position. Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?
