Pennon Group
Group Director of External Relations
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Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose
At Pennon Group, we’re proud to serve communities while protecting the environment. Together with our subsidiaries, South West Water, Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water, SES Water, Pennon Water Services and Pennon Power, we’re leading the way in water and renewables.
We’re proud to be recognised as 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.
Reputation isn't built on easy days. It's built on the challenging ones.
At Pennon Group, we provide essential water and wastewater services to millions of customers.
The work we do matters. It affects communities, the environment, public health, regulators, investors, government and customers every single day.
Which means people rightly care about what we do. They scrutinise our decisions. They challenge our performance. They expect transparency, accountability and action.
This isn't a role for someone who wants to manage a press office. This is a role for someone who wants to shape reputation at the heart of a major listed company operating in one of the UK's most highly scrutinised sectors.
The challenge
You'll lead Pennon's external communications strategy across the Group and play a key role in protecting and strengthening our reputation.
You'll advise the CEO, Executive Team and Board on some of the most complex and high-profile issues facing the business.
Some days you'll be building proactive campaigns that showcase investment, environmental improvements, innovation and community impact. Other days you'll be responding to major incidents, regulatory scrutiny, political interest or intense media attention.
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You'll need sound judgement, resilience and the confidence to challenge senior leaders when necessary.
Most importantly, you'll know that reputation is not something that sits alongside business strategy. It is business strategy.
What you'll be doing:
You'll:
- Lead the Group's external communications and reputation strategy.
- Act as a trusted adviser to the Chief Executive, Executive Committee and Board.
- Shape how Pennon responds to media, political, regulatory and stakeholder scrutiny.
- Lead communications during major issues, incidents and crisis situations.
- Build relationships with journalists, broadcasters, regulators and key stakeholders.
- Develop compelling narratives around investment, environmental performance, resilience and customer outcomes.
- Lead and develop a high-performing communications team.
- Ensure reputation considerations are embedded into key business decisions.
What we're looking for:
We're looking for someone who has:
- Significant senior communications, reputation or external affairs leadership experience.
- Exceptional media relations and issues management capability.
- Experience operating in a highly regulated, publicly scrutinised or politically sensitive environment.
- The confidence to advise and influence senior leaders and executives.
- Strong strategic judgement and calm decision-making under pressure.
- Experience leading communications through complex or high-profile situations.
- Experience in utilities, infrastructure or another regulated sector would be beneficial, but it is not essential.
You'll inherit a talented team that takes enormous pride in its work and has been led through significant growth and transformation. We're looking for someone who can bring the same commitment to developing people, maintaining morale and creating an environment where individuals can do their best work, even when the external environment is at its most challenging.
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Experience in utilities, infrastructure or another regulated sector would be beneficial, but it is not essential.
Why join Pennon?
This is a unique opportunity to shape the reputation of a major listed organisation at a pivotal time. While the challenges and scrutiny are significant, so too is the chance to make a genuine impact, influence meaningful change, and help drive the organisation forward. If you're excited by the opportunity to make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.
- 30 days annual leave + bank holidays
- Bonus Plan
- Private Healthcare
- Company car or cash for car allowance
- Competitive contributory pension
- Share-save scheme
- Health benefits & wellbeing support programmes
- Group discounts
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Financial support services
- Development and training opportunities -... and much more!
Closing Date: 1st September 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.
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