United Utilities
Head of Maintenance Compliance
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The Role
We're looking for an exceptional Head of Compliance Manager to lead and evolve our approach to regulatory, statutory and DSEAR maintenance compliance. This is a high-profile senior leadership role with significant influence across asset management, operations, engineering, and investment planning.
As the organisation's subject matter lead for maintenance compliance, you will be accountable for developing and delivering a long-term compliance strategy that ensures our assets, systems, and processes remain safe, resilient, and fully compliant. You'll provide visible leadership across our DSEAR, Regulatory, and Statutory Maintenance functions, creating a robust assurance framework that effectively identifies, manages, and mitigates compliance risks across a complex operational environment.
Working at a strategic level, you will drive governance, influence investment decisions, and shape operational and asset management strategies to ensure sustainable compliance, business resilience, and continuous improvement. You will engage senior stakeholders across the business, providing expert guidance and challenge while fostering a culture where compliance excellence is embedded in everything we do.
What You'll Be Doing
- Lead and develop the DSEAR, regulatory, and statutory maintenance teams, creating a high-performing compliance function aligned to business objectives.
- Define and deliver the long-term maintenance compliance strategy, ensuring regulatory and statutory obligations are met across the asset base.
- Provide strategic compliance governance and assurance, identifying, managing, and escalating compliance risks to senior leadership.
- Monitor emerging legislation and industry requirements, driving organisational readiness and ensuring continued compliance and resilience.
- Build strong relationships across Engineering, Operations, Health & Safety, Regulatory, and Commercial teams to embed compliance requirements into business planning and delivery.
- Ensure all statutory, regulatory, and DSEAR inspection and maintenance activities are delivered in line with legislative requirements and company standards.
- Develop and maintain the competence, capability, and compliance culture of internal teams and third-party partners.
- Oversee the documentation, systems, processes, and assurance frameworks that support maintenance compliance across the organisation.
- Ensure compliance requirements are reflected in AMP and business planning, influencing investment decisions and long-term asset strategies.
- Act as the senior point of accountability for maintenance compliance, ensuring robust delivery plans are in place for all regulatory and statutory obligations, including DSEAR, LOLER, PSSR, Gas Safety, and Drinking Water Standards.
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What We're Looking For
We're seeking an experienced senior leader who can provide strategic direction, governance, and assurance across maintenance compliance activities in a complex, highly regulated environment. You'll be a trusted advisor to senior leaders, capable of balancing regulatory requirements, business risk, and operational priorities while driving a culture of compliance, continuous improvement, and high performance.
You'll bring strong technical credibility, exceptional stakeholder management skills, and a track record of developing compliance frameworks that deliver sustainable business resilience.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Degree qualification in Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
- Extensive experience in a senior maintenance, engineering compliance, asset management, or regulatory leadership role within a highly regulated environment.
- Strong working knowledge of relevant statutory and regulatory maintenance requirements, including DSEAR and other key compliance frameworks.
- Proven experience developing and implementing maintenance compliance strategies, governance frameworks, and assurance processes.
- Demonstrable experience managing compliance risk, identifying emerging issues, and implementing effective mitigation and control measures.
- Experience influencing senior leaders and working across multiple business functions to deliver compliance and business objectives.
- Strong leadership experience with a track record of developing high-performing teams and fostering a positive compliance culture.
- Experience ensuring statutory inspection and maintenance activities are delivered in accordance with legislative and regulatory requirements.
- Experience managing third-party suppliers and contractors, ensuring compliance with company standards, policies, and safe systems of work.
- Strong communication, analytical, and decision-making skills, with the ability to present complex compliance issues clearly to senior stakeholders.
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Desirable
- Chartered Engineer (CEng) or equivalent professional registration.
- Experience within the water, utilities, energy, infrastructure, or other asset-intensive regulated sectors.
- Experience leading organisational responses to legislative or regulatory change.
- Knowledge of AMP planning, asset investment programmes, and long-term business planning processes.
Benefits
- A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service (increases one day per year), in addition to 8 bank holidays.
- A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover.
- Up to 20% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements.
- A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme.
- MyGymDiscounts - gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions.
- Best Doctors.
- Salary Finance.
- Wealth at Work courses.
- Deals and discounts.
- EVolve Car Scheme.
- Employee Assistance Plan.
- Mental health first aiders.
- ShareBuy.
- MORE Choices flexible benefits.
- Enhanced parental leave schemes.
About Us
Salary - Competitive Salary
Work Type - Hybrid
Job Location - Lingley Mere (UU), Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, WA5 3LP
Role Type - Permanent
Employment Type - Full Time
Working Hours - 37.0 Hours per Week
United Utilities' (UU) purpose is to deliver great water for a stronger, greener, and healthier North West of England. We are committed to providing our services in a way that respects the environment, supports the economy, and benefits society.
We value diversity, inclusion, and innovation in our workplace, and we foster a culture where our people can grow, excel, and be themselves.
We uphold our ethics, values, and business model to fulfil our mission and, by setting clear goals and objectives, we create sustainable long-term value for our colleagues, customers, and communities. Whether you work with a team that shares your vision or join a network of peers with similar interests, you will find a welcoming and supportive organisation to be part of. We’ve got a lot to offer. You’ll be part of a thriving FTSE 100 company and will enjoy a range of core benefits that reflect your value and value contribution.
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