Pennon Group Plc
Software Engineering Manager
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Software Engineering Manager
Software Engineering Manager
Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose
South West Water ensures the South West has safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.
We are part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, committed to a greener future. Our goals include lowering our carbon footprint, partnering to plant 300,000 trees, restoring peatlands, and collaborating with farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
Whether you're starting your career or looking for a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your career.
Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.
Location
- Bristol HQ or Exeter HQ
Salary
£70,000 – £90,000 (depending on experience)
Purpose of the Role
As Software Engineering Manager, you will lead both the delivery and long-term ownership of critical software platforms and development services. Your responsibilities include:
- Overseeing new development, enhancements, and change delivery.
- Ensuring platforms transition seamlessly into live service, while maintaining security, reliability, and effectiveness.
- Combining technology leadership, delivery oversight, governance, and people management to align our software platforms, citizen-led solutions, and AI-enabled capabilities with regulatory and operational requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic and Governance
- Define and deliver a clear software platform strategy and roadmap across custom applications, APIs, low-code, and legacy systems.
- Establish governance for low-code and citizen development, ensuring safe and scalable use.
- Oversee the responsible adoption of AI-enabled capabilities while maintaining compliance.
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Delivery and Operations
- Lead high-quality, predictable delivery of software changes across internal teams, citizen developers, and third-party suppliers.
- Own and prioritise the development backlog, balancing business needs, stability, stability, and innovation.
- Ensure architectural integrity, security, and compliance across all solutions.
- Manage migration, modernisation, and decommissioning plans for legacy systems.
- Maintain reliable, resilient platform operations and optimise costs for platforms and tooling.
Team and Reporting
- Lead and develop high-performing engineering teams and partners.
- Provide clear reporting on delivery progress, risks, and platform health.
- Control and optimise platform and tooling expenditures.
Experience Required
Essential
- Proven leadership experience in enterprise software platforms and delivery governance (non-hands-on position).
- Experience managing diverse development ecosystems, including custom, packaged, and low-code platforms.
- Expertise in backlog, roadmap, and delivery management, with experience in Agile or hybrid methods.
- Experience with governance and adoption of AI in enterprise environments.
- Demonstrated success in leading multi-disciplinary teams and third-party suppliers.
- Background in regulated or operationally critical environments.
Qualifications
- Degree-level or equivalent experience required.
- Certifications in Agile, Scrum, SAFe, PRINCE2, MSP, or similar are essential.
- Eligibility for UK Security Clearance (SC).
Desirable
- Relevant cloud/platform certifications.
- Experience governing low-code and AI solutions at scale.
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What You’ll Get
Joining us means contributing to a reliable, high-quality service for 1.8 million customers across Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly, and parts of Dorset and Somerset. Here’s what you’ll enjoy:
- Competitive starting salary based on your experience and skills.
- Company car or car allowance to support your role.
- Annual Bonus Scheme, recognising company performance.
- Pension Scheme to help you plan for the future.
- Flexible Working Options, including hybrid working availability and work-life balance support.
- Access to healthcare benefits, including employee assistance programmes.
- Employee discounts on a range of products and services.
- Generous annual leave entitlement to recharge your energy.
Closing Date
16th July 2026
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Note: The successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.
Our Core Values – What Drives Us Forward
We uphold four essential values that guide our success:
- Be Rock Solid: Build trust and be the dependable team leader others rely on.
- Be You: You are encouraged to bring authenticity and individuality to your work—differences are celebrated.
- Be the Future: Embrace change, drive progress, and take the initiative.
- Diversity and Inclusion: A culture where everyone—our communities and team—believes uniqueness breeds strength.
Be yourself, we like it that way.
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