Environmental Incident Case Manager

Protecting the environment starts with rapid, smart, decisive action and that’s exactly what this role is all about.

United Utilities is creating a brand‑new function within our Central Operations Monitoring & Control team, and we're looking for passionate, proactive individuals to become Environmental Events Managers
. This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in pollution response and prevention across the North West 24/7, all year round.

If you thrive in fast‑paced environments, can balance investigation with decision‑making, and want a role with real environmental impact, this could be the perfect next step.

This is a shift based role so availability to work shift patterns across the week is essential.

As an Environmental Incident Manager, you will lead the full life cycle of environmental event management from first alert to final report.

• Act as the single point of contact with the Environment Agency for all live environmental events, managing updates, queries and escalations.
• Lead end-to-end case management for every potential pollution event as part of a 24/7 shift team.
• Direct the field teams
  , ensuring the right people respond quickly to prove or disprove suspected pollution.
• Prompt and coordinate field activity from sample collection to on‑site investigation.
• Organise and oversee mitigation measures
  , ensuring environmental impacts are quickly controlled.
• Push back to the EA when events are not connected to our assets, ensuring accuracy, fairness and evidence‑based reporting.
• Draft the initial 14‑day event reports
  , sending first versions to Engineers for review and approval.
• Use data, trends and insight to support incident investigation and highlight emerging risks.
• Lead proactive pollution prevention
  , including planning ahead of adverse weather and supporting predictive monitoring.
• Identify improvements across systems, processes and people — and help put them in place.
• Coach and support teams involved in environmental investigations and prevention activities.

You’ll be at the centre of UU’s environmental protection response driving action, influencing decisions, and helping protect the communities and natural environments we serve.

You don’t need to come from the water industry waste management, environmental compliance, emergency response, utilities or similar backgrounds are all highly relevant.

We’re looking for people with:

• Experience managing environmental or operational incidents.
• Ability to work a variety of shift patterns
• Strong communication skills and confidence liaising with regulators.
• Excellent planning, prioritisation and organisational ability.
• Analytical capability to interpret data, spot anomalies and understand risk.
• Experience improving processes, governance, systems or operational ways of working.
• The ability to remain calm and decisive under pressure.
• Flexibility to respond quickly to unexpected events.
• An understanding of environmental permitting (or willingness to learn).
• HNC-level education or equivalent experience.

If you're passionate about protecting the environment and comfortable leading in high‑pressure operational situations, you’ll excel here.

• Competitive salary + excellent benefits
• 26 days’ holiday (rising to 30 with service) plus bank holidays
• Up to 14% employer pension contribution (21% combined)
• Up to 10.5% bonus
• Private medical care
• EV car scheme, gym discounts, Share Buy and flexible benefits
• Career development and training opportunities
• The chance to make a meaningful, measurable difference to the environment across the North West

We’re proud to be recognised as one of the UK’s most responsible businesses. Whether it’s investing in green innovation or safeguarding rivers and waterways, we’re committed to doing the right thing for our people, our customers and our planet.

Join us, and you’ll be part of a team shaping a cleaner, greener future for the region.