Graduate Development Programme – Operational

Main Responsibility

The Ideal Candidate

Package Description

Graduate Development Programme – Operational

Location: West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent and Hampshire (travel across regions required)

Contract: 2 year FTC

Hours: 37 hours, Monday–Friday

Salary: £32,913 per year

Find your purpose. Shape your future. Build a career that matters.

Have you graduated within the last five years? Are you still exploring your next steps or looking for the opportunity to understand what motivates you? Do you enjoy solving problems, supporting others, and contributing to meaningful outcomes?

If so, you’ll feel right at home on our Graduate Development Programme.

Make a meaningful impact from day one

We’re excited to launch our refreshed programme for graduates who want to be part of our frontline operational environment across Water and Wastewater. You’ll contribute to service delivery, performance improvement, customer experience and asset management - all while helping protect the environment and the communities we serve.

This isn’t just a stepping stone. It’s a platform to build your future career.

What to expect

Across the two-year programme, you’ll take part in a variety of placements that give you a broad understanding of our operations. You’ll grow your confidence, take responsibility for meaningful work, and gain exposure that many people wait years to access.

You’ll receive:

• Meaningful responsibility from day one, supported by experienced mentors and placement managers
• Coaching and guidance from operational colleagues and leaders
• Opportunities to contribute to projects early in the programme
• Access to industry recognised development, professional memberships, and development days
• A strong graduate cohort community and a supportive network across the business
• Opportunities to take part in community projects and regional events

You will be placed into one of the operational graduate pathways for the full programme, rotating across teams, sites and projects to build your capability.

Possible role pathways include:

Graduate Operational Management Trainee – Water

Graduate Operational Management Trainee – Wastewater

Asset Manager Graduate – Water

Asset Manager Graduate – Wastewater

All pathways place you at the heart of our operations, working with industry experts and contributing to improvements that benefit the environment and the communities we serve.

Travel requirements & how we support you

Our placements involve travel across regions, so you’ll need a full UK driving licence. To support this, we reimburse business mileage for any travel beyond your normal home to base commute, in line with our Travel & Expenses Policy (e.g., mileage is claimable after deducting home to base allowance).

You’ll receive guidance on claiming expenses, a Permit to Drive where required, and practical support to help you travel confidently and safely between sites.

Who we’re looking for

We welcome graduates from all degree disciplines. What matters most is your curiosity, your willingness to learn, and your commitment to making a positive impact.

You’ll need:

• A predicted or achieved 2:2 degree (or equivalent)
• If not already a driver, you’ll need to be willing to learn how to drive and have access to a car, as travel will be required. Where appropriate, we can support you with driving lessons and your driving test as part of your development.
• Flexibility to travel across Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and the Isle of Wight, (We’ll aim to place you as close as possible to your preferred location, but rotations mean travel across regions may be required).
• You must have the right to work in the UK

We’ll aim to place you as close as possible to your preferred location, but rotations mean travel across regions may be required.

Where this programme can take you

Our Graduate Development Programme is designed to prepare you for a long-term career within our operational teams. Many graduates progress into roles such as:

• Field Performance Manager (FPM)
• Assistant Operational Manager or Operational Manager
• Asset Manager (Water or Wastewater)
• Assistant Project Manager / Project Delivery roles
• Environment & Innovation early career roles

Your development is supported through coaching, a senior mentor, a People Development coach, structured check ins, and a tailored end of programme transition process.

What our graduates say

“You get out what you put in - it’s a great place to grow.”

“It’s a career in a stable, essential industry.”

“You’re working with people who genuinely want to make a positive difference.”

“There’s a strong sense of community, trust and empowerment.”

Support for you

Relocation support

If you’re moving to take up your role, we offer relocation support to help make the transition as smooth as possible. This may include financial assistance and guidance to help you settle into your new location so you can focus on starting your career with confidence.

24/7 Virtual GP and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Get peace of mind with round‑the‑clock access to a Virtual GP, allowing you to speak to a qualified doctor anytime, anywhere. You’ll also have access to our 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, offering confidential support for mental health, wellbeing, financial advice and everyday life challenges.

Competitive pension

It’s never too early to think about your future. Our pension scheme allows you to contribute between 6% and 11%, with generous employer contributions to help you start building long‑term financial security from day one.

Community and social impact 

Make a positive difference beyond your day‑to‑day role with two paid volunteering days each year, giving you the chance to support causes that matter to you while gaining new experiences. You can also connect, learn and feel part of a supportive community through our employee networks, including Be You, Working Parents, and Neurodiversity groups.

Ready to get started?

If you’re collaborative, people focused, environmentally motivated, and excited by variety - we’d love to hear from you.

Help us build a better future for the South East.

Apply now to join our Graduate Development Programme and take your first steps into a purpose led career with real impact.

Everybody Welcome

We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments to facilitate your participation in the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Need flexibility in your work?

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?