Customer Challenge Group
Do you want to help 2.2 million water users in the South East of England?
South East Water’s independent Customer Challenge Group (CCG) is recruiting new members to help ensure the voice of the water company’s customers, communities and wider stakeholders is heard and acted on.
South East Water has the essential role of providing water to more than 2.2 million customers in an area of 5,657km2. This includes parts of Kent, Hampshire, Berkshire, Sussex and Surrey. While business customers can chose their retail water provider, for households this is not the case. Water management also impacts our community, economy, leisure facilities and environment more widely.
South East Water’s Customer Challenge Group is an independent group whose aim it is to ensure that South East Water puts its customers at the heart of its policy-making, and business plans, including their views on environment, levels of service, support for customers with additional needs and how much they should pay for their water. The CCG is seeking new expert members to provide independent challenge to the company on its performance as well as day to day and strategic decision making. You will help ensure that the company listens to its wide range of customers, communities and wider stakeholders, holding it to account to the promises made in its business plan. This includes not just the needs of customers today but also those of future generations. The group will publish feedback, on how well South East Water has performed, including sharing this with the water regulator, Ofwat.
We are looking for members with the enthusiasm and commitment to devote their time to making South East Water the water company people want to be supplied by. You should share our passion for customers, affordable water bills, sustainability and the environment, alongside efficient and fair business practice. We are looking for people with one or more of the following skills and knowledge:
* Environment and sustainability
* Water resource management
* Engineering
* Research methodology and behaviour change
* Stakeholder engagement/marketing
* Innovation
* Consumer vulnerability – customers with additional needs and on low incomes/in debt
* Responsible business
* Regulation and price controls
* Finance and economics
* Customer service
Experience in one or more of the following sectors is particularly welcome:
* Consumer sector
* Utilities
* Academia
* Government and local authorities
* Charities/NGOs
* Economic regulation and/or policy
* Small business
Key characteristics:
* Commitment to make a positive difference to customers, local communities and society
* Excellent analytical and intellectual capability, with the ability to analyse and assimilate complex information / policy proposals
* Ability to be independent, reaching sound evidenced based judgements, including balancing where stakeholders have conflicting interests and views
* Good verbal and written communication skills – able to articulate your opinions clearly
* Excellent team player – capable of diplomatically and constructively working with fellow CCG members and South East Water staff from a variety of backgrounds.
If you are a South East Water customer that would be great although not essential.
Meetings will be held in Central London and Snodland, Kent.
This is a five year commitment (expected 6-12 days per year for years one and two – increasing in years three to four dependent on skills and experience)
An attendance allowance and expenses are paid.
If you would like to apply for this position please could you ensure that you submit a covering letter detailing why you are interested in the role and how you would be able to meet the required criteria.
South East Water promotes equal opportunities and diversity to truly represent the customer profile.
Zoe McLeod, independent Chair of the CCG, said “If you are passionate about making a positive difference for water users, the environment and our communities in the South East of England this is a great opportunity with a friendly, dynamic group”.
Please note, we reserve the right to close or extend this position depending on application numbers. Therefore we would urge candidates to submit an application as early as possible.
