Job Description:

This is a key leadership role responsible for shaping and strengthening Personnel Security across Thames Water, ensuring the protection of people, information, and infrastructure against an increasingly complex threat landscape. Reporting to the Head of Protective Security, the role provides strategic leadership for managing personnel and insider security risks across the organisation.

The Personnel Security Manager will lead the development and maturity of the Personnel Security function, establishing robust governance, assurance, and performance frameworks. Responsibilities include overseeing screening and vetting, access governance, insider risk management, supply chain security, and promoting a strong security culture.

A major focus will be enhancing Thames Water’s Personnel Security capability through the application of NPSA best practice and recognised maturity frameworks. The role will drive effective processes for identifying, assessing, and responding to personnel security risks, concerns, and incidents.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across HR, Legal, Procurement, Cyber Security, Operations, and Communications, the role will embed personnel security into key business processes, lead continuous improvement programmes, and build a high-performing specialist team capable of responding to evolving threats and regulatory requirements.

What you will be doing as a Personnel Security Manager:

• Lead and deliver Thames Water’s Personnel Security strategy, operating model, and improvement roadmap, ensuring alignment with organisational risk and regulatory requirements.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing Personnel Security function, strengthening capability across Thames Water and its supply chain.
• Manage insider and people-related security risks through effective screening, vetting, workforce trustworthiness, access governance, and personnel lifecycle controls.
• Drive continuous improvement by implementing robust governance, assurance, and performance frameworks based on industry best practice.
• Partner with senior stakeholders across HR, Legal, Procurement, Cyber Security, Operations, and Risk to embed personnel security into key business processes.
• Act as the organisation’s subject matter expert for Personnel Security, leading security culture initiatives, managing complex security incidents, and maintaining relationships with external regulatory, law enforcement, and government partners.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake UK National Security Vetting (NSV) Security Check (SC) clearance before starting in this role.
Candidates must either hold active SC clearance or be willing and eligible to undergo the vetting process. To meet the eligibility criteria, you must typically have been a continuous resident in the UK for the last 5 years and hold a valid passport.

Location - Reading

Hours of work: 38 (Monday - Friday)

Escalation rota - The role will participate in the relevant security escalation rota.

Driving licence - Full UK driving licence required.

What you should bring to the role:

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:

• Significant experience within Personnel Security, Insider Risk, Protective Security or a related discipline, ideally within a complex, regulated or Critical National Infrastructure environment.
• Proven leadership experience with a strong track record of developing specialist security capabilities, setting strategic direction, and effectively managing personnel security risks across employees, contractors, third parties, and supply chains.
• Strong knowledge of the personnel security lifecycle, including personnel security risk management, screening and vetting, access governance, workforce trustworthiness and insider risk.
• Experience developing and improving Personnel Security strategies, operating models, governance and assurance arrangements, informed by NPSA good practice and risk-based principles.
• Ability to assess complex people-related security risks and translate them into proportionate, practical and defensible controls.
• Strong leadership, influencing, judgement and communication skills, with experience developing specialist teams and handling sensitive security matters with discretion and professional integrity.

What’s in it for you?

• Offering a salary from £55,680 to £75,000 per annum, depending on experience and skills.
• Car Allowance - £5,800
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (Plus bank holidays)
• Contributory pension - Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% - 2x employee contribution.
• Personal Medical Assessments - Open to all once a year.
• Wider benefits scheme, including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your well-being.

Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment)

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.