Who are United Utilities?
We are known for keeping the taps flowing and toilets flushing throughout the North West, but we also pride ourselves on delivering excellent customer service, protecting and enhancing the environment and caring for our communities. We invest in the region to support future growth, address climate change and work in partnership to improve river health.
We are looking for motivated graduates from all backgrounds to help make the North West greener, healthier, and stronger. By joining our graduate scheme, you'll play a crucial role in securing efficient, reliable water resources for customers across the North West.
Whichever scheme you join, you'll be at the heart of bringing innovation and positive change to the water industry. Ready to live your future?
Why choose United Utilities for your graduate journey?
Career Progression Opportunities: Our graduate scheme offers clear pathways for advancement, structured programmes, and mentorship to help you develop into an outstanding leader. You'll receive a tailored development programme, with opportunities for placements in other areas of the business.
Personal and Professional Development: You'll have the chance to work within a highly motivated team, gaining a wealth of experience and creating a fantastic professional network. From specialist training to mentoring and coaching to internal support networks for LGBTQ+, Gender Equality and Neurodiversity, we'll support you every step of the way. There is also potential for sponsorship for a master's or other postgraduate qualifications.
Work-Life Balance: We understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Our flexible working policies and supportive work environment ensure you can achieve this balance while pursuing your career goals.
Our Reputation and Culture: United Utilities is proud to be one of the UK's top inclusive employers. We are a responsible business that cares about delivering great customer service, protecting the environment, and investing in the region to support future growth.
Competitive Salary and Benefits: We offer a competitive starting salary of £30,000, 26 days of annual leave (increasing to 30 days after four years), plus bank holidays. Our benefits package includes private healthcare, discounted gym membership, flexible holidays, and an award-winning pension scheme.
About the scheme
Join our 3-year Graduate Programme at United Utilities as an Operational Future Leader and become an integral part of our innovative Water Services or Wastewater Services teams across Cumbria.
This scheme is for those who are looking to develop into key leadership roles within our operational teams, so if you see yourself managing some of our treatment works or networks and the teams that are responsible for providing water and wastewater services to our customers, then this is the scheme for you.
At United Utilities we operate across five counties, each with its own unique needs and priorities. As part of the scheme, you'll spend most of your time with the Cumbria county teams, working both on site and in an office setting. Alongside the county locations, our headquarters is based in Warrington, providing a central hub for regional planning and operations.
We pride ourselves on fostering a supportive and inclusive culture where all team member's contributions are valued. You will benefit from a robust support network that offers extensive learning and development opportunities. You'll gain a deep understanding of what it takes to lead one of our teams and manage our water and wastewater systems. This includes the operation and maintenance of our assets and the regulatory and legislative framework governing the water industry.
Start living your future today!
What will I be doing?
- The scheme offers fantastic learning and development opportunities through structured placements, formal leadership training, creative innovation challenges and a robust support network, helping you build a successful career in a major utility company.
- As an Operational Future Leader, you'll enjoy structured placements across various areas like Treatment and Network Operations, County System Performance and our central Integrated Control Centre, giving you a comprehensive view of our operations and preparing you to lead one of our teams.
- You will develop excellent communication, leadership, and change management skills, motivating teams to improve performance and meet high service standards.
- You'll learn to think strategically to drive our organisation's growth, essential for your future success
What do I need to be successful?
We require our future leader graduates to have a minimum 2:2 in any relevant technical, scientific, environmental, engineering or business management degree.
You will need to:
- Be motivated, enthusiastic and have the potential to develop excellent leadership, influencing and communications skills.
- Have good written and interpersonal skills.
- Be an excellent team player, possessing ambition and drive.
- Be able to have the ability to work across a matrix organisation to deliver desired outcomes.
- Be able to work in a variety of different teams from site to office based and be willing to travel to multiple locations in the North West. You may also need to be flexible with working hours at times.
- Eventually possess a Full UK Driving Licence, however we will contribute up to £500 towards driving lessons to help get you on the road.