Head of Public Sector Customers

Overview

Head of Public Sector Customers (37 hours per week, Permanent)

Location: Home Based with travel to Wave offices in Salvus House, Durham or Pearl House, Peterborough and customer sites and venues nationally

Salary: from £68,227pa plus a discretionary bonus potential of up to 12% of annual salary

Job Level: B

Car Allowance: £418pm

Reporting to: I&C Customer Director

We want our people to have a great work-life balance and support flexible working in terms of a hybrid model and varying start and finish times in some teams where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.

ABOUT US

Wave is a leading national business water retailer helping over 300,000 customers across the UK to benefit from the non-household water market. We're dedicated to helping businesses lower water use, be more water efficient and reduce costs - all which helped us earn the Water Retailer of the Year award in 2021, reclaim the title in 2023, and celebrate a win again in 2025, where the judges highlighted our commitment to social value and sustainability as well as our market-leading customer service. Our vision is to be the most customer-focused utility delivering value and efficiency in everything we do, making a positive difference to the environment and society.

The culture at Wave is recognsed in the UK Employee Experience award 2025 with a silver award for Best Company Culture. We're committed to a happy, healthy place to work with a working environment that supports continuous learning and development, one where people can flourish. Our people are at the centre of everything we do. Joining us means you'd be part of a team of over 300 people working flexibly across two UK based offices. You'll find a real focus on employee wellbeing and some great benefits too. We expect great things from you and we give great things back.

What's in it for you?

Wealth

• Excellent pension scheme - we will double match your contribution, up to a maximum of 5% employee contribution and 10% from Wave
• Bonus potential
• Perkbox membership with a vast range of perks - high street savings, discounted cinema tickets, travel and holiday discounts and online fitness classes
• Income protection scheme
• Personal accident insurance
• 4x salary life assurance
• Free onsite parking

Time off

• 24 days holiday rising to 26 (plus bank holidays)
• A day off for your birthday
• Half a day on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve
• The option to buy holidays
• 1 day paid volunteering

Wellbeing

• Hybrid/Flexible working
• Healthcare cashback and treatment scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Annual conference and Christmas party
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Free flu shots

Family Friendly

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Enhanced shared parental and adoption leave
• We care about you as an employee and have a range of resources available to both you and your family

The role in a Nutshell

We're looking for a dynamic and people-focused leader to join us as Head of Public Sector Customers. In this high-impact role, you'll lead our dedicated public sector team, shaping strategy, driving growth, and ensuring exceptional service delivery across our public sector portfolio. You'll be the driving force behind customer retention, framework renewals, and operational excellence, while championing a culture of collaboration, wellbeing, and continuous improvement.

This role would suit someone who thrives on building strong relationships, enjoys leading high-performing teams, and has a strategic mindset with a passion for public sector service. If you're commercially savvy, customer-focused, and ready to make a real impact-this could be the perfect next step for you.

What will your typical day look like?

No two days will be the same, but here's a flavour of what you'll be doing:

• Leading and inspiring a team of Account Managers and Business Development professionals.
• Developing strategic plans to grow and retain our public sector customer base.
• Building strong relationships with key stakeholders and representing Wave at industry events.
• Collaborating across departments to improve service delivery and customer experience.
• Overseeing key frameworks and contracts, ensuring we remain the trusted partner of choice.
• Driving innovation in customer engagement and influencing procurement decisions.
• Supporting your team's development through coaching, regular check-ins, and engagement activities.

What do we need from you?

We're looking for someone who brings:

• A people-first leadership style with a passion for developing high-performing teams.
• Proven experience managing hybrid teams and delivering commercial success.
• Strong strategic thinking and the ability to influence at all levels.
• A deep understanding of public sector dynamics and procurement processes.
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative mindset.
• A relevant degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience with CRM systems and a keen eye for data and detail.

Please refer to the essential criteria in the job description as this is what you will be shortlisted against.

Wave is committed to making a positive difference to the environment and society in which it operates. If you are excited to join a dynamic growing business which cares about its people, we would love to hear from you.

Be yourself - our differences make us stronger

Wave is proud to be an inclusive employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. We will take into consideration any adjustments or individual requirements at any stage of your recruitment journey. If you require any additional support related to menopause, neurodiversity, or any other reason, please do let us know by contacting Recruitment at wave-utilities.co.uk.

Please ensure you attach your CV and a covering letter so we can get to know more about your skills and experience and why you are suitable for this role. We will not be able to consider applications without a covering letter.

Closing date: 4pm on 06 October 2025

Interviews are planned for week commencing 20 October 2025

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