Planning Assistant
Salary: Up to £29,000 per annum | Company Benefits
Location: Walsall, West Midlands or Fradley Park, Staffordshire | Field Based
Contract: Full Time | Permanent | 37.5 hours per week
About Us:
South Staffordshire Water operates across two regions as Cambridge Water and South Staffs Water, and is a privately-owned regulated water only company.
South Staffs Water supplies a population of nearly 1.3 million. The area of supply stretches from the edge of Ashbourne in the North, to Halesowen in the South, and from Burton-on-Trent in the East, to Kinver in the West.
The Role:
We're looking for a proactive and organised Planning Assistant to support the delivery of repair and maintenance programmes across our water network operations.
Working closely with planners, operational teams, contractors, and key stakeholders, you'll help ensure work is scheduled efficiently, resources are optimised, and jobs are completed safely, compliantly, and within required service standards. This role is key to reducing repair times, minimising rework, and supporting an excellent customer experience.
Key Responsibilities:
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Support the planning and scheduling of repair and maintenance activities across water operations
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Build and prepare high-quality job packs within agreed service levels, helping to reduce repair times and improve first-time completion rates
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Review incoming work and assist Technical Planners in ensuring jobs meet the required planning standards
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Manage the "gold standard" process by identifying and resolving missing or incomplete information
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Review utility drawings and highlight potential risks or constraints to Technical Planners
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Ensure all relevant utility plans and information are attached to work orders before scheduling
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Allocate work to operational teams in line with daily and weekly work programmes
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Support the Streetworks Coordinator with permit applications and notifications to local authorities and transport providers
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Arrange and administer traffic management requirements to support planned and reactive works
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Prepare permits for planned and urgent activities in accordance with regulatory requirements
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Produce customer communications, including advance warning notices and letters
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Compile and maintain performance information, including completed work, backlog volumes, and scheduling metrics
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Build effective working relationships with internal teams, contractors, local authorities, and external partners
What You’ll Need:
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Full clean, UK driving licence as travel may be required within the company's area of supply
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Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with colleagues, customers, contractors, and stakeholders
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Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines
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A proactive, customer-focused approach and a keen eye for detail
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Experience in a planning, scheduling, coordination, or operational support role is desirable
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Experience working in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change quickly
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Knowledge of the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) is desirable but not essential
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Experience using IBM Maximo, Street Manager, or similar systems is advantageous
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GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English, or relevant functional skills qualifications
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Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel and Outlook
What You’ll Get:
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Family-Friendly Leave: Enhanced Maternity, Adoption, Paternity & Shared Parental Leave, Fertility Support, and up to 5 paid Carer’s Days
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Financial & Life Assurance: Company Pension Scheme with salary sacrifice options
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Health & Wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme and 24/7 Virtual GP access for you and your dependents
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Lifestyle & Perks: Cycle to Work Scheme and My Premier Benefits discounts, cashback, and vouchers
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Professional Development: Hands-on training and ongoing career development opportunities
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Inclusion & Belonging: Active People Networks – Disability & Neurodiversity, Unity+, Women’s Network, Parent & Carer Networking Group and more
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Performance & Recognition: Annual salary review, Reward & Recognition Scheme, and Long Service Awards.
At South Staffordshire Limited, inclusion matters. We have a wide range of employee networks which are employee-led communities that bring our people together, support different perspectives and create a strong sense of belonging. Our people are encouraged to get involved as members or allies.
We are committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
We warmly welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including all genders, ethnicity, sexual orientations, and physical and neurodiverse abilities.
We are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and encourage you to let us know how we can best support you throughout the recruitment process.
