Technical Specialist Manager
At Lanes Group, nothing is more important than the health, safety and wellbeing of our people, our customers and the communities we serve. As one of the UK's leading infrastructure delivery partners, we employ around 5,000 talented people across a nationwide network of depots and operational locations, delivering annual revenues in excess of £650 million.
We provide essential infrastructure, drainage, wastewater and utility services to many of the UK's leading organisations, including a significant number of FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies. Our success is built on the expertise of our people, our commitment to doing things safely and professionally, and our focus on delivering outstanding service every day.
Strong leadership being at our heart, supporting our people ensuring they are engaged with purpose, rewarded and recognised whilst delivering absolute exacting operational excellence being a leading entity and enviable delivery team embracing quality and compliance in our overarching delivery, one of our fundamental key differentiators.
In this critical role of ensuring our organisation is known for being the best in everything we do, known for leaving a legacy of absolute quality and compliance and, keeping our promises at all times is our absolute mantra.
As a Technical Specialist Manager, you will play a critical role in developing the skills, confidence, and capability of our field-based drainage teams. Reporting into the Learning and Development Specialist, you will design and deliver engaging, practical training that equips teams to respond effectively to a range of operational challenges, including sewer blockages, sewer flooding incidents, and proactive cleaning tasks.
This role combines hands-on technical instruction with a strong focus on safe working practices, ensuring all training aligns with company policies, Thames Water requirements, and relevant industry regulations. By providing clear guidance, practical demonstrations, and ongoing skills assessments, you will help our teams work efficiently, safely, and to consistently high standards.
Working closely with our HSQE (Health, Safety, Quality & Environment) and Operational teams, you will ensure training content reflects the latest operational procedures, safety protocols, and regulatory changes. Your contribution will directly support operational excellence, service consistency, and compliance across the Thames Water contract area.
Ultimately, your work will help us achieve our mission to be a safe, secure, and industry-leading provider, ensuring our people have the skills, knowledge, and mindset to deliver outstanding service to our customers and communities.
Position: Technical Specialist Manager
Base Location: Customer Solution Centre, Slough Head Office (Slough, Berkshire)
Travel Requirements: You will be required to travel across our network covering Greater London, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Berkshire and Kent - company van and fuel card provided
Job Type: permanent, full-time
Hours: Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week (start times to be discussed)
Salary: £45,000 per annum
Benefits: 21 days holiday (plus bank holidays); health cash plan; onsite parking; auto enrolment pension scheme; personal learning; friendly working environment.
About the Role:
- Lead from the front by designing and delivering engaging, scenario-based training programmes for Waste Network Engineers, Technical Specialists, and Managers. Your sessions will take place in a variety of environments; from interactive classroom learning in the depot to practical, hands-on instruction out in the field, ensuring training is as realistic and relevant as possible.
- Bring technical skills to life by providing clear, practical demonstrations of specialist drainage equipment, tools, and vehicles. You’ll show not only how to use them, but why safe and correct use is essential for operational efficiency, personal safety, and customer satisfaction.
- Equip our teams for real-world challenges by developing operational excellence in key areas; from clearing sewer blockages and performing proactive sewer cleaning, to managing flood response situations with confidence and professionalism.
- Unlock individual potential by observing delegates in action, assessing skills and competencies under realistic working conditions, and giving clear, constructive feedback that builds confidence and drives continuous improvement.
- Identify and close skill gaps by using observation, performance data, and feedback to pinpoint areas for You’ll then design targeted, practical solutions to address those needs and raise capability across the board.
- Measure and improve training impact by tracking employee engagement, assessment scores, operational outcomes, and delegate You’ll use this data to refine content, delivery, and methods, ensuring training remains current, effective, and directly relevant to operational demands.
- Maintain operational compliance and readiness by keeping accurate, auditable records of all training delivered, including attendance logs, assessment results, and certification status, ensuring we meet client, regulatory, and internal standards at all times.
- Drive completion of mandatory and role-specific training to the highest quality, making sure it’s delivered within agreed timescales, so every team member is fully competent for their role.
- Work in close partnership with HSQE, Learning & Development, and Operational Leadership teams to keep training content aligned with the latest safety protocols, industry regulations, and evolving business priorities.
- Be a champion of safety culture by embedding safe working practices in all training and actively promoting operational professionalism and accountability across the workforce.
- Uphold company values and policies by ensuring all training delivery and operational activities reflect Lanes Group’s standards, ethics, and commitment to excellence.
- Step up as needed, from delivering specialist workshops and contributing to new initiatives, to supporting business improvement projects and helping shape the future direction of training within the organisation.
- Be aware of all Lanes Group policies and your responsibilities towards them.
- Undertake ad hoc projects, tasks or duties as and when required or requested by the Learning and Development Specialist, or the Senior Leadership Team.
So if you thrive working in a fast paced environment, where no two days are the same, and want to join a growing company that not only values you and your ability - whilst delivering practical, hands-on learning - then we are the right Company for you.
About You:
The ideal candidate will hold relevant operational qualifications including Water Jetting, NRSWA and EUSR Water Hygiene, alongside strong practical experience within the drainage and utilities sector. You must also have experience operating a CityFlex vehicle, although a HGV licence is not required. You will bring in-depth knowledge of sewer maintenance and blockage clearance techniques, with the confidence to demonstrate equipment, coach engineers in the field, and deliver clear, practical instruction that develops capability and safe working practices. A strong commitment to health and safety standards is essential, ensuring all training reinforces compliant and responsible operational behaviours. You will also possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to build strong relationships with engineers, technical specialists and managers, and provide constructive feedback that supports continuous improvement across our operational teams. A full UK drivers licence is essential.
Desirable experience includes holding a Level 3 Award in Education and Training, or a willingness to work towards this qualification, along with a recognised Health and Safety qualification such as IOSH Managing Safely. Candidates should ideally have previous experience delivering training and be confident in developing training materials and assessment tools to support effective learning and development.
At Lanes Group, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered. We believe that our differences make us stronger and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all employees. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups. Join us in our commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse world.
Lanes Group are a signatory of the 'Charter for Employer Positive About Mental Health' run by Mindful Employer.
