Partnerships Governance & Funding Lead

yorkshirewater.com; Leeds, Bradford; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - GBP 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional water utility in Leeds is seeking a Partnerships Governance & Funding Lead for a 12-month fixed-term contract. This role involves leading best practice documentation, monitoring partnership governance, and identifying funding opportunities. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical and communication skills, along with a degree-level education or equivalent experience. You will work in a hybrid model, supporting a busy corporate affairs team while making a significant impact on the community and environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Annual bonus

Pension scheme

25 days annual leave

Health cash plan

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Ability to analyze information and present insights succinctly.
• Experience working with internal and external stakeholders.
• Project management experience for complex work organization.
• Understanding of cost–benefit analysis and funding applications.
• Knowledge of water networks or sustainability solutions is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead documentation of best practices from partnerships.
• Develop resources for the Partnerships Knowledge Hub.
• Monitor partnership health and support review meetings.
• Identify and track external funding opportunities.
• Provide project management support for strategic initiatives.

Skills

Analytical skills

Stakeholder engagement

Workshop facilitation

Project management

Relationship building

Communication skills

Self-motivation

Education

Degree-level education or equivalent experience

Job description

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Partnerships Governance & Funding Lead – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water:

• We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience (£43,433 - £54,291)
• Annual incentive related bonus (£1000 maximum bonus opportunity for the performance year)
• Attractive pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution)
• Development opportunities in line with the Partnerships Governance & Funding Lead progression plan
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays – plus an extra wellness day!
• Life assurance cover of 4 times pensionable salary
• A great benefits package – choose from health cash plan scheme, critical illness insurance, dental insurance, life assurance flex and partner cover.
• Retail savings scheme
• Online GP service, cycle to work scheme, gym membership discounts and many more!

Location: West Yorkshire / Hybrid Working (1 day in the office a week – alternating between Leeds & Bradford)

Work type: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract. 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday

We have an exciting opportunity for a Partnerships Governance & Funding Lead to join the Corporate Affairs function at Yorkshire Water and be a part of helping Yorkshire Water to provide the best service to our customers. Could this be you?

What we do:

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it’s so much more than this.
We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire’s water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. The Corporate Affairs function are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators.

Step into a role where no two days are the same and your ideas genuinely shape how we work with partners across the region. As part of our Strategic Partnerships Centre of Excellence, you’ll be at the heart of collaboration, bringing people together, driving innovation and helping deliver projects that make a real difference for our customers, communities and the environment. If you’re curious, proactive and excited by the chance to influence meaningful change, this is a fantastic opportunity to grow, connect and leave your mark.

Where you fit in:

As our Partnerships Governance & Funding Lead you will:

• Lead the capture, documentation, and sharing of best practices from Yorkshire Water partnerships and across the UK water sector, including researching what others are doing well, building connections, and presenting key insights.
• Develop and maintain practical resources for the Centre of Excellence Partnerships Knowledge Hub, regularly building new templates, guides, and processes while keeping the hub organised and up to date.
• Support the setup of new strategic partnerships and projects, bringing forward learnings from across the sector and responding to support tasks raised by Portfolio Managers to keep things progressing smoothly.
• Contribute to strong governance across new and established partnerships by monitoring partnership health, supporting review meetings, and helping teams identify areas for continuous improvement.
• Identify and track external funding opportunities, monitoring their status, supporting applications, and exploring new partnership possibilities that align with Yorkshire Water’s strategic goals.
• Act as a key connector across internal and external teams, enabling great collaboration, knowledge sharing, and alignment as part of the Strategic Partnerships Centre of Excellence.
• Facilitate coordination across partnership project teams, providing administrative support, encouraging teamwork, and fostering a culture of collective learning and continuous improvement.
• Provide project and programme management support for major strategic initiatives across the wider Strategic Partnerships team, helping ensure smooth delivery and strong outcomes.

What skills & qualifications you will need:

• Ability to analyse information, draw clear conclusions and present insights in a succinct and compelling way.
• Experience working with a range of internal and external stakeholders to achieve shared goals.
• Experience developing and facilitating workshops.
• Project management experience and the ability to support the organisation and coordination of complex work.
• Understanding of cost–benefit analysis and preparing funding applications.
• Strong relationship building, communication and influencing skills.
• A proactive, self-motivated and resilient approach, with confidence to take initiative and handle multiple tasks at once.
• Degree-level education or equivalent experience (around five years).
• Knowledge of water and wastewater networks, flood risk and blue/green solutions or SuDS is an advantage but not essential.

Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it’s important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn’t always easy!

Do we sound like your cup of tea?

If you’ve got experience in Partnerships, Governance or Funding (or all three!) and want to help us deliver great service for our customers whilst looking after the environment, then be sure to apply today to find out what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you.

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third-Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.
All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible. If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.

Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.