Director of Asset & Operations Strategy

Posted Tuesday 21 July 2026 at 00:00 | Expires Monday 10 August 2026 at 23:59

About the Trust

We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?

Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.

Join Our Team:
Director of Asset & Operations Strategy opportunity

Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.

We’re excited to welcome a new Director of Asset & Operations Strategy to our Operations Directorate. This is a pivotal leadership role that will shape the long‑term future of the nation's historic waterways network, ensuring our infrastructure remains safe, resilient, sustainable, and fit for future generations.

For a deeper insight into the role, our strategic priorities and what success looks like in this position, please review the candidate briefing pack here .

This role follows a 37‑hour working week and can be based from one of the Trust's key operational hubs, with regular travel across England and Wales as required. A valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential.

Role Overview In this exciting opportunity, you will lead the development and delivery of the Trust's long‑term Asset & Operations Strategy, defining how we manage, invest in and operate one of the UK's largest heritage infrastructure networks. Reporting directly to the Chief Operations Officer, you will provide strategic leadership across asset management, investment planning, resilience, operational strategy, and infrastructure governance. Working closely with engineering, operations, finance and environmental teams, you will ensure our asset and operational decisions are evidence‑based, prioritised and financially sustainable.

You will play a key role in helping the Trust respond to climate change, increasing infrastructure risks, evolving regulatory requirements and future funding challenges, championing innovation and continuous improvement, while maintaining high standards of safety, service and stewardship across our waterways.
Key responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of the Trust's long‑term Asset & Operations Strategy, ensuring the waterways network remains safe, resilient, sustainable and aligned to organisational priorities.
• Define the strategic framework for asset management, investment planning and operational delivery, enabling consistent, evidence‑based decision‑making across the Trust.
• Provide strategic leadership for infrastructure resilience, including critical assets, reservoir safety, climate adaptation and development of long‑term water resources and flood management strategies providing long‑term network sustainability.
• Establish and maintain a high‑performing asset information and operational insight capability, ensuring robust data governance, quality management systems, technology and analytics support effective planning, risk management and investment decision‑making.
• Drive continuous improvement in operational performance, efficiency and standardisation, creating clear alignment between asset condition, service levels and customer outcomes.
• Act as the Trust's strategic lead for asset and operational governance, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, the Strategic Asset Management Plan and ISO
  55001 principles.
• Build strong relationships with the Executive Team, Board, regulators, funding bodies and external partners, providing clear strategic advice on infrastructure investment, risk and long‑term stewardship of the network.
• Provide Gold Command cover as part of the Trust's incident management framework, delivering strategic leadership during major incidents and ensuring effective organisational response and continuity.
• Display the Trust values and behaviours at all…