Business Readiness Industrial Placement

Are you interested in how large organisations manage change and make sure new ways of working are successfully adopted? At Thames Water, our one year Business Readiness Industrial Placement gives you the opportunity to support the delivery of change across our Retail division, helping to ensure improvements are introduced smoothly for both customers and employees.

What you’ll be doing across your placement year
You’ll support the successful delivery of change across our Retail division, helping ensure new initiatives are well-planned, clearly communicated, and smoothly embedded into everyday operations. The role focuses on understanding the impact of change and supporting teams to transition confidently into business as usual. 

Key responsibilities include: 

• Supporting the implementation of change initiatives with a strong focus on customer engagement 
• Helping assess the impact of changes on both customers and the business 
• Working with teams to promote best practice in change delivery and communication 
• Supporting capacity planning to ensure changes can be delivered effectively 
• Contributing to business readiness planning, governance, and approvals 
• Helping ensure a smooth transition from change delivery into the business 

What you should bring to the role  
To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need is 

• Working towards a business degree or related discipline
• Interest in change management  
• We’re looking for enthusiastic and curious individuals who enjoy working with others and learning new skills. You’ll be someone who likes sharing ideas, asking questions, and contributing as part of a supportive and diverse team. 

What’s in it for you? 

• Salary: £23,000 
• Location: Reading, Clearwater Court – Hybrid (with travel to Swindon) 
• Duration: 1 year placement, starting September 2026 until August 2027 
• 24 days holiday (plus bank holidays)   
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance

Find out more about our benefits and perks  

Next steps

• Apply online by completing the application form for the role
• Complete the online pre-screen and assessment sent to you by email after you apply. This stage helps us get to know you better and may include:
  • Questions about your values, personality, and how you would handle different situations
  • Reasoning exercises (including verbal, numerical, mechanical, or inductive), depending on the programme
• Upload evidence of your degree(s), or a letter from your university if you are currently studying, when requested
• Record a video interview so we can learn more about you and your motivations
• If successful, attend an interview which will take place from March 2026
• Offer and feedback

Who are we? 
We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come. 

Learn more about our purpose and values  

Working at Thames Water  
Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.  

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.  

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.  

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.  

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.