Fleet Control Manager

We are currently recruiting a Fleet Control Manager on a 10-12 month contract to cover maternity leave. In this role, you act as Thames Water’s central point of control for fleet, working closely with the Fleet Coordinator to maintain full visibility of vehicle availability and proactively address downtime across teams. You are responsible for monitoring OPEX spend, ensuring budgets are controlled, purchase orders are raised, suppliers are paid promptly, and any variances are understood and mitigated.

The position oversees key compliance activities, including monthly vehicle taxation, fuel card management and reconciliation, as well as monitoring short‑term hire usage and reducing reliance through process improvements. With a driver population of over 2,000, the role requires regular communication to ensure updates on processes, legislation and best practice are clearly conveyed. In addition, you manage and support the Fleet Coordinator and Fleet Administrator, guiding their day‑to‑day activities and contributing to their professional development.

What you’ll be doing as a Fleet Control Manager

• Working with the Fleet Coordinator, act as Thames Water’s vehicle control centre, maintaining full sight of Fleet Availability. Monitor for teams experiencing excessive vehicle downtime and take mitigating actions utilising existing assets.
• Monitor all OPEX spend against budget, ensuring purchase orders are in place, suppliers are paid on time, variances to budget are understood and mitigated where possible.
• Ensure that Thames Water vehicles are taxed for use on the road by processing payments monthly. Maintain control of our Fuel Cards, carrying out regular reconciles to avoid misuse.
• Communicate to our 2,000+ drivers on a regular basis, keeping them up to date with changes to our processes, legislation and best practice.
• Manage the Fleet Coordinator and Fleet Administrator. Support them with their duties and aid in their personal development.

Fixed Term Contract - 10-12 months

Location: Hybrid Clearwater Court, Reading.

Working 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:

• Experience working in a role involving the coordination of people or assets.
• Financial control, such as spending monitoring, invoice management, and payments.
• Providing clear communication to work colleagues.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent, including English and Maths.
• Full valid driving licence.

What’s in it for you?

• Offering between £39,000 and £44,000 per annum, depending on experience and skills.
• 26 days holiday per year.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• 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

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's 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.