Principal Operations and Asset Management Consultant

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Principal Operations and Asset Management Consultant

16 days ago Requisition ID: 2286

Principal Operations and Asset Management Consultant (Water/Wastewater)

Position Overview

Hazen & Sawyer is seeking a highly experienced Principal Operations and Asset Management Consultant to provide strategic advisory services to water and wastewater utilities. This role will focus on improving operational performance, asset reliability, maintenance effectiveness, and long-term lifecycle value through the development of asset management strategies, operational improvement programs, and digital-enabled solutions.

The successful candidate will work closely with utility executives, asset management leaders, operations teams, and engineering stakeholders to identify improvement opportunities, develop practical roadmaps, and deliver measurable improvements in reliability, efficiency, resilience, and regulatory performance.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in water utility operations, maintenance optimization, asset management, reliability engineering, and the application of technology and data to improve decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Operations & Asset Management Advisory

• Lead complex consulting engagements focused on operational excellence, asset management improvement, and utility transformation.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to utility executives, operations leaders, asset managers, and engineering teams.
• Develop asset management strategies, operational improvement plans, and transformation roadmaps aligned with business objectives.
• Assess organizational maturity, operational processes, asset performance, and maintenance practices.
• Establish performance baselines, identify improvement opportunities, and develop KPI frameworks to measure business outcomes.
• Facilitate executive workshops, stakeholder alignment sessions, and operational improvement initiatives.

Asset Performance & Maintenance Excellence

• Advise clients on improving asset reliability, availability, and lifecycle performance.
• Develop and implement maintenance optimization strategies, including:
  • Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM)
  • Condition-based maintenance
  • Predictive maintenance approaches
  • Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA)
  • Root cause analysis (RCA)
• Evaluate maintenance programs, asset criticality assessments, and reliability improvement opportunities.
• Support development of enterprise asset management (EAM) frameworks, processes, and governance models.
• Identify opportunities to optimize capital investment, operational expenditures, and asset lifecycle costs.
• Support clients in developing long-term asset investment strategies and business cases.

Operational Excellence & Digital Enablement

• Assess utility operational processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, resilience, and service performance.
• Support clients in leveraging operational data, analytics, and digital technologies to improve asset management and operational decision-making.
• Provide strategic guidance on operational technology (OT) systems and their role in enabling improved asset performance.
• Evaluate SCADA, telemetry, PLC, and industrial control system environments where required to support operational improvement initiatives.
• Support development of technology-enabled asset management strategies, operational roadmaps, and modernization plans.
• Assess the integration of operational data sources with enterprise asset management and business systems.

Infrastructure Reliability & Risk Management

• Conduct operational risk assessments of critical water and wastewater infrastructure.
• Evaluate electrical, instrumentation, control, and automation systems supporting treatment facilities and networks.
• Identify risks impacting operational resilience, reliability, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop recommendations for maintenance improvements, investment planning, and risk mitigation.
• Support lifecycle planning for critical infrastructure assets.

Regulatory & Industry Alignment

• Ensure asset management and operational improvement strategies align with UK water sector regulatory expectations.
• Support clients with AMP planning, business plan development, and performance commitments.
• Provide strategic input related to resilience, asset health, operational efficiency, and service improvement.
• Maintain awareness of evolving industry practices, regulatory drivers, and emerging approaches within the water sector.

Required Skills & Experience

• 15+ years of experience supporting water and wastewater utilities through consulting, operations, engineering, or asset management roles.
• Extensive understanding of water and wastewater operations, maintenance practices, and asset management principles.
• Proven experience leading operational improvement, asset performance, or transformation programs.
• Strong knowledge of reliability engineering, maintenance optimization, and lifecycle asset management.
• Experience developing asset management strategies, frameworks, and improvement roadmaps.
• Experience applying data, analytics, and digital solutions to improve operational performance.
• Understanding of operational technology environments, including SCADA, telemetry, PLCs, and industrial control systems.
• Experience with operational technology modernization or digital transformation programs is desirable.
• Strong understanding of UK water sector regulatory frameworks, AMP cycles, and utility investment planning.
• Experience with:
  • Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM)
  • FMECA
  • Root cause analysis
  • Asset criticality assessments
  • Program and project management
  • Executive stakeholder engagement

Preferred Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer (CEng), Certified Asset Management Professional (CAMP), IAM Certificate/Diploma, or equivalent preferred.
• Experience advising senior leaders within regulated infrastructure sectors.
• Ability to translate technical challenges into business value and investment decisions.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and consulting skills.

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