Sampling Regional Lead (Water)
Description
We are Uisce Éireann. Every day, we are responsible for the delivery of secure, safe, and sustainable water services for the people of Ireland. As Ireland’s national regulated water utility, our vision is a sustainable Ireland where water is respected and protected, for the planet and all the lives it supports.
Our purpose at Uisce Éireann is to rise to the challenge of delivering transformative water services that enable communities to thrive. That means we are proud to take on the responsibility of protecting our water supply and passing on a safe and secure water system to a rapidly growing population and empowering Ireland’s social and economic growth.
We are passionate about empowering our people, enabling them to make a positive impact on communities across Ireland. We are guided by a shared vision and purpose, grounded in values that define who we are and shape how we work, where we deliver for customers and communities, we work better together, we do the right thing, we aim high, and we keep each other safe. Our behaviours define how we interact, communicate, and succeed together. These values and behaviours apply to each one of us, across every role, location, and level.
Our goal is to attract and develop skilled and talented people from diverse backgrounds, who bring a dynamic range of expertise and insights to our work. With a strong, values-driven workforce, we ensure Uisce Éireann can continue advancing Ireland’s water services and meeting the needs of the communities we serve for generations to come.
The Role:
The Environmental Regulation function is responsible for the day-to-day management of environmental regulation and compliance. The function monitors the compliance of the water and wastewater network and treatment works, influences external environmental policy and manages environmental stakeholder relationships. Environmental Regulation provides expertise to the Uisce Éireann business on influencing environmental policy and managing stakeholders around environmental regulation affecting Uisce Éireann’s practices. The function provides regulatory expertise to the business, including the Senior Leadership Team, in all aspects of environmental regulation. The team provides support on legislative and regulatory changes that will affect Uisce Éireann policies in the future
The Scientific Services functional area is responsible for the national provision of operational support services to include sampling and laboratory analytics, ensuring that activities are performed in accordance with regulatory obligations to protect public health and the environment. The Laboratory sub area is responsible for providing chemical and microbiological analytical services in support of the regulatory sampling programs, operational monitoring. capital investment and customer complaint. The teams are required to work weekly shift patterns including covering ‘skeleton staff’ schedule at weekends, as required.
Reporting to the National Sampling Manager, the Sampling Regional Lead will be responsible for the management and direction of the sampling team to carry out collection and the delivery of water and wastewater samples in their assigned region of the country.
Main Duties and Responsibilities:
Manage the allocation of people and equipment resources and will be responsible for allocating resources where there are competing demands.
Directing the sampling team to work in accordance with defined levels of competence, regulation standards, health and safety requirements, legislation, QA systems and standard operating procedures using the technology systems provided.
Ensuring compliance with Uisce Éireann operating procedures, ISO 17025, QMS and other relevant regulatory sampling requirements in area of responsibility.
Execution of sampling schedule, standard operating procedures and close out of work orders on completion of task.
Responsible for undertaking and support of risk assessments (H&S and operational) and implementation of control & escalation measures in their area, as required.
Responsible for the development and maintenance of staffing rosters for their department, including the management of all staff leave and attendance, to ensure sufficient coverage of service needs in their area of responsibility.
Managing and maintaining efficiencies of sample delivery times.
Maintain and report KPIs for processes over which they have ownership.
Contributing to managing Opex budgets for the sampling service in area of responsibility
Manage performance and development of their team members and communicate corporate and internal communications with their teams as appropriate.
Identify and analyse potential performance issues and define improvement opportunities.
Development of best practices and implementation of standard operating procedures for the provision of sampling services that maximise quality of output, efficiency and support the adoption of consistent processes.
Responsible for ensuring on-site testing equipment is available for field samplers, e.g. chlorine meters, pH meters and hand held data entry devices
Manage deviations from the scheduled sampling plan and/or methods used.
Develop processes to ensure all sampling equipment is documented, maintained, calibrated correctly and all equipment is fit for purpose.
Implement processes to assess the condition of the sample site, and integrity of remote assets, surroundings and apparatus as well as process to manage any observed defects or unsafe conditions.
Ensure team complies with security requirements in relation to site and sampling location access.
Direct team to register and input all relevant information into Uisce Éireann using technology systems provided.
Ensure chain of custody of samples at all times.
Responsible for teams’ adherence to reordering processes for stocks of bottles, reagents or other materials as necessary.
Responsible for directing team in operating and maintaining assigned Uisce Éireann vehicles, as required, in a responsible manner in line with all relevant Uisce Éireann vehicle, health, safety and security policies.
Development of new and existing methodologies to promote continuous improvements in the sampling process.
Development of standard operating procedures when required.
Responsible for adhering to all HSQE plans, policies and procedures.
Manage out of hours working in response to incident notifications.
Responsible for carrying out any other duties that the National Sampling Manager may reasonably request.
General Duties and Responsibilities
Collaboration with key internal stakeholders across the UÉ business
Responsible for promoting and delivering health and safety commitments across UÉ and its supply chain, reinforcing positive behaviours and delivering health and safety objectives and requirements to the highest industry standards
Support the delivery of the Uisce Éireann Transformation Programme, driving results required within the Directorate and supporting organisation-wide objectives
Conducts duties and responsibilities in accordance with Uisce Éireann’s Information Security policies, standards, processes and controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UÉ business information and delivery of critical services, in accordance with the NIS Directive and any other relevant cybersecurity regulation
Other duties as required
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
Third Level qualification in a discipline relevant to their area of expertise.
Minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience in areas including operations management, ISO 17025, and logistics or similar.
Good knowledge of the Quality Management Systems and the requirements for maintaining INAB ISO 17025 accreditation desirable.
Experience using IT systems: LIMS, MS office suite.
Excellent knowledge of sampling methods and standards essential
Demonstrated people management experience, with strong people, change management and conflict resolution skills
Highly motivated individual with ability in creating a collaborative working environment within teams and with internal and external stakeholders.
Experience of implementing policies and controls and leading teams to work to the highest ethical and professional standards to deliver for our customers and make the right decisions.
Experience providing coaching in the development of the technical skills and abilities in others
Full clean driving licence
Strong analytical skills and ability to identify and analyse problems and potential improvements, and propose and implement solutions.
Demonstrate adaptability and the ability to change focus and direction in line with business strategy and requirements
Experience in identifying safety improvement initiatives and ensure team safety and well-being goals are met.
The closing date for receipt of applications for this vacancy is 12/06/2026 11:59 PM.
Please note that applications submitted after this closing date will not be accepted.
*Please be advised that if successful you will be placed on the salary range based on your skills and experience. Please note the Market reference point (midpoint) of the range is generally the upper end of the offer where someone is deemed to be fully competent to take on the duties of the role, and leaves room for the employee to progress through the pay range as their experience develops further.
Uisce Éireann is an equal opportunities employer.
We are committed to providing a diverse and inclusive place of work and have a robust strategy and framework called ibelong to enable this. We are an equal opportunity employer and through our recruitment process we welcome and encourage applications from interested and suitably qualified individuals regardless of gender, age, racial or ethnic origin, membership of the traveller community, religion or beliefs, family or civil status, sexual orientation/gender identity or disability.