About this role
Salary: £80,000 - 80,000 per year
Requirements
- We require candidates to be eligible to obtain security clearance to a minimum of Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) level.
- Were looking for experience in control testing automation, process automation, or related assurance activities within an enterprise environment.
- Candidates should have a strong understanding of risk management practices and control frameworks.
- Candidates should be able to measure, monitor, and report on control effectiveness using relevant metrics and data.
- Candidates should have experience collaborating with technical and business teams to deliver automation solutions.
- Candidates should have strong analytical and problem-solving skills and be able to identify opportunities for efficiency improvements.
- Candidates should have excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Candidates should be able to work independently and deliver high-quality outputs in a structured manner.
- Candidates should have expertise in automation tools and scripting technologies such as Python, PowerShell, RPA platforms, or audit automation tools.
- Candidates should have experience developing and implementing automation workflows related to control testing or assurance processes.
- Candidates should be familiar with IT environments, including IT infrastructure, operational technology (OT), and cloud platforms.
- Candidates should be able to implement monitoring mechanisms and analyse automated testing outputs to identify control weaknesses.
- Candidates should have experience documenting automation processes, workflows, and exception management procedures.
- Desirable: experience in a regulated environment, the water utility sector, or large, complex critical national infrastructure organisations.
- Desirable: familiarity with governance and control frameworks such as COBIT or COSO.
- Desirable: exposure to cybersecurity principles and domains such as vulnerability management and identity and access management.
- Desirable: experience using data analytics or dashboarding tools such as Power BI or Tableau to visualise and report automation outcomes.
- Desirable: professional certifications such as CISA, CISSP, CRISC, or ISO 27001 Lead Auditor.
Responsibilities
- Identify and assess opportunities to automate control testing across IT, OT, and business functions.
- Design, develop, and implement automation plans and workflows to support continuous control monitoring.
- Evaluate and recommend appropriate tooling and technologies for control testing automation.
- Collaborate with digital teams to establish reliable data acquisition and integration processes.
- Regularly review automated testing outputs to identify and report control deficiencies.
- Maintain comprehensive documentation for automation workflows, processes, and exception handling.
- Engage with project teams, control owners, and key stakeholders to gather requirements and support automation initiatives.
- Deliver automation initiatives within expected timelines and in alignment with programme objectives.
- Escalate issues, risks, or delays to the Control Testing & Assurance Manager and contribute to resolving challenges.
- Support continuous improvement of the control testing programme through automation and innovation.
- Stay informed about relevant frameworks and best practices, including NIST CSF and CIS Controls, to enhance automation and monitoring capabilities.
Technologies
- Cloud
- Support
- Power BI
- PowerShell
- Python
- RPA
- Security
- Tableau
More
Were hiring a Control Testing & Automation Lead to help modernise our control testing programme and strengthen our security and assurance capabilities across IT, OT, and business environments. Youll work with the Control Testing & Assurance Manager, digital teams, and business stakeholders to support our risk and compliance objectives. The role is based at Clearwater Court in Reading, with hybrid working, and has a 36-hour Monday-to-Friday working pattern. We offer a salary of up to £80,000 per annum depending on experience, 26 days annual leave rising to 30 with length of service, plus bank holidays, a generous AON pension, performance-related pay, and a range of health, wellbeing, and financial benefits.
Were the UKs largest water and wastewater company, serving more than 16 million customers. Our purpose is to help our customers, communities, people, and the planet thrive. We offer meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements, and a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we welcome applications from everyone, including requests for adjustments during recruitment. Team Thames colleagues can also train to support customers on the frontline as ambassadors.
last updated 46 week of 2026