Network Planning Manager - Water Transmission

Job description / Role

We are seeking a Network Planning Manager to lead the planning, expansion, and optimization of a large-scale water distribution network in the UAE. The role is accountable for translating demand growth and service targets into hydraulically sound, cost-effective, and resilient network reinforcement plans—covering distribution mains, pressure zones, pumping/booster strategy, storage (tanks/reservoirs), and network control assets—while ensuring compliance with applicable standards and authority requirements.

1) Water Distribution Master Planning
• Develop and maintain short-, medium-, and long-term (1–3 year, 5–10 year) network development plans aligned with population growth, master developments, and service level targets.
• Define planning assumptions, demand allocation logic, and design criteria for distribution networks (pressure, velocity, fire flow where applicable, redundancy, resilience).

2) Hydraulic Modeling & Network Studies
• Own and govern the hydraulic model(s) of the distribution system, ensuring they are updated, calibrated, and fit-for-purpose.
• Perform and/or review distribution network studies including:
• Capacity and constraint assessment
• Pressure zoning and pressure management
• Pump/booster station planning (duty/standby philosophy, head requirements, energy impacts)
• Storage/tank sizing and operational balancing
• Transient / surge risk considerations (in coordination with specialists where required)
• Scenario planning for growth areas, outages, and supply interruptions

3) Pressure Management & Service Performance
• Design and optimize pressure zones and define requirements for PRVs, control valves, and boosters.
• Investigate recurring low-pressure/high-pressure issues and propose reinforcement and operational strategies with Operations.
• Support service continuity planning for critical customers and priority zones.

4) Non-Revenue Water (NRW) & Network Efficiency
• Contribute to NRW strategy by identifying priority areas for:
• DMA planning / district metering
• Pressure management initiatives
• Main replacement / rehabilitation programs
• Targeted leak reduction projects and performance monitoring frameworks

5) Developer Connections & Growth Readiness
• Provide technical planning inputs for new developments and large customer connections.
• Review developer submissions and network impact assessments; define connection requirements and reinforcement scopes.
• Coordinate with customer connection teams to ensure connection timelines are aligned with network readiness.

6) CAPEX Planning, Business Cases & Prioritization
• Build multi-year CAPEX portfolios for network reinforcement, renewal, and resilience projects.
• Produce options analysis (least-cost, risk-based, constructability, operational impact) and support investment approvals with clear justifications and phasing.
• Work closely with Projects/Delivery to handover planning outputs into executable scopes (concepts, sizing, routing, technical specs).

7) Data Governance, GIS Integration & Reporting
• Ensure planning outputs are fully documented: assumptions, model versions, study reports, and decision records.
• Integrate planning with GIS and asset systems, improving data quality and network traceability.
• Develop dashboards/constraint maps and periodic planning reports for senior stakeholders.

8) Stakeholder Management & Leadership
• Manage planning engineers/analysts (and external consultants) to deliver studies and plans to quality and schedule.
• Act as the planning focal point in cross-functional forums (operations planning, capital planning, developer coordination).
• Embed safety, risk, and compliance considerations in all planning outputs.

This is a strategic planning role with strong cross-functional interface across Operations, Projects/Delivery, Asset Management, Customer Connections, GIS/IT, and HSE, and with external stakeholders such as developers, consultants, and relevant authorities.

To be considered for this role, you need to meet the following criteria:

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or related discipline.
• Master’s degree is an advantage.
• Typically 10+ years experience in water distribution planning and/or design within a utility, operator, or large engineering consultancy.
• Proven experience delivering network master plans and translating them into CAPEX programs.
• Experience in UAE/GCC utilities and authority coordination is a strong advantage.
• Hydraulic modeling, model calibration, scenario planning
• Pressure zoning, PRVs, control valves, booster planning
• Distribution mains sizing/routing, network reinforcement strategy
• Reservoir/tank storage planning, demand balancing
• NRW/DMAs, leakage reduction planning, pressure management strategies
• Understanding of resilience, redundancy, and emergency supply planning
• Tools: InfoWorks WS / InfoWater / WaterGEMS / EPANET
• ArcGIS or equivalent GIS platforms
• Asset information systems / EAM exposure is a plus (e.g., enterprise asset registers, work order/asset data integration)
• Strong stakeholder management (internal operations + external developers/consultants/authorities).
• Able to explain technical planning outputs in business terms (risk, cost, timeline, service impact).
• Structured, documentation-driven, governance mindset.

About the Company

About Us Helping professionals grow. Supporting businesses thrive.

Black Pearl is a HR consultancy and recruitment firm based in the UAE. We connect skilled professionals with leading organizations across the Gulf region, offering a personalized and thoughtful approach to hiring.

Our team specializes in recruiting for roles across key industries, including but not limited to: - Healthcare and Life Sciences - Engineering and Construction - Technology and Digital - Finance and Accounting - Hospitality and Retail - Government and Emiratization

Whether you’re searching for your next opportunity or looking to hire, we work closely with you to understand your goals and find the right fit.