About Us

Together we inspire better ways of creating the places, communities and business of tomorrow.

We are Wates, the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance company. Founded over 125 years ago, we know about the built environment. We partner with a wide range of public and private sector customers and partners to create the places, communities and businesses of tomorrow.

4,321

Employees (2023)

£2.18bn

Turnover (2023)

£225m

Social value generated (2023)

45%

Reduction in Scope 1 & 2 emissions against a 2019 baseline

Wates family 2022

Creating tomorrow together

Now in our fourth generation of family ownership, we are committed to the long-term sustainability of the built environment and to making our industry more inclusive and representative of the communities we work in.

Everything we do is guided by our purpose of working together to inspire better ways of creating the places, communities, and businesses of tomorrow.

Our goals are to be more sustainable, trusted and progressive, and our people are driven by our behaviours of ‘we care’, ‘we are fair’, and ‘we look for a better way’.

London business school atrium

Long term financial resilience

As a multi generational, family-owned business we are not driven by short term shareholder demands, but by decisions which are in the long term interest of the business.

Our owners, the Wates Family, are committed to handing over to the next generation, an even stronger, more sustainable business. This approach drives all our investment decisions and allows us to achieve progressive earnings growth and to partner with customers to deliver products and services that offer the best value for money possible. 

Zero harm, we're safer together safety campaign

Health and safety

Our safety strategy: Zero Harm: We’re Safer Together, has produced better results every year since it was first introduced in 2016.

It is aimed at eliminating physical and psychological harm entirely from all our workplaces. In 2022, we led the industry across all key health and safety metrics, while continuing to search for new ways to make us even safer still. 

we are committed to quality and sustainability

Quality

We are committed to eliminating the practical and economic impacts of any quality failures from each of our businesses, while also achieving full compliance with all relevant regulatory and legislative standards. 

Our commitment to quality across the industry was demonstrated through our role in helping draft the Government’s Construction Playbook best practice guide in 2022.

Our industry leading women in construction recruitment programme

Inclusion and diversity

Our ambition is to have a more diverse workforce and to be recognised as a leader in promoting diversity and inclusion in our own business and in the wider industry.

We are developing a more inclusive culture by establishing clear, non-negotiable expectations about colleagues’ behaviour and language.

We have developed award-winning inclusivity programmes to help change our culture, and we are always looking to build on that work further. 

University of Portsmouth sustainability

Environment

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to becoming a net zero carbon company and we’re working to eliminate Scope 1 and 2 carbon and waste from our business operations.

We are also collaborating with customers and suppliers to achieve reductions in Scope 3 emissions in response to rapidly developing customer demands as the net zero agenda becomes ever more important. 

Using offsite manufacturing we can improve productivity, efficiency and safety in construction

Innovation

We have always looked for new and better ways of meeting our customers’ needs and we are committed to developing and embracing the best new ideas that generate value and help us to tackle shared challenges.

Whether we’re cutting operating costs with optimised construction or saving energy with Passivhaus technology, we can connect you with the right answers.

Latest career opportunities

Assistant Design Manager

Location: St Albans

Job Type: Commercial

Application Deadline: 17-05-2024

We have an opportunity for an Assistant Design Manager to join our Wates team within our Planned Maintenance division. You will be covering Kilburn, Stevenage, Greenwich, and the London area. You will work collaboratively with our Design Managers/Senior Design Managers supporting the team to drive quality outcomes, enhance buildability and foster innovation.As our Assistant Design Manager, you will: Work with the Design Manager to produce and manage the design programme and Information Required Schedule. Provide guidance to the Project team on design related issues. Coordinate project team comments and resolve any design related queries with the design team. Assist in the production of the Proposals, ensuring they are complete and unambiguous. Review all design deliverables, including specialist supplier elements and interfaces to establish that they are within budget are fully coordinated and are buildable.We are looking for a designer with knowledge of building methods and technologies, procurement, and risk management. You will have a basic understanding of contracts, contract documentation, planning techniques, management systems, life cycle cost and value.

Resident Liaison Officer

Location: Finsbury Park

Job Type: Customer Service

Application Deadline: 17-05-2024

We have an opportunity for a Resident Liaison Officer to join our Wates team within our Planned Maintenance division. You will be covering the London Borough of Haringey, delivering support to our residents on our social housing contracts.Key Accountabilities will include: Set up, undertake and manage the Tenant/Customer/Resident Liaison Service across multiple sites. Attend regular client representative and tenant meetings to ensure highest level of customer service is provided at all times. Ensure a consistent approach to customer care is adopted, Manage the Tenant’s Complaints procedures as a point of escalation. Maintain and update the on-site Database to reflect on-going works.You must have a full UK driving licence with access to a vehicle.You will be an experienced RLO with proven track record of successfully managing the workload across planned maintenance programmes. As well as having a strong knowledge of internal and external programmes, you will be a strong communicator with excellent customer service and IT skills.

Senior Building Services Manager

Location: Basingstoke

Job Type: Operational

Application Deadline: 17-05-2024

Wates Group are looking for a Senior Building Services Manager to join our Residential team in Basingstoke.The Residential business is a developer contractor; we invest, develop, build and sell quality affordable housing, either contracting or in a form of partnership with Local Authorities, Registered Providers and public bodies.The Senior Building Services Manager will provide technical support to the Development and Operations teams in delivering first class sustainable projects, help to develop strong relationships with customers, be a positive representative of the Residential team in all communication with our clients and key stakeholders.This is a great opportunity to progress your career as part of a talented, diverse, and supportive team.ABOUT THE ROLEOur Building Services Managers are a valuable part of our business, driving quality outcomes.As our Senior Building Services Manager, you will: Review tender information for technical compliance, completeness and coordination and report findings to the team. Assist the commercial team by leading on MEPH related packages, reviewing and comparing tender returns Assist in the selection of MEPH consultants and sub-contractors and the negotiation and appointment of competent contractors and designers. Prepare the scopes of service and associated documents for the appointment of MEPH consultants and supply chain Support the design management teams and our clients in undertaking high quality reviews at each stage of the design development process to ensure deliverables are fully co-ordinated and buildable. Monitor and report on site progress to ensure alliance with the Construction Programme. Chairing and minuting M&E Progress Meetings. Liaison with Residential site team. Drive Zero harm and exemplary health, safety, wellbeing and environmental performance on assigned projects.WHAT WE OFFER Competitive salary & profit share scheme Flexible working Car Allowance / Company Car (subject to Role/Grade) Travel covered to any of our sites (subject to HMRC advisory rates) Extensive corporate benefits including, Private Medical, Pension with employers’ contribution, Health and Wellness programme, 26 days holidays + bank holidays and much more… One of the best learning and development programmes which is customizable to support your career progression goals. Industry leading family leave benefits to included 26 weeks fully paid maternity, 8 weeks fully paid paternity.To find out more about LIFE AT WATES please click on the following link https://www.wates.co.uk/careers/

Senior Planner

Location: Bury St Edmunds

Job Type: Planning

Application Deadline: 17-05-2024

Wates Construction are looking for a Senior Planner to join our Construction Team in the Northern Home Counties where we are focussing on high profile, technically complex projects across multiple sectors.If you are passionate about working within a team environment, have proven analytical and planning skills and are looking for an opportunity to challenge the norm, bring fresh new ideas and elevate yourself within the industry then join us and help to create tomorrow together.This is a great opportunity to progress your career as part of a talented, diverse, and supportive team.ABOUT THE ROLEOur Planners are a valuable part of our business, the focus of this role is to provide an effective and professional planning and programming services for pre-contract and project teams.As our Senior Planner you will: Instigate and monitor a balanced suite of performance measurement criteria throughout a project’s lifecycle Ensure proper integration of design and procurement elements of programmes with construction Produce integrated tender programme and method statement and present proposals to settlement meeting Change management: review programme effect of changes and advise on EOT issues Produce schedules as well as obtain and analyse quotes for all time-related preliminariesWHAT WE OFFER Competitive salary & bonus  Flexible working  Car Allowance / Company Car (subject to Role/Grade)  Travel covered to any of our sites (subject to HMRC advisory rates)  Extensive corporate benefits including, Private Medical, Pension 8% employers’ contribution, Health and Wellness programme, 26 days holidays + bank holidays and much more… Excellent range of learning and development activity to support your career progression Industry leading family leave benefits to included 26 weeks fully paid maternity, 8 weeks fully paid paternity. To find out more about LIFE AT WATES please click on the following link https://www.wates.co.uk/careers/

Get in touch

To get in touch with us, simply fill in the form below and we’ll get right back to you.