Director of Operations

Are you a strategic and commercially minded Operational Crisis Manager, with extensive experience leading large-scale crisis management or disaster recovery operations, including five or more years in a leadership role? Maybe you are ex-Military or Police with more recent experience in a senior leadership role, where you have been responsible for leading world class incident response operational teams and driving business? If so, apply now, as Kenyon International are looking for a Director of Crisis Management Operations to join their Bracknell based team.

Please note that this role will require background checks and be office based 5 days a week throughout the 6 month probation period, but can move to a hybrid model of 3 days in the office and 2 from home after this. As you will know, the nature of our business means there may need to be flex in this during an incident, when all hands are on deck. Travel will be required for deployments and occasional meetings, conferences and events.

About the role:

• Reporting to the Managing Director, you will have full strategic and operational responsibility for Crisis Management and Disaster Response, and make a difference in the most challenging crises people face, whilst continuing to lead the development of world-class services that make Kenyon the destination of choice for disaster management across multiple sectors, globally.
• Aligned with both Kenyon’s and the overall Group’s strategy, you will provide strong leadership, define clear functional goals, deliver extraordinary customer service, and achieve commercial results.
• You will lead, inspire, and motivate the team and will therefore be highly skilled in relationship-building and maintaining effective working relationships with operational leaders and industry peers.
• Additionally, you will act as a key ambassador for Kenyon within international crisis management and disaster response sectors.

You will:

• Collaborate with government agencies, emergency services, local authorities, major corporations, and third-party organizations globally to provide crisis response and community support.
• Provide vision, direction, and leadership to the management team and other stakeholders within the business.
• Develop and implement crisis management and disaster response strategies, ensuring alignment with long-term business objectives and values.
• Foster a high-performance work environment that promotes positive energy, creativity, and teamwork.
• Identify and develop key management information, ensuring proactive budget and cost management.
• Build and lead a strong, capable team of crisis management professionals focused on effective response delivery.
• Serve as the senior incident director or on-site coordinator during major crisis events, ensuring effective coordination and response.
• Oversee the management team in supervising geographically dispersed operations staff and team members, during disaster response deployments.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with all levels of staff within Kenyon and across the Air Partner Group.

What we are looking for:

• A minimum of ten years' well-rounded operational crisis management experience, with an excellent track record in emergency response and disaster recovery, including five or more years in a leadership role.
• Extensive experience in leading large-scale crisis management or disaster recovery operations, ideally within international or multi-sector environments.
• Experience as a highly competent and inspirational leader with the ability to motivate diverse teams under high-pressure situations.
• Strong commercial awareness and a proven track record in business development, with a deep understanding of the commercial drivers within our sector.
• An ability to influence others and align stakeholders towards a common vision or goal.
• Experience developing / implementing operational standards and strategic processes.
• Excellent analytical and numerical skills for fast data analysis and decision-making.
• An ability to work independently in high-pressure environments.
• Strong ability and experience at complex Project Management.
• Operations centre management experience.
• Strong listening skills and the ability to anticipate business and client needs.
• An ability to develop and maintain relationships at all levels within the business.
• An ability to assess situations quickly, understand environments & respond effectively.
• An ability to prioritize revenue-generating actions over lengthy, low-impact tasks.
• Excellent interpersonal, adaptive influencing, and supervisory management skills.
• A willingness to travel and the ability to engage professionally with diverse cultures.
• Strong client service mentality / willingness to take responsibility beyond direct duties.
• A high level of motivation, determination, and commitment.
• An ability to effectively lead both local and remote teams.
• An entrepreneurial mindset combined with a pragmatic approach to problem-solving.
• Commercial acumen with strong operational knowledge and demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
• Strong execution skills, capable of transitioning from planning to implementation fast.
• A creative and innovative mindset.
• Proficiency in budget management.
• General curiosity and a drive to maximize resource utilization.
• A hands-on leadership approach, willing to actively engage in operations as necessary.
• Strong public speaking and public relations skills to enhance Kenyon’s profile.
• Excellent active listening skills, a team player mindset, and the ability to work collaboratively across multiple levels.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate and adapt quickly to evolving crisis environments and market dynamics.

About Kenyon:

Welcome to Kenyon International Emergency Services – where providing care and helping to restore order in the aftermath of crises and disasters is our mission and our passion. Founded 118 years ago, Kenyon is the world’s leading disaster response company, trusted by businesses, governments, and organizations to respond to incidents with compassion, professionalism, and expertise. We’re not just a service provider; we’re a lifeline during the most challenging times. Kenyon specializes in emergency planning, incident response, and disaster recovery, with a team of over 2,500 highly trained Responders we provide a comprehensive range of services—from search and recovery, forensic support, repatriation and personal effects recovery to crisis communications and family assistance.

As part of the Air Partner group and the broader Wheels Up family, Kenyon is uniquely positioned to leverage cutting-edge aviation logistics and resources, including air evacuation capabilities and support from sister companies; Redline Assured Security and Baines Simmons. These partnerships enhance our ability to provide unmatched global reach and seamless crisis support. At Kenyon, we believe our work is about people—those directly affected by crises, the communities that surround them, and the organizations we serve. Our commitment to dignity, respect, and compassion is at the heart of everything we do. When people and organizations turn to us, they find not only professionalism and expertise but also genuine care and understanding. We’re also deeply committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive environment for our team. Our Environmental, Social, and Governance Strategy and our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion forum aren't just policies; they’re our way of life. Take the next step in your journey and join a team that’s redefining crisis management on a global scale. Your next career adventure starts here.