Assistant Operations Manager

As an Assistant Operations Manager, you will be responsible for learning how to lead the operational and financial performance of the contract; delivering the work safely, on time and to our key customer expectations. As a key member of the contract succession plan, you will be open to learning from all existing Operations Managers, within different functions, with an aspiration to lead in the future.

Key Responsibilities

• Have operational responsibility for the R&M teams and their in-day activities.
• Organise labour in the most cost-effective way, including recruitment, disciplinary action, wages, and absence management.
• Coach and develop staff to reach their potential; ensuring a fair and consistent culture with the teams.
• Help manage the frame and cover programme and ensure KPIs are met.
• Help manage the defect programme and ensure that KPIs are met, and Highway Meetings are attended.
• Have knowledge and experience of Reinstatement for Utilities.
• Maintain a customer focus.
• Use Modular+ (smartphone system) & Client Computer system to deliver all feedback for commercial and reinstatement feedback.
• Complete Team Inspections, to ensure a high level of Compliance with a real focus on quality and first-time reinstatement.
• Be a Health & Safety Representative, which will include undertaking health & safety inspections in and around the workplace, raising health & safety related matters with management and investigating reportable accidents or incidents as and when they occur.
• Review the tender promises sheet and lead on a monthly initiative to ensure Network Plus have met their commitments made at bid stage.
• Ensure all work within the contracts under your control are carried out in full compliance with health, safety, welfare and environmental regulations while working to maximize the profitability of each contract under your control and ensuring satisfaction of contractual requirements.
• Ensure compliance with client authorisation requirements and specifications, with the company standards of service and quality systems.
• Control documentation from cradle to grave with a strong interface with the back-office support team.
• Ensure that the requirements of the Construction (Design & Management) regulations (CDM) are complied with as they apply to the work activities undertaken by the company.
• Ensure that the sub-contract organisation and direct labour are assessed in terms of their health and safety competence prior to commencing work for on and behalf of the company.
• Assess the risk associated with our operations and ensure that suitable and sufficient site-specific method statements and risk assessments are compiled in advance of works.
• Manage and motivate a team, delegating where appropriate, but leading by example.
• Have an ordered approach to the development of the people in your area.
• Support the team and add value through your experience.
• Demand safety and competence (including training needs) and push for improvement in all teams.
• Be business-like and present a positive image of the Company.
• Contribute at a senior level.
• Adopt the planned vs actual comparison as a business working tool.
• Set the tone in the organisation of workload and team allocation; managing all resources e.g. labour, materials and plant.
• Be close to the commercial arrangements, making sure we can deliver for our clients and make margin.
• Be an integral part of our business development approach, through client interface and company governance.

Experience and Qualifications

• Proven experience in operations management within the utilities sector, preferably in water supply, wastewater, or environmental services.
• Strong knowledge of water industry regulations, health & safety standards, and environmental compliance requirements.
• Excellent organisational and leadership skills, with experience supervising teams and coordinating site operations.
• Effective project management skills, including planning, budgeting, and resource coordination.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to liaise with stakeholders, contractors, and regulatory bodies.
• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel between sites as required.

Salary and Benefits

We offer a competitive salary based on experience along with a full benefits package.

Network Plus is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law. We are Armed Forces-friendly. We welcome applications from ex-Armed Forces personnel, reservists, armed forces veterans, cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.

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About Network Plus

Network Plus is an award-winning business delivering essential utility and infrastructure services for the UK's major providers of gas, power, telecoms, transport, water, and wastewater. We value the variety of experience, perspective, and other points of difference our workforce, clients, and supply chain offer. We are actively working with colleagues across the Network Plus Group to develop an inclusive environment – we want all our employees to feel valued and included to enable everyone to thrive at work and understand the value of their contribution matters no matter their background, identity, or circumstances.