Operations Director

Recently named as one of the 'Best Big Companies to Work For' by Best Companies, J. Murphy & Sons Limited (Murphy) is a leading international, specialist engineering and construction company founded in 1951 with a purpose to improve life by delivering world-class infrastructure. Operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada, Murphy provides better engineered solutions to infrastructure sectors including transportation, natural resources, power and water. Headquartered in London, Murphy has a number of related businesses including Ground Engineering, Utility Connections, Murphy Plant, Murphy Process Engineering, Pipeline Testing Services, Specialist Welding Services, and Electrical Services. Murphy is a specialist in delivering pipelines, design, structural steel, tunnelling, fabrication, bridges and piling, and has a substantial holding of plant, equipment and facilities. Murphy employs around 3,600 engineers, professional managers and skilled operatives around the world. Together, they work as 'One Murphy' - directly delivering the people, plant and expertise needed to make projects a success.

Murphy is recruiting for an Operations Director to work with the Energy Team covering National Grid Substation Projects across London & the South West. Our business is well-known for its extensive in-house expertise, experience, and continuous drive to innovate within the industry to create added value for all our customers. Throughout our history we have strived to challenge the norm and incorporate a wide range of new technologies and capabilities to ensure we meet the ever-changing markets and demands. Today we support groundbreaking transmission and distribution projects in four countries - ensuring their energy security for decades to come.

We offer a wide range of services including design, construction and commissioning. We deliver Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) projects serving both regulated and private customers along with technical and engineering solutions within the conventional power and energy transition markets. Our continual drive to innovate, while encouraging sustainability, ensures we remain at the forefront of the industry, and is demonstrated in our long-standing relationships with major energy providers in multiple countries.

A day in the life of a Murphy Operations Director:

• Ensure that the scope of works is delivered in a safe manner, on time, to the required quality standards, meeting the acceptance criteria and achieving the expected financial outcomes.
• Set the overall standard on the project/contract, ensuring consistency across projects and in line with standards policies and procedures.
• Build and develop the wider operational and project management team to build management capability and deliver all aspects of the project/contract requirements.
• Line management of Project Managers that are accountable for the operational delivery of the project, chairing regular project team meetings, ensuring actions are recorded and closed out.
• Manage the “fit to start” process to ensure that we mobilise in a controlled and timely manner to facilitate the timely delivery of the project scope.
• Ensure there is an effective, comprehensive, and formal handover from the work winning team to the delivery team.
• Develop and maintain effective communication and collaborative relationships with the Client and other project stakeholders.
• Provide strategic updates and develop strategic plans.
• Lead the development of a detailed cost forecast for the project, ensuring it is reviewed and updated regularly.
• Lead the development of resource forecasts (staff, labour, key plant and materials), ensuring they are aligned and coordinated with the programme.
• Support the procurement of suppliers and sub-contractors.
• Lead the development and implementation of improvement actions where necessary to ensure the financial objectives are achieved / bettered.

Experience in delivering HV Transmission projects within 132kV to 400kV or major civil projects.

Experience within an Operations Director or Senior Managerial role.

HNC / HND.

Strong commercial and contractual awareness.

Experience of working on complex multi-discipline Enhancement projects, delivering within programme and cost controls.

Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to develop close working relationships with clients and subcontractors.

What’s in it for you?

• 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays with the option to buy an additional 2 days holiday each year, holidays increase with length of service.
• Discretionary annual bonus and annual salary review.
• Above market rate contributory pension scheme.
• Life assurance, health screening and enhanced sick pay.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay and a maternity returners bonus.
• Extra weeks holiday for all employees getting married and a wedding bonus.
• Subsidised canteen facilities in core locations.
• Dedicated and continued investment in your professional development.
• Other Murphy benefits include retail discounts and cashback, discounted gym memberships, cycle to work scheme etc.

About Murphy

Murphy is formally recognised as a sector leading employer, Gold Investors In People accredited along with reported operating profit up 57% on prior year. At Murphy, we are incredibly proud of our diverse workforce. Not only do our people represent over 60 different nationalities, but they also represent a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. With a forward order book of £5.8bn and £39m invested in environmentally friendly plant there really is #MoretoMurphy.

If you are unable to apply via the usual process, please call Jack Roberts to discuss in more detail.

Murphy is unable to employ anyone who does not have the legal right to live and work in the UK.