Senior Operations Manager in Edinburgh

About Ember
We are building the future of public transport — convenient, connected, affordable and zero-emission. Our goal is to make it easier to get from A to B with Ember than it is with your own car. We have already demonstrated that it is possible to use electric buses more intensively than anyone else in the world. This leads to a massive emissions reduction and is only possible because we control the full-stack and integrate it tightly together. That includes the tech platform, the charging infrastructure and the vehicles themselves. This also means we are providing a much better passenger experience with innovative features like demand-responsive stops. We have come a long way but we are still relatively early in the stages of growth, with 15 routes and 98 buses. The challenge is to scale this 50x whilst staying lean, increasing efficiency and delivering an even better product experience. We have recently raised equity from some of Europe’s leading climate VCs and are looking for mission-driven individuals who can help take us to the next level.

The role
This role is all about keeping the show on the road. As Senior Operations Manager, you will oversee our live operation to ensure everything is running smoothly. Using our in-house tech systems and working closely with our Operations Managers, you will help ensure the network runs reliably and efficiently throughout the day. When things do not quite go to plan, you will be the calm voice of experience. You will step in to support the team, make high-level operational decisions and act as the escalation point for Operations Managers when complex situations arise. Your role is to maintain oversight of the wider operation, helping ensure issues are resolved quickly while keeping customers and teams informed. We need someone who thrives in the middle of a busy, fast-moving environment. We operate a 24/7 timetable with buses on the road across Scotland at all hours, so you will work a share of weekend shifts and take part in our on-call rota providing senior operational support out of hours. You will play a key leadership role within the team. You will guide and support the Operations Managers on shift, helping them make the right decisions and ensuring the wider operation runs smoothly.

Attitude and your way of thinking is key. You will need to be highly organised, comfortable managing the complexity of a live transport network and confident making decisions that balance operational performance with customer experience. You might already be an experienced operations leader or qualified transport manager looking for a role in a modern, technology-driven operator. Sometimes the job will involve troubleshooting live incidents. But often the real impact comes afterwards - stepping back, identifying root causes and working with the team to design processes and improvements that prevent the same issues from happening again.

What you will do
We are still a scale-up, and your role will be broad. At a minimum it will include:

• Keeping day to day priorities on track and stepping in where needed
• Delegating tasks, leading and organising the team where issues arise
• Acting as the escalation point for day to day shift teams and making decisions
• Keeping communication flowing, for example ensuring updates are clear and visible, and ensuring an exemplary handover between shifts
• Engaging with a genuine technical curiosity. Whether hardware or software, you will want to understand it inside out
• You will be engaging with a committed Operations team to ensure we have 24/7 coverage. Part of this will mean pitching in and helping with weekend and evening cover to support the live team out on the roads, whilst also working to ensure we keep these unanticipated events to a minimum.

Start dates and timings
We are growing very rapidly, and are looking to engage multiple new team members throughout 2026.

Diversity and equality
At Ember, we support diversity across our team and customers. We work to ensure every employee feels respected and able to give their best, whether temporary, part-time or full-time. We are happy to offer flexible working patterns where they make sense, are compassionate when it comes to time off and offer enhanced maternity and paternity leave. Read more about our approach in our Equal Opportunities Policy.

What’s on offer
As well as a salary of up to £55,000 per annum, depending on your experience, you will be eligible for share options through an EMI scheme.

How do I apply?
Apply using the form, providing a CV and a cover letter explaining why you are right for this opportunity. How you work and think is much more important to us than any specific industry experience. A genuine passion for climate or public transport, or even both, are also very valuable and we will teach you the rest. You do not need to be a master of anything (yet) but should not feel out of your depth anywhere.

At a minimum, you should be:

• An excellent communicator who can give clear direction when situations become complex or time-critical.
• Detail-oriented with strong operational awareness — you spot issues early and make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
• Comfortable learning and working with new tech systems, and helping others use them effectively.
• Highly organised, able to maintain oversight of a busy operation and manage competing priorities.
• A calm, thoughtful decision maker who supports others and keeps perspective under pressure.
• Passionate about connectivity and motivated by delivering a great service for the people who rely on it.

We look for a range of qualities in all members of Ember's Operations Team, and the following should resonate with you:

• You have a strong instinct for what “good” looks like and naturally push standards higher.
• You are drawn to problems and take ownership of solving them rather than waiting for someone else.
• You think in clear, structured steps and can break complex problems into manageable parts.
• You build strong relationships across teams — from drivers to engineers to software developers.
• You are someone others turn to for judgement, guidance, and a calm view when things get difficult.