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- Tasks: Lead daily operations at a highways depot, ensuring safety and productivity.
- Company: Join a public-sector organisation dedicated to maintaining safe highways.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, opportunity for contract work, and impactful community service.
- Why this job: Make a difference in your community by ensuring safe and efficient roadways.
- Qualifications: Experience in highways operations and strong leadership skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional growth and development.
The predicted salary is between 42000 - 60000 £ per year.
CONFIDENTIAL CONTRACT ROLE – HIGHWAYS DEPOT LEAD
West Midlands & Surrounding Areas
ESSENTIAL (NON-NEGOTIABLE)
- Demonstrable experience running a live highways depot or operational base
- SMSTS (or equivalent safety qualification)
- Direct involvement in winter service and highways emergency response
- Willingness to participate in an on-call / out-of-hours rota
- Eligibility to work in the UK
A public-sector highways organisation is engaging an experienced Highways Depot Lead on a contract basis to take full operational responsibility for a key depot serving the West Midlands and nearby areas. This role sits at the sharp end of service delivery. You’ll be accountable for keeping crews productive, work moving, and the network safe — across routine maintenance, unplanned incidents, and severe weather events.
What You’ll Be Responsible For
- Running daily depot operations and directing multiple highway workstreams
- Controlling labour, plant, materials, and subcontract support
- Ensuring teams are briefed, safe, and delivering to required standards
- Leading emergency response activity and seasonal winter operations
- Dealing with operational escalations, including stakeholder and public issues
- Monitoring performance, productivity, and operational risk
- Supporting cost control and efficient use of resources
- Taking part in an operational on-call rota as required
What We’re Looking For
- A practical, delivery-focused leader with strong highways operations experience
- Comfortable making decisions in live, high-pressure environments
- Visible and proactive on safety, standards, and workforce management
- Experienced managing supervisors, operatives, and supply partners
- Clear communicator with a professional, calm approach to escalation
Nice to Have
- ICE or IHT membership (or actively working towards)
- Traffic Management or similar operational qualifications
- Exposure to asset systems, digital tools, or quality frameworks
HIGHWAYS DEPOT LEAD employer: engstaff-in
Contact Detail:
engstaff-in Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land HIGHWAYS DEPOT LEAD
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your contacts in the highways sector and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. Sometimes, it's all about who you know, so don’t be shy about asking for introductions or recommendations.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your operational knowledge. Be ready to discuss your experience running a depot and how you've handled emergency responses. We want to hear about your successes and how you keep teams productive under pressure!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! During interviews, highlight your ability to manage supervisors and operatives effectively. Share examples of how you've improved safety standards and productivity in past roles — it’ll make you stand out as a delivery-focused leader.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our platform. Let’s get you that Highways Depot Lead role!
We think you need these skills to ace HIGHWAYS DEPOT LEAD
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your experience running a highways depot or operational base. We want to see how you've managed daily operations and dealt with emergencies, so don’t hold back on those details!
Safety First!: Since safety qualifications like SMSTS are essential, be sure to mention any relevant certifications you have. We’re all about keeping our teams safe, so show us you’re on the same page.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the important stuff—your skills and how they fit the role.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at engstaff-in
✨Know Your Depot Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you’re familiar with the specific depot operations and challenges in the West Midlands. Research recent projects or incidents that have occurred in the area, as this will show your genuine interest and understanding of the role.
✨Highlight Your Safety Credentials
Since safety is non-negotiable, be prepared to discuss your SMSTS or equivalent qualifications in detail. Share specific examples of how you've implemented safety measures in past roles, especially during high-pressure situations or emergency responses.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
This role requires strong leadership, so come ready with examples of how you’ve successfully managed teams and handled operational escalations. Think about times when you’ve had to make tough decisions quickly and how you communicated those to your team.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that test your problem-solving skills in live environments. Practice articulating your thought process and decision-making strategies for managing winter service operations or responding to emergencies, as these are key aspects of the job.
