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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead daily operations of a cutting-edge energy storage site and ensure optimal performance.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking energy company focused on sustainability and innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development opportunities, and a dynamic work environment.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative leadership team with excellent growth potential.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the energy sector while leading a high-performing team.
- Qualifications: Engineering degree and experience in operational management required.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
The Operations Manager is responsible for leading the day-to-day operational performance of the Thorpe Marsh BESS asset. The role is not responsible for construction delivery but is accountable for ensuring operational readiness ahead of Commercial Operation Date (COD), and for leading safe, reliable and commercially optimised operations post-COD. The Station Director retains overall accountability for the site, including safety, compliance, financial performance and governance. The Operations Manager operates under this framework and is accountable for the execution and delivery of operational performance, availability and contractor integration. The role ensures the asset operates safely, compliantly and at optimal commercial performance, while building and leading a high-performing operations team. The Operations Manager provides operational leadership across all site functions and works in close coordination with the appointed HV Electrical Manager and SHEQ Manager.
Principal Accountabilities
- Operational Readiness (Pre-COD)
- Develop and implement the operational readiness plan for the BESS site.
- Establish site operating procedures, emergency response arrangements and operational governance frameworks in coordination with the HV and HSQE Managers.
- Ensure compliance with UK regulatory requirements, including interface with NationalGrid Electricity Transmission (NGET) and National Energy System Operator (NESO).
- Define and execute the Operational Acceptance and Asset Handover process, ensuring formal transfer of risk, warranty protection and performance baseline establishment.
- Oversee mobilisation of O&M contractors and long-term service agreement providers.
- Ensure SCADA/EMS systems are operationally fit for purpose and reporting requirements are defined.
- Support commissioning and energisation from an operational acceptance perspective.
- Define spare parts strategy and asset management processes.
- Develop operational budgets, workforce planning and lifecycle maintenance planning.
- Build performance monitoring frameworks and KPIs ahead of go-live.
- Establish the site operational risk register and business continuity framework, integrating inputs from HV and HSQE functions.
- Post-COD Operations
- Take full operational leadership of the BESS asset following handover.
- Ensure safe, reliable and efficient site performance.
- Maximise asset availability and revenue performance in UK energy markets (e.g., ancillary services, capacity market, balancing services).
- Act as the primary operational coordination point with National Energy System Operator (NESO) for dispatch and market participation, and maintain effective operational interface with National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET).
- Monitor battery performance, degradation, and warranty compliance.
- Lead performance analysis and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Manage O&M contractors and OEM relationships, holding providers accountable to SLAs and contractual performance obligations.
- Provide operational oversight of HV activities, ensuring alignment with switching governance and compliance maintained by the HV Manager.
- Manage operational expenditure and site-level budgets.
- Lead incident investigations and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
- Responsible for maintaining site security, through management of security resource and contract personnel.
- People Leadership & Team Management
- Build, lead and develop the site operations team (e.g., Shift Team Leaders & Site Technicians).
- Define clear roles, responsibilities, and competency requirements.
- Lead recruitment, onboarding, and workforce planning in collaboration with HR.
- Set individual objectives aligned to asset performance KPIs.
- Conduct performance reviews and support ongoing development planning.
- Establish a strong safety-first culture and visible leadership presence on site.
- Provide technical coaching and mentoring to develop in-house capability.
- Foster a collaborative working relationship between internal teams, contractors, and commercial stakeholders.
- Manage team rota planning, out-of-hours escalation processes, and on-call arrangements where applicable.
- Health Safety & Compliance
- Champion a strong safety culture in line with UK statutory requirements.
- Ensure compliance with: Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental permitting requirements (where applicable).
- Maintain site authorisation registers and competency frameworks.
- Ensure audit readiness at all times.
Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience
- Knowledge & Skills
- Strong knowledge of UK Grid Code and distribution code compliance.
- Strong understanding of HV systems and switching practices.
- Experience managing third-party O&M providers.
- Ability to lead multidisciplinary technical teams.
- Strong HSE leadership capability.
- Structured decision-making under pressure.
- Incident command capability in high-consequence operational environments.
- Commercial awareness within UK energy markets.
- Ability to lead incident investigations using UK-recognised methodologies (e.g., 5 Whys, TapRooT, root-cause analysis).
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Qualifications & Experience
- Essential
- Engineering degree or equivalent technical qualification.
- Direct BESS operational experience.
- Experience with EMS/SCADA platforms.
- IOSH membership (GradIOSH or CMIOSH preferred).
- Demonstrable experience building or leading operational teams.
- Experience managing direct reports and contractor teams in a technical environment.
- Experience interfacing with NGET / NESO.
- Demonstrable experience in operational readiness / asset handover.
- Strong HSE leadership capability.
- Desirable
- Post graduate management/leadership qualification.
- Chartered membership of a professional institution.
- Senior Authorised Person (SAP) experience.
Key Competencies
- Operational leadership
- People management and team development
- Contractor performance management
- Risk and compliance oversight
- Commercial awareness within UK energy markets
- Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills
- Structured decision-making under pressure
- Essential
Operations Manager in Doncaster employer: Fidra Energy
Contact Detail:
Fidra Energy Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Manager in Doncaster
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the energy sector. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its operations. Understand their projects, values, and challenges they face in the energy market. This will help you tailor your answers and show that you're genuinely interested in the role of Operations Manager.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your STAR technique for answering behavioural questions. Think of specific situations where you demonstrated leadership, problem-solving, or compliance management. This will help you articulate your experience effectively during interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities waiting for you, and applying directly shows your enthusiasm. Plus, it’s a great way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Manager in Doncaster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience in operations management, especially in the energy sector. We want to see how your skills align with our needs at Thorpe Marsh BESS.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As an Operations Manager, you'll be leading a team. Use your application to demonstrate your people management experience and how you've built high-performing teams in the past. We love seeing examples of effective leadership!
Highlight Compliance Knowledge: Since compliance is key in this role, make sure to mention your understanding of UK regulatory requirements and any experience you have interfacing with organisations like NGET or NESO. This will show us you're ready for the challenge!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Fidra Energy
✨Know Your Operations Inside Out
Make sure you thoroughly understand the operational readiness plan and the key responsibilities of the Operations Manager role. Familiarise yourself with UK regulatory requirements and how they impact the BESS asset. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your expertise and confidence during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in building and leading high-performing teams. Discuss how you've managed multidisciplinary technical teams and fostered a strong safety culture. Be ready to explain your approach to performance reviews and ongoing development planning for your team.
✨Demonstrate Commercial Awareness
Understand the UK energy markets and be prepared to discuss how you would maximise asset availability and revenue performance. Bring up any relevant experiences where you've successfully navigated market participation or worked with National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) and National Energy System Operator (NESO).
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your decision-making under pressure and incident command capabilities. Think of specific situations where you've led incident investigations or implemented corrective actions. Use structured methodologies like the 5 Whys or root-cause analysis to illustrate your problem-solving skills.