At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead operational delivery of repairs and maintenance contracts, ensuring excellence and customer satisfaction.
- Company: Gilmartins, a family-owned business focused on social housing services.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonus, car allowance, and 23 days holiday plus bank holidays.
- Other info: Opportunity for clear progression to Divisional Managing Director in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in residents' lives while leading a high-performing team.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in operational leadership and managing multiple contracts.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
We are looking to appoint an exceptional Operations Director to lead the operational delivery of our Repairs, Voids and Planned Contracts. Reporting directly to the Divisional Managing Director, you will act as the operational lead across multiple contracts, ensuring outstanding service delivery, operational excellence, customer satisfaction and commercial performance. This is a senior leadership role responsible for developing high-performing Contract Managers and operational teams while ensuring the division consistently delivers against business objectives.
What Success Looks Like
Success in this role means leading a disciplined, accountable operation where every contract consistently delivers against KPIs, customer satisfaction targets, compliance requirements, and commercial objectives. You will build strong operational leaders beneath you, create consistency across the division, drive continuous improvement and ensure clients have complete confidence in our ability to deliver.
Making a Difference
This is more than an operational leadership role. Social housing repairs and maintenance have a direct impact on the safety, wellbeing and quality of life of thousands of residents. We are looking for a leader who genuinely understands the importance of delivering a responsive, resident-focused service and who recognises that every repair represents someone's home, not just another job. You will have a strong understanding of the regulatory environment, including Awaab's Law, the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs), and the Decent Homes Standard, using these as the foundation for operational decision-making and continuous improvement. You will be passionate about creating a culture that puts residents first, drives high-quality outcomes, ensures compliance, and delivers right-first-time repairs with pace and professionalism.
Success in this role will be measured not only by operational performance, productivity and financial results, but by your ability to build a service that residents can trust, colleagues are proud to deliver, and clients recognise as an example of excellence within the social housing sector. You will deputise for the Divisional Managing Director where required and play a key role in developing the division as the business continues to grow.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day operational performance across multiple contracts.
- Provide leadership, coaching and accountability to Contract Managers, ensuring high standards of operational delivery.
- Drive performance against KPIs, SLAs, customer satisfaction, productivity, and right-first-time measures.
- Ensure effective operational planning, workforce utilisation, and resource deployment across all contracts.
- Take accountability for the effective management and reduction of aged debt.
- Drive operational initiatives that support the companies strategic growth objectives.
- Monitor divisional performance through data, identifying trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
- Work closely with Contract Managers to improve operational efficiency, customer experience, and commercial performance.
- Take accountability for delivery of assigned contract margin through effective cost control, productivity improvements, and operational efficiencies.
- Ensure full compliance with Health & Safety legislation, statutory requirements, company policies, and client contractual obligations.
- Lead operational responses to significant service failures, complaints, disrepair cases, and business-critical issues.
- Build strong relationships with clients, providing senior operational support and maintaining confidence in service delivery.
- Promote a culture of accountability, ownership, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
- Develop succession plans and leadership capability across operational teams.
- Drive consistency of process, governance, reporting, and operational standards across the division.
- Work collaboratively with Commercial, Finance, Compliance, Fleet, HR, and Business Support teams to maximise operational performance.
- Provide accurate operational reporting, forecasts, and performance updates to the Divisional Managing Director.
- Deputise for the Divisional Managing Director as required.
About You
- Proven experience leading large operational teams within a fast-paced, customer-focused service environment (essential).
- Significant experience managing multiple operational contracts through senior managers or Contract Managers (essential).
- Strong understanding of KPI and SLA-driven service delivery.
- Commercially aware with experience improving profitability through operational performance.
- Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop senior operational managers.
- Experience managing large field-based workforces and office-based operational support teams.
- Strong understanding of Health & Safety, compliance, and operational governance.
- Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills within high-pressure operational environments.
- Highly organised, resilient, and capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Strong client relationship management and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Confident using operational performance data to drive improvements.
- Visible, hands-on leadership style with the ability to inspire high performance.
Qualifications
- CMI Diploma or equivalent in Strategic Leadership & Management.
- Membership of a relevant professional body.
- Evidence of CPD.
Experience
- Leadership of £25m+ annual contract portfolios.
- Social housing repairs and maintenance (or relatable experience in a similar sector).
- Reactive repairs.
- Schedule of Rates (SOR) contracts.
- Housing Association or Local Authority frameworks.
- Multi-contract operational leadership.
- Operational transformation and business change programmes.
About Gilmartins
Gilmartins is a family-owned business where people are valued and performance is recognised. We empower our leaders to make decisions, take ownership and deliver results. This is not a heavily layered corporate environment. We believe in accountability, responsiveness, and giving our operational leaders the autonomy to improve performance while developing their people. Operating within the social housing sector, we deliver reactive repairs and maintenance services to housing associations and local authorities across the UK. Our reputation has been built on operational excellence, customer service, and consistently delivering for our clients. Our head office is based at Houghton Hall Park, Houghton Regis a modern, collaborative environment supporting a high-performing leadership team.
What We Offer
- Senior leadership opportunity within a growing business.
- Clear progression to Divisional Managing Director for exceptional performers.
- Competitive salary and performance-related bonus.
- Car allowance.
- 23 days plus bank holidays.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Pension scheme.
Operations Director in Houghton Regis employer: Gilmartins
Gilmartins is an exceptional employer that values its employees and fosters a culture of recognition and growth. With a modern office environment in Houghton Regis, we offer clear progression opportunities, a competitive salary and bonus structure, and the autonomy to lead and improve contract performance. Join us to be part of a supportive team dedicated to delivering high-quality service in the social housing sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Director in Houghton Regis
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Look for case competitions hosted by universities and consulting firms. They’re a fab way to showcase your problem-solving skills and meet industry players. Plus, winning one can seriously boost your CV, which we know is key when applying for roles like Operations Director at Gilmartins!
✨Tip Number 2: Leverage Alumni Networks
Tap into your university’s alumni network; many consultants love to help out new talent. Reach out to alumni who are working in management consulting, they might have insider knowledge about openings at firms like Gilmartins or be willing to refer you for that Operations Director position!
✨Tip Number 3: Attend Industry Events and Conferences
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Engage with online platforms that offer consulting simulations or courses. Prove your chops by completing relevant projects — this not only beefs up your experience but also gives you concrete examples to chat about during interviews for that full-time Operations Director role at Gilmartins!
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Director in Houghton Regis
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Problem-Solving Skills:In management consulting, it's all about problem-solving—so make sure your CV highlights your analytical and critical thinking skills. Include examples from your studies or previous roles where you tackled complex issues or came up with innovative solutions. Quantify your achievements whenever possible to demonstrate your impact!
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to explain why you're a perfect fit for the consulting world. Focus on your motivation for joining the industry and how your skills align with the requirements of the role at Gilmartins. Remember to mention any relevant coursework or projects that showcase your understanding of strategic frameworks or business models!
Highlight Team Experience:Consultants often work in teams, so it's vital to showcase your collaborative skills. Include experiences where you've worked effectively with others, whether in academic group projects or internships. Discuss your role in the team and how you helped achieve common goals, demonstrating you can thrive in a consultancy environment.
Professionalise Your Online Presence:Make sure your LinkedIn and any other professional profiles are up to date, reflecting your career aspirations in management consulting. Connect with industry professionals and follow relevant groups—show you’re serious about entering this field. Applying through our website is a great way to get noticed, so showcase your personality and enthusiasm there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Gilmartins
✨Master the Case Study Game
In management consulting, case study interviews are all the rage. Make sure to practice structuring your thoughts and analysing data on the fly. Use resources like example case studies to get comfortable with frameworks and solutions. Remember, it’s not just about getting the right answer but showcasing your thought process, so talk us through your reasoning!
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Be prepared for some numerical and analytical questions. Brush up on your mental math and be ready to interpret data from charts or graphs. We might throw some business scenarios at you that require a quick turnaround on numerical analysis, so practice these skills to feel confident and swift!
✨Show Your Leadership Flair
As this is a full-time role, we want to see your potential as a seasoned consultant. Be ready to discuss experiences where you've led a project or a team. Think about times you've influenced decisions or navigated challenges—this is your chance to show how you can thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
✨Be a Cultural Fit
We’re not just looking for brains; we want to see if you vibe with our company culture at Gilmartins. Prepare to share how your values align with ours. Have a think about what makes a great team environment for you and how you can contribute to that. A good cultural fit goes a long way in management consulting!
