Operations Manager in Burton upon Trent

Reporting to: Project Director

Location: Burton-on-Trent

Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week, £75k salary + £6k car allowance

Overview of Business & Position

Our client is a multidisciplinary engineering services provider with over 1,200 colleagues supporting customers across the UK. They are a market leader in facilities engineering, offering mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, controls and automation as part of their engineering solutions. Due to continued growth, we are looking to recruit an Operations Manager to join the Infrastructure Central business division based out of the offices in Burton on Trent.

The Operations Manager will be responsible for overseeing operations within the Energy and Water Sector, ensuring efficiency, profitability, and compliance with company policies and industry regulations. The role includes maintaining strong customer, regulatory, and stakeholder relationships while driving performance improvement, asset optimisation, delivery excellence, and operational resilience across all assigned sites and networks.

Core Roles & Responsibilities

• Operational Management: Ensure budgets and GP are met for the operating unit. Coordinate internal and external resources to ensure projects adhere to scope, schedule, and budget. Lead, manage, and oversee all areas of the project, delivering successful outcomes and maintaining high standards of professionalism. Communicate effectively with everyone associated with the project. Ensure co-ordination with clients, contractors, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Manage the full lifecycle of projects from inception to completion. Provide operational, strategic, and contractual direction for the project delivery team. Ensure realistic programmes are prepared and managed.
• People & Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Contract Managers, Project Managers, Engineers, Support staff, Supervisors, Trades, and Apprentices. Foster a positive and collaborative work environment. Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Health, Safety, Environment & Compliance: Champion a culture of safety excellence and compliance. Ensure adherence to HSE legislation and internal safety policies. Lead investigations into incidents and maintain operational readiness for audits.
• Compliance and Quality Control: Ensure all operations comply with company policies and safety standards. Implement quality control processes and address operational issues promptly.
• Asset Management & Technical Oversight: Oversee the condition and performance of energy and water infrastructure assets. Implement asset management strategies and maintain accurate records of asset performance.
• Strategic Planning: Analyse competitor activities and regional performance to identify growth opportunities. Provide input into regional business plans.
• Customer Relations: Maintain strong relationships with key clients and address customer concerns to improve service quality.
• Budgeting, Financial & Commercial Management: Prepare and manage operational budgets. Monitor operational costs and support commercial teams with tendering and contract management.
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation: Drive operational excellence through process optimisation and innovation. Implement KPI frameworks and lead improvement programmes.

Work always to our company values:

• Service: Providing exceptional service to our customers is our number one priority.
• Safety: Our commitment to safe working practices runs throughout our businesses.
• People: Good people are the bedrock of our business.

Key Skills & Responsibilities:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in engineering or operations leadership role.
• Understanding of NEC and JCT contracts.
• Previous experience managing a portfolio of M&E projects in Energy or Water sectors.
• Strong leadership and team management abilities.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to develop and implement strategic plans.
• Familiarity with industry-specific regulations and standards.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and relevant software applications.