Strategic Operations Director

Mears Group is seeking a Strategic Operations Director to join a newly established central specialist team. This team plays a pivotal role in enhancing contract performance, strengthening commercial outcomes and supporting the successful resolution of complex contractual matters across the organisation.

This is a senior, high‐influence role designed for an experienced operational leader who understands how complex, long‐term service contracts work in practice. You will bring credibility with frontline teams and clients alike, using commercial and contractual insight to strengthen performance.

As one of the UK’s leading providers of housing services, Mears delivers repairs, maintenance and compliance services to local authorities and housing associations nationwide. Everything we do is underpinned by a strong sense of purpose: supporting communities, working collaboratively with partners and delivering services we can be proud of.

You will work alongside regional and contract leadership teams, engaging in live and complex contracts to support service performance and commercial sustainability. Your focus will be on enabling improvement, resolving issues pragmatically and ensuring operational delivery is aligned with contractual and financial intent.

• Providing hands‐on support within complex or evolving contracts to identify commercial, contractual and operational improvement opportunities
• Translating financial and contractual insight into clear, practical action plans that leaders and teams can execute on site
• Driving margin improvement through operational efficiency, cost control and service optimisation, without compromising service quality or client relationships
• Supporting pricing reviews, contract variations, procurement, mobilisation, re‐tendering and commercial negotiations, including dispute resolution where necessary
• Interpreting contractual frameworks and advising on risk, compliance and obligations in a proportionate, operationally grounded way
• Acting as a senior escalation point for commercial, contractual and client‐related matters, providing calm, balanced and solutions‐focused leadership
• Contributing to bids, tenders and growth initiatives, ensuring robust and deliverable commercial and contractual positioning
• Strengthening governance, reporting, risk management and performance oversight, supporting consistency and good practice across the organisation

This role is specifically suited to a senior operational leader who has led complex services and understands the commercial and contractual realities that sit behind them.

You will bring:

• Senior leadership experience within housing, property services, facilities management, infrastructure, logistics or similarly contract‐led environments
• Proven experience owning or significantly influencing P&L performance and contract profitability
• A strong track record of improving performance and margin within complex, regulated or multi‐stakeholder service environments
• The ability to bridge operational delivery, commercial finance and contractual requirements, bringing clarity and direction to complex issues
• Experience managing long‐term contracts and senior client relationships
• Exposure to procurement, mobilisation, service improvement or re‐tendering activity
• Practical contractual expertise, with the confidence to interpret and apply contractual frameworks in real‐world operational settings
• A collaborative, values‐led leadership style, aligned with Mears’ commitment to people, communities and long‐term partnerships

• Family friendly policy to include enhanced maternity/paternity leave and much more.
• Generous Pension Scheme
• Sick Pay
• Refer a friend scheme (total award £1000)
• Share saver scheme
• Eye test vouchers
• Employee Assistance Programme (Access to Free counselling service)
• Wellbeing service (Access to trained mental health & wellbeing advisors)
• Mears Annual Family Fun Day for you and your family to places like Blair Drummond Safari Park, M&Ds Theme park, fully paid for including lunch
• Mears Rewards - A performance recognition platform whereby you can be rewarded in high street vouchers
• Volunteering Leave - Mears supports employees to undertake volunteering in the community, in support of our social value commitment
• Excellent training and development opportunities
• 25 days holiday entitlement along with bank holidays

All our roles require candidates to have the entitlement to work within the UK, Mears does not currently offer visa sponsorship.

To drive a Mears vehicle, you must be aged over 21 have held your licence over 3 months and have less than 9 points.

Candidates should be aware that all our roles are subject to relevant Background, Identity & Security checks before commencement of employment.

If you need any help with your application process, we are here to support you. We will be accessible every step of the way.

At Mears Group, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, we are a Disability Confident employer, valuing individuality and ensuring equal opportunities for all.

We proudly support the Armed Forces Covenant and are honoured to have achieved the Gold Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) to coincide with this, we hold an Endorser Award for the Career Transition Partnership, recognising our commitment to veterans transitioning into civilian careers.

In our continued effort to promote social mobility, we invite applicants to voluntarily share their background information during the application stages to help us better understand the diverse experiences of our candidates. This is to ensure we are committed to improving social mobility. We use the Social Mobility Index to assess and enhance opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds. These questions are optional and will not impact your ability to apply.