Operations Support Manager in Cambridge

Working Pattern: Tuesday to Friday or Mondays to Thursday - 4 days a week. Travel to Duxford/London sites 1 day a week and Manchester once a month/business needs. During flying season air shows and flying days at Duxford weekend work will be required. This can be part of your 4 day working schedule or paid as overtime/or with time in lieu.

The Contract Operations Manager will manage the day-to-day operations of the Soft Services Contract at IWM in London, Duxford, and Manchester to ensure that standards are met and always maintained across all sites within contract specifications, whilst leading and motivating direct reports. To operate consistently within Company policy and ensure that contractual obligations are fulfilled as well as delivering to financial targets. Responsible for over 50 staff, this role will hold operational management responsibility for the Soft Services Contract within OCS Cleaning Services Department, it is a highly operational role and requires a well organised approach to a very busy and varied workload. The role reports to the Soft Services Contract Director.

Responsible for the overall management of two local Managers, one Senior Site Supervisor, four Cleaning Supervisors, over 30 Cleaning Operatives, three receptionists, two drivers and two porters ensuring they are technically competent and fully engaged in their role. The Contract Operations Manager will ensure a clean, safe, customer-facing service at all times whilst also ensuring that the principal objectives of Imperial War Museums Contract and its high-profile event calendar are supported.

Working on a flexible basis means that all employees are regularly met at work during their shifts, making management presence at ad hoc times the norm rather than the exception. Ensuring regular and good communications are maintained with the employees. Ensuring regular Site Quality Safety Visits, safety tours and toolbox talks are completed with the staff.

Health & Safety Purpose: To take a direct interest in the health and safety of yourself and others who may be affected by your work activities.

Critical Performance Measures (CPMs)/ Objectives:

• Effective people management and staff retention and development practices
• Financial Control and Management
• Service Delivery – Quality KPI’s & SLA’s to agreed contract specification
• Daily contract operations - maintenance of contract operational/financial specifications
• Compliance with all Health & Safety and hygiene obligations and responsibilities, audit success
• Quality Management & Client liaison - customer reviews/feedback

Key Tasks & Responsibilities:

• Customer Liaison: To be the first point of contact for the management of OCS Soft Services delivery to clients and building users. Demonstrate a responsive “can-do” attitude to the client, and end users. Provide regular progress reports and service updates. Responsibility for ensuring due compliance to the contract specification. Provide reports for IWM Local FMs and for the OCS management team on all aspects of service delivery. Deal and resolve complaints in a professional and timely manner.
• Quality of Service Delivery: Overall responsibility for quality performance on the contract with respect to soft services which will include but is not limited to: Maintain and monitor agreed quality systems, ensuring preventative and remedial actions are taken where necessary as laid down in the contract specification. By daily personal inspection, ensure that the scope of contract is being correctly delivered and that service standards are maintained and improved, taking remedial action where necessary. Manage and motivate the teams and ad hoc contractors to provide a quality, customer friendly service always, in line with our partnering ethos/culture. Ensure that the work schedules are regularly reviewed to ensure best value for money and efficient delivery of services to our client requirements. Monitor and report on quality-of-service delivery to include cleaning related services: feminine hygiene, consumables, waste, window cleaning, pest control, watercoolers, etc. Monitor customer feedback and respond to customer comments. Monitor staffing levels to ensure adequate cover to maintain contract specification. Monitor productivity levels to ensure best value and compliance with the specification. Undertake independent and joint cleaning audits on a monthly basis.
• Personnel Management and Administration: To ensure that the OCS image is reflected positively through staff appearance and demeanour. Communicate regularly with staff through formal and informal channels to ensure that there is a free flow of ideas, and that morale remains high. Maintain staffing levels in accordance with contract requirements and recruit when appropriate. Direct activities of all reports, ensuring that they are properly trained to fully perform their duties and responsibilities. Maintain and meet the contract training and development plan for all staff employed on the contract. Ensure that the most economic resource is used to match the level/type of skills required to do the job and optimise team flexibility, and multi-skilling. Ensure that OCS company philosophy is cascaded and adopted by team. Ensure legal, company and contractual obligations are fulfilled in relation to all employee relations matters such as investigations, disciplinary, grievance, sickness absence, maternity & paternity leave.
• Finance: Take responsibility for cost control of the cleaning service and promote methods to reduce costs without compromising Health & Safety or quality. Ensure that working practices on the contract are reviewed regularly by utilisation of most efficient working methods, minimising cost, to ensure the client receives value for money. Ensure the contract is reviewed regularly or in accordance with contract terms in line with agreed procedures, maintain accurate records of reviews. Ensure that hours are recorded and the contract runs within budget (via Timegate + system) and inform of any recommendations to the Soft Services Contract Director ensuring industry best practice is applied. Ensure all labour, sundry and overhead costs are managed to within the operating budget.
• Continuous Improvement: By using a continuous re-appraisal system, regularly review and recommend potential service improvements and/or cost savings to Management. Adopt a pro-active, innovative approach in recommending improvements and changes to the service where considered to be cost effective and ensure that this change is driven through the operation in a seamless and efficient manner. Ensure that all the teams are achieving and maintaining a high standard of cleaning ensuring that audit results are consistently delivered, and the required daily, weekly, monthly records are kept and the information for IWM in all OCS systems and applications is updated regularly.
• Building Healthy Relationships: Develop and maintain excellent client relationships to manage the contract. Interface with IWM teams undertaking regular joint inspections/audits reviews and meeting KPIs targets. Produce performance review, monthly reports and providing data, presenting it to the local FMs and chairing local meetings accordingly. Be an ambassador for IWM ensuring the great reputation is maintained at all times by delivering all services/projects correctly and on time including any changes to staffing levels and/or new ways of working and projects including attending IWM meetings (events, specialist services, etc).
• Health and Safety Duties: Ensure that all OCS and Client Health and Safety Policies and Procedures are adhered to, referring conflicts to the Soft Services Contract Director where necessary. Ensure that risk assessments, COSHH records and safe methods of work records are held centrally on the contract for all working practices. Ensure that all OCS, Client, and ad hoc Contractors are aware of, and comply with their H&S responsibilities, including the provision of risk assessments and safe working method statements and obtaining permit to work from IWM when required before work commences. Monitor and evaluate service partners for compliance with Health and Safety legislation on site following OCS QHSE Management System. Undertake regular audits of all service areas and present written reports with recommendations to management. One Safety Tour per month. Manage the delivery of all agreed remedial/emergency and planned cleaning works to ensure that all IWM locations offer a safe environment for all users. Set a good example for others. Manage the safety performance of subordinates and take appropriate disciplinary action for any breaches in accordance with Company Procedure. Participate in any communication activities through formal and informal channels on safety matters to ensure that there is a free flow of ideas.
• QHSE Soft Services: You will be required to work closely with OCS QHSE Soft Services Management team who are available to provide safety advice and support. Furthermore, you will be required to ensure that safety initiatives are implemented within your areas of control.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• A good general level of education. Ideally GCSE Maths & English.
• IOSH Managing Safely Qualification (Essential).
• BICS License to Practice.
• IWFM Qualification (Desirable).
• Knowledge of PC based rostering/Time and Attendance systems (Timegate).
• Knowledge of creating rosters to suit levels of contractual requirement.
• Understanding of cleaning schedules, duties for events.
• Experience within the public or corporate sectors in a large organization or venue where events and quick turnarounds and projects take place regularly.
• Outstanding knowledge and a demonstrable track record of expertise in the successful management of teams at a multi-sites level.
• A proven track record in Management, specifically cleaning contract in the corporate, public or education sector in a large building or multi-sites contract.

About You:

• Ability to follow policies and procedures.
• Willingness to bring concerns to corporate attention via prescribed channels.
• Excellent team player.
• Positive and proactive attitude with ability to work on own initiative and to work with others.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Outgoing and pleasant characteristics.
• Excellent communication skills both written & verbal.
• An ability to demonstrate sound judgement and integrity.
• Ability to resolve conflicting issues and priorities.
• Operationally focused and flexible approach to work needs and flexible working attitude to accommodate the contract requirements and changing business needs such as working weekends and unsociable hours where he/she MUST be present on site for air shows and flying days, big openings, projects, or important events (when needed).
• IT Literate, MS Office/competent in the use of Microsoft Excel, Power Point, Word, Outlook and other CAFM system/applications.

About The Company: OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering. Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values - Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS?

• Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.
• Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
• Retail Perks: With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.
• Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
• Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific).

How to Apply: If you are interested in joining a business that encourages professional development, career progression and the chance to work with inspirational people then please click apply and register your interest! You can also sign up to our job alerts when registering which will notify you when other suitable vacancies are available.

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.