Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and manage frontline teams delivering essential highway services across the district.
- Company: Join a leading UK public-sector organisation making a real community impact.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development, and the chance to shape public services.
- Other info: Opportunity for significant influence in regeneration and environmental projects.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of vital infrastructure projects that enhance community safety and resilience.
- Qualifications: Experience in highways, civil engineering, and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 46000 - 52000 £ per year.
A leading UK public-sector organisation is seeking an experienced Highways Operations Manager to lead large, high-profile frontline highway services across a major district. This is an operational leadership role with visibility at corporate, community and political levels—ideal for a proven leader in highways, civils, construction operations, environmental services, or large-scale public realm delivery.
The role oversees a complex portfolio including:
- Highway maintenance
- Public Rights of Way
- Land drainage
- Gully maintenance
- Winter services
- Weather response
- Operational depots
- Fleet & plant with multi-million-pound assets and budgets
You'll lead c60+ skilled and semi-skilled frontline staff, manage a multi-functional operational depot, and take responsibility for statutory services that keep the district's network safe, open, and resilient.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and manage diverse multi-skilled frontline teams delivering district-wide highway, drainage, and winter maintenance operations.
- Oversee planned, reactive, and emergency works, ensuring safe and efficient operation.
- Manage fleet compliance and high-risk operational environments.
- Manage capital and revenue delivery through internal teams and contractors.
- Ensure full compliance with CDM, Health & Safety legislation and safe systems of work.
- Maintain high-profile public-facing services, respond to weather events and highway emergencies.
- Develop and manage multi-million-pound operational budgets, assets, and equipment.
- Build strong working relationships with stakeholders, elected members, trade unions, and contractors.
- Drive service improvement.
Key Requirements:
- Significant senior operational management experience in highways, civil engineering, environmental services, construction, utilities, or large-scale public realm operations.
- Strong leadership of large, dispersed frontline teams and unionised workforces.
- In-depth understanding of H&S, CDM, risk, compliance, and management of high-risk operational sites.
- Proven experience managing complex operational budgets, plant, vehicles, and assets.
- Experience coordinating contractors and delivering large capital/revenue programmes.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and the ability to lead in a politically aware environment.
- Degree in Civil Engineering (or extensive equivalent experience).
- Experience in Highways and Civil Engineering / Highways Contractors encouraged.
Why This Role?
- Lead one of the region's most high-profile, essential, and visible public services.
- Autonomy to shape service direction, improvement, and operational strategy.
- Significant influence across regeneration, infrastructure, and environmental projects.
- Manage a major operational team with meaningful community impact.
- Senior leadership presence with political, community and multi-agency visibility.
All enquiries and applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Contact mike.butler@omegaresource.co.uk or 0113 2123519.
Operations Manager – Highways Local Authority in Bradford employer: Omega
Contact Detail:
Omega Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Manager – Highways Local Authority in Bradford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the highways and civil engineering sectors. Attend industry events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation and its projects. Understand their challenges and think about how your experience can help them tackle these issues. This shows you’re not just another candidate; you’re genuinely interested in making an impact!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your leadership stories! As an Operations Manager, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to lead diverse teams and manage complex operations. Prepare examples that highlight your successes in these areas, so you can impress during interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got loads of opportunities that might be perfect for you. Plus, applying directly can sometimes give you a better chance of getting noticed. So, get your application in and let’s land that dream job together!
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Manager – Highways Local Authority in Bradford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Operations Manager role. Highlight your experience in highways, civil engineering, and managing large teams. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your leadership in high-pressure environments and how you've managed complex budgets. This is your chance to shine!
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; showcase your achievements! Use numbers and outcomes to demonstrate how you’ve improved services or led successful projects. We love seeing the impact you've made!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss any important updates. Let’s get your application in!
How to prepare for a job interview at Omega
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of highways operations, civil engineering, and environmental services. Familiarise yourself with the specific responsibilities mentioned in the job description, like managing multi-million-pound budgets and leading frontline teams. This will show that you're not just interested in the role but also understand the complexities involved.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As an Operations Manager, you'll be leading a diverse team. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed large teams in the past, especially in high-pressure situations. Think about times when you improved service delivery or navigated complex stakeholder relationships—these stories will resonate well during the interview.
✨Understand the Political Landscape
This role requires engagement with various stakeholders, including elected members and trade unions. Research the local authority's current projects and challenges. Being able to discuss these topics will demonstrate your awareness of the political environment and your readiness to lead in it.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical situations related to highway maintenance and emergency response. Practice articulating your thought process and decision-making strategies. For example, how would you handle a sudden weather event affecting road safety? This will showcase your problem-solving skills and operational readiness.