Operations Manager South- Building Services in Guildford

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A little bit more about your role... The Operations Manager is responsible for managing day to day operational matters associated with their Discipline; you will support the Buildings Group Director in leadership of projects, and business performance. The role of this Operations Manager is to embed a project culture around a technically robust and efficient delivery model, balanced with the need to satisfy client, staff and commercial expectations. The Operations Manager will operate with moderate direct supervision from the Group Director and Operations Director. They will be expected to take appropriate action in all aspects of the role to meet the expectations of the business.

• Overall
• Support Building Services team by supporting and demonstrating a client and project centred culture and represent the business internally and externally as appropriate.
• Manage risk and opportunity through implementation of effective control and review measures.
• Operational overview/reporting and management on project, commercial, business risk and employee performance and development issues.
• Champion SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality) performance by promoting a positive culture, ensuring BMS (Building Management System) and policy compliance, supporting training and competency, and embedding SHEQ into project delivery and operational reviews.
• Operational Management
• Responsible for the management and support of teams in day-to-day operational matters.
• Maintain an overview of workload, utilisation and associated resource requirements and work with team leaders as appropriate to ensure resources are fully utilised within technical capability.
• Support Project Management to ensure compliance with SHEQ management systems.
• Ensure best practice relating to project reviews (technical and commercial).
• Interface with GCC (Gulf Capability Centre) and promote its effective use within the region.
• Ensure the correct level and complexity of reporting is in place to fit the business needs.
• Projects Delivery & Financial Management
• Support effective implementation of commercial risk management controls, governance, reviews (bid, contract, project, business, etc), guidance and direction.
• Support collaboration and interface with the GCC commercial project management support team and ensure consistency of use and standard of commercial deliverables are maintained throughout the team over all projects.
• Support budget / forecast build up at key touch points through the financial year.
• Overview of monthly project portfolio financial performance and challenge exceptions with project leaders.
• Proactively encourage margin improvement within reason and challenge expectations with Project Directors and Project Managers.
• Commercial management
• Lead commercial performance and financial governance across major projects and frameworks, including oversight of project budgets, cost-to-complete forecasts, backlog management, working capital, profitability, and margin improvement initiatives to ensure delivery of business financial targets.
• Provide commercial leadership on client contracts and change management, supporting the negotiation, valuation, approval and recovery of variations, compensation events and contractual entitlements, whilst managing commercial risk and protecting project profitability.
• Drive robust project financial controls and assurance, overseeing forecasting accuracy, invoicing strategy, cash collection performance, contingency management, and financial reporting to ensure compliance with WSP governance requirements and audit readiness.
• Accountable for the commercial performance, financial governance and profitability of major projects and frameworks, ensuring effective management of revenue, backlog, cash flow, margins, working capital and project financial risk.
• Human Resources
• Communicate, demonstrate and justify recruitment needs to meet project and budget targets / demands to the Group Directors and Operations Director.
• Provide operational leadership on employee performance and development across the Building Services team, working with Group Directors, Technical Leads and Team Leaders to set clear expectations, review performance, identify development needs and support timely intervention where performance, capability or conduct issues require attention.
• Support career development, succession planning and retention by encouraging group directors, technical leads and team leaders to actively practice coaching, mentoring, knowledge sharing and access to suitable project, technical and professional development opportunities.
• Ensure training requirements are understood, planned and monitored, including mandatory learning, SHEQ training, role-specific competency requirements, project-related training and refresher training.

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate…

• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage teams, working effectively with colleagues and stakeholders across different business functions.
• Experience managing stakeholder relationships and coordinating the contributions of multidisciplinary teams to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Evidence of identifying and implementing improvements to processes, ways of working, or service delivery, including supporting teams through change initiatives.
• Able to communicate technical and non-technical information clearly to a range of audiences.
• Proven ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, contributing to positive client and business outcomes.
• Must be able to obtain UK vetting level of Security Check (SC).

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