Critical Operations Centre Manager

ISS Facilities Services; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

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Job summary

ISS is seeking a Critical Operations Centre Manager to lead the team responsible for the Service Centre, overseeing critical sites across the estate in a 24x7 environment. You will drive operational excellence, manage major incidents, oversee service risk and performance, and collaborate with engineering teams, suppliers and senior stakeholders to continuously strengthen resilience and uptime.

This high-visibility role demands influencing across levels and delivering governance, reporting and

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading operational teams within critical service environments.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Ability to work in a 24x7, high-pressure setting.
• Excellent stakeholder management across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities under pressure.
• Experience using performance metrics to drive service improvements.
• Excellent communication and collaboration with engineering teams and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and motivate a high-performing operational team within a 24x7 service environment.
• Provide leadership and direction across proactive and reactive operational streams.
• Act as the senior escalation point during major incidents and critical service events.
• Ensure critical infrastructure and services are effectively monitored, with emerging risks identified and managed.
• Drive improvements in monitoring capability, alerting effectiveness, automation and operational visibility.
• Lead incident, problem, risk and change management activities to minimise service impact and improve resilience.
• Build strong relationships with engineering teams, suppliers and key business stakeholders.
• Deliver operational governance, reporting, performance management and continuous improvement initiatives.

Job description

We are seeking a Critical Operations Centre Manager to lead the team responsible for the Service Centre, providing oversight of critical sites across the estate within a 24/7, 365-day operational environment.

This highly visible leadership role is responsible for ensuring the availability, resilience and performance of critical infrastructure services while leading a team of approximately 16 colleagues, including supervisors and operatives.

Job Description

We are looking for a proven operational leader with experience running a technical service centre, NOC, Technical Operations Centre, Service Operations Centre, Data Centre Operations function or similar.

Working closely with engineering teams, suppliers and senior stakeholders, you will drive operational excellence, manage major incidents, oversee service risk and performance, and support continuous improvement across a complex technical estate.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, develop and motivate a high-performing operational team within a 24x7 service environment.

Provide leadership and direction across proactive and reactive operational streams.

Act as the senior escalation point during major incidents and critical service events.

Ensure critical infrastructure and services are effectively monitored, with emerging risks identified and managed.

Drive improvements in monitoring capability, alerting effectiveness, automation and operational visibility.

Lead incident, problem, risk and change management activities to minimise service impact and improve resilience.

Build strong relationships with engineering teams, suppliers and key business stakeholders.

Deliver operational governance, reporting, performance management and continuous improvement initiatives.

Professional and Personal Competencies/Qualifications

Proven experience leading operational teams within a Network Operations Centre (NOC), Technical Operations Centre, Service Operations Centre, Data Centre Operations or similar environment.

Experience managing business-critical services within a complex operational or technical environment.

Strong understanding of incident, problem, risk and change management disciplines.

Demonstrated experience leading teams during high-pressure operational situations and major service incidents.

Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make effective decisions under pressure.

Experience using operational performance metrics to drive service improvements.

Exceptional communication skills with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences.

Proven capability in leading, developing and motivating high-performing teams.

The Company

ISS is a world-leading workplace and facility management company, connecting people and places to make the world work better. Working with customers day by day, side by side, we understand every aspect of the user experience.

Through a unique combination of intelligent solutions, high standards and people who care, to help our customers achieve their purpose, whether it’s hospitals healing patients, businesses producing the next great innovation, or airports bringing passengers home to their families. ISS is committed to doing business the right way, taking its corporate responsibility very seriously. Our passion is people.

We offer you a challenging and exciting career in an organisation with people at its heart. In ISS, everyone has the opportunity to develop, grow and make a difference. #Becomewhoyouwant, #Bepartofsomethingbigger,

#facilitiesmanagement

ISS is proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer.

ISS welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity or gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race (which includes race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and caste), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.

We are proud to be a Gold Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) award holder and a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, recognising our commitment to supporting veterans, reservists, and military families. Through our Joint Forces Programme, we provide mentoring and support to members of the Armed Forces community and their spouses as they transition into civilian careers.

We are a Disability Confident Committed (Level 2) employer, proudly supporting and promoting inclusive hiring practices in line with the UK government’s Disability Confident scheme.

Our passion for inclusivity and diversity makes ISS a more creative, productive and happy place to work.

If you have any further queries regarding this role, please contact the Resourcing Team by emailing [e-mail]

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.