Director Of Operations

ISR RECRUITMENT LIMITED; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

ISR RECRUITMENT LIMITED is seeking a Director of Operations in Hampshire for a 12-month, outside IR35 contract. The role leads planning, execution and operational performance across maintenance, field operations, project delivery and administration.

The position demands hands-on leadership of multidisciplinary teams, driving improvements in safety, quality, productivity and service delivery while navigating government or regulated environments.

Qualifications

• Significant senior operations leadership experience in technical or infrastructure settings.
• Proven track record leading multidisciplinary teams across field services and projects.
• Strong focus on safety, quality, productivity and service delivery improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop operational teams across field services, maintenance, operations and project delivery.
• Own operational planning, prioritisation and delivery across multiple workstreams and locations.
• Ensure activities are delivered safely and effectively against quality, cost and schedule targets.
• Establish clear accountability, monitor performance and address underperformance.
• Provide governance across projects, including risk management, issue resolution and reporting.
• Review processes to improve efficiency, productivity and service performance.
• Lead continuous improvement and change initiatives across the operation.
• Collaborate with engineering, technology and project teams to resolve challenges.
• Maintain safety, quality, compliance and governance standards.

Skills

Senior operations leadership

Multidisciplinary leadership

Operational excellence

People leadership & coaching

Risk management & governance

Strategy & execution

Cross-functional collaboration

Decision making under pressure

Job description

Director of Operations

• 12-month contract
• Outside IR35
• Hampshire (Flexible-Working)

The Opportunity:

We are looking for an experienced Director of Operations to lead the planning, execution and operational performance of a leading roadside technology business.

This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for ensuring operational excellence is achieved across maintenance services, field operations, project delivery and administration.

The role will suit a highly capable, hands‑on operational leader who is comfortable managing multidisciplinary teams, resolving complex operational challenges and driving improvements across safety, quality, productivity and service delivery.

The ideal candidate will come from a background in the Highways Electrical, Roadside Technology or Traffic Enforcement industries, but associated Engineering and Infrastructure sectors such as Rail, Power, Utilities and Telecoms will also be considered.

Role and Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop operational teams across field services, maintenance, operations and project delivery.
• Take ownership of operational planning, prioritisation and delivery across multiple workstreams and locations.
• Ensure operational activities are delivered safely and effectively against agreed quality, cost and schedule requirements.
• Establish clear accountability across teams, monitoring performance and addressing operational issues or underperformance.
• Provide oversight and governance across projects, including risk management, issue resolution, reporting and delivery assurance.
• Review existing processes, systems and workflows, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity and service performance.
• Lead continuous improvement and change initiatives across the operation.
• Work closely with engineering, technology and project teams to resolve technical and operational challenges.
• Ensure appropriate standards of safety, quality, compliance and operational governance are maintained.

Skills and Experience

• Significant senior operations leadership experience within a technical, engineering, infrastructure or technology-enabled environment.
• Proven experience leading sizeable or multidisciplinary teams, ideally including field engineers, maintenance teams or geographically dispersed operations.
• Strong track record of improving operational performance, processes, productivity and accountability.
• Experience overseeing both business-as-usual operations and project/programme delivery.
• Good understanding of environments combining hardware, software and operational technology.
• Strong people leadership skills, including coaching, performance management and developing high-performing teams.
• Comfortable managing competing priorities, resolving complex problems and making decisions in a fast-moving operational environment.
• Experience within roadside technology, traffic enforcement, intelligent transport systems, telecommunications, engineering services or similar infrastructure technology would be advantageous.
• Experience working within government contracts or regulated environments would also be beneficial.