Maintenance Operations Manager

Vanguard Healthcare Solutions; Tendring; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A clinical services provider in the UK seeks an experienced Maintenance Operations Manager to oversee maintenance functions and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. Responsibilities include managing a team, developing operational strategies, and overseeing budgets. The ideal candidate will have a degree in engineering, extensive maintenance management experience, and a strong background in healthcare compliance. This role offers 25 days annual leave, life assurance, a pension, and a car allowance.

Benefits

25 days annual leave + UK bank holidays

Life assurance

Company pension

Healthcare cash plan

Professional memberships reimbursed

Car allowance

Qualifications

• Significant experience in maintenance management at a senior level.
• Proven track record in managing teams and delivering operational excellence.
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations in healthcare environments.

Responsibilities

• Manage the performance of the Maintenance Manager and Maintenance Team.
• Develop and implement a maintenance strategy aligned with company goals.
• Oversee the implementation of audit recommendations and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Compliance Knowledge

Operational Excellence

Budget Management

Technical Expertise

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

IOSH Qualification or equivalent

Tools

Maintenance management software

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

We are now seeking an experienced Maintenance Operations Manager to join our team.

Vanguard Healthcare Solutions we are a British, privately owned, international clinical services and infrastructure provider supporting healthcare clients across the UK and worldwide.

Our purpose-designed and built modular and mobile facilities provide our clients with new or replacement Operating Theatres, Wards, Endoscopy Suites and Decontamination and diagnostic units. As part of our solution to our clients we also support them with clinical teams and equipment.

Our values define how we do business with our customers, internally and externally: Patient-focused; Innovative; Responsive; Passionate; Teamwork.

The role involves managing the performance of the Maintenance Manager and Maintenance Team, driving operational excellence, and ensuring mobile and modular facilities meet clinical and regulatory standards. This position is key to ensuring the continuity of our healthcare and clinical operations, optimising resources, and delivering exceptional quality services.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

• Accountability for all maintenance works completed on client sites in normal working hours and out of hours.
• Act as a key point of contact for maintenance works completed out of hours, making operational decisions and escalating internally when required.
• Attend site and provide leadership, direct management of works, and client engagement when required on significant maintenance works.
• Provide direct line management to the Maintenance Manager, setting clear objectives and KPIs.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide coaching, guidance, and support to ensure high standards of delivery.
• Foster a positive and collaborative working environment across the Maintenance Team and sub-contractors.
• Address and resolve escalated operational issues, ensuring the smooth running of maintenance activities.
• Conduct local HR Management where required.
• Facilitate the teams training needs to ensure compliance and development.
• Support the duties of the Maintenance Manager if and when required due to planned or unplanned absence.
• Act as a key operational contact on call out of hours.

Strategic Oversight

• Develop and implement a maintenance strategy aligned with the company’s goals and operational needs.
• Align maintenance strategies with operational priorities, ensuring minimal disruptions during critical periods for the client and ensuring we meet service targets.
• Analyse operational data and trends to identify opportunities for improvement and optimise maintenance workflows.
• Ensure the maintenance programme supports the long term reliability and functionality of mobile and modular medical facilities.
• Work closely with the MD (Mobile) and Procurement Team to suppliers and SLA’s are in place to meet material delivery deadlines.
• Implement preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance strategies and to reduce unexpected failures and extend asset life.
• Collaborate with senior management to align maintenance operations with broader company objectives.

Budget Management and Resource Allocation

• Oversee maintenance budgets, ensuring cost effectiveness and alignment with financial goals.
• Review and approve spending plans submitted by the Maintenance Manager, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently.
• Monitor financial performance of maintenance activities, providing regular reports to senior leadership.
• Introduce with support from the Commercial Director key commercial processes to ensure the business is not open to financial risk.
• Identify opportunities to reduce costs without compromising on quality or compliance.

Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Ensure a strategy is in place for all maintenance activities complying with health and safety regulations, industry standards, and company policies. Monitor this strategy and amend where applicable.
• Advise clients and internal stakeholders of any compliance or H&S issues that would affect the operational use of our mobile and modular facilities, escalating as appropriate.
• On completion of significant compliance or H&S related remedial works, or after a period of planned shutdown, advising clients and internal stakeholders that our facilities are safe for use.
• Oversee the implementation of audit recommendations, ensuring issues are resolved promptly and effectively.
• Monitor the quality of sub-contractor work and internal production and maintenance activities, ensuring consistent standards are met.
• Undertake any accident incident investigations where required.
• Support, create and review internal and external RAMS where required.
• Work closely with the HS&E Manager on all related issues, procedures and compliance.
• Keep up to date with relevant regulations and industry best practices, ensuring the company remains compliant.

Contractor and Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with sub-contractors, ensuring they deliver to agreed service levels.
• Negotiate contracts and SLA’s with external providers, ensuring value for money and adherence to timelines and quality.
• Provide point of contact for external clients, develop and maintain strong relationships with your counterparts.
• Act as a key point of escalation for sub-contractor related issues, providing direction and resolution.
• Work closely with the Clinical Teams, to ensure maintenance activities align with operational needs.

Reporting and Decision Making

• Review reports provided by the Maintenance Manager, analysing data to inform decision making and strategic planning.
• Provide detailed operational and financial reports to senior leadership, highlighting performance metrics and key challenges.
• Make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, prioritisation of projects, and emergency responses.
• Develop contingency plans to address critical maintenance challenges and mitigate operational risks.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead initiatives to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and reliability of maintenance operations.
• Champion the adoption of new technologies and processes to enhance service delivery.
• Establish KPIs to measure and drive continuous improvement.
• Gather feedback from internal stakeholders to identify areas for operational enhancement.

Emergency and Crisis Management

• Oversee the company’s emergency maintenance response strategy, ensuring readiness to address critical issues.
• Provide leadership during crises, coordinating teams and resources to minimise operational impact.
• Conduct post incident reviews to identify lessons learned and improve future emergency response processes.
• Ensure backup systems and contingency plans are in place.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of technical expertise, leadership capabilities, strategic thinking to the role.

Educational Background

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field.
• IOSH Qualification or equivalent.
• Professional certification in engineering maintenance.
• Recognised leadership certification would be advantageous.

Experience

• Awareness of healthcare specific technical guidance (HTM’s & HBN’s) would be advantageous.
• ISO 90001,14001, 45001, BIM 19650 awareness.
• Significant experience in maintenance management at a senior level.
• Exposure to facilities management.
• Prior experience in a maintenance management role within the healthcare, modular, or mobile facilities sector would be advantageous.
• Demonstrated ability to manage sub-contractors and oversee large scale maintenance operations.
• Familiar with clinical environments and understanding of operational challenges in medical facilities.
• Track record of delivering maintenance solutions that meet both operational and regulatory requirements.

Leadership and Management

• Proven track record in managing teams and delivering operational excellence.
• Strong people management skills, including coaching, performance evaluation, and conflict resolution.
• Ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve organisational goals.
• Experience in managing cross functional teams and external stakeholders.
• Ability to make strategic decisions when under pressure.

Operational and Technical Expertise

• Deep understanding of maintenance operations, particularly in healthcare mobile and modular facilities. Familiarity with MEP systems, water systems and medical gas systems and their operational requirements.
• Experience with maintenance management software and operational reporting tools.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret data and drive decision making.
• Ability to develop and implement long term maintenance strategies.
• Commercial awareness and experience negotiating contracts with vendors and service providers.
• Knowledge of cost saving strategies without compromising service quality.

Compliance and Safety Knowledge

• In depth knowledge of health and safety regulations, particularly within healthcare environments.
• Experience ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Strong focus on quality assurance and risk management.
• Commitment to fostering a safety first culture across teams.

Financial Acumen

• Experience in creating and managing budgets, financial planning, and cost control.
• Ability to analyse financial data to make informed decisions.

IT and Systems Knowledge

• Proficiency in maintenance planning software and systems and Microsoft Office Suite, understanding of BMS systems.

Benefits for the role

• 25 days per year (Jan – Dec) + UK bank holidays
• Life assurance
• Company pension
• Healthcare cash plan
• Professional memberships reimbursed
• Car allowance