Operational Transition Manager

Vanderlande Industries United Kingdom Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Aviva Medical Cover

Wellbeing membership (YuLife)

Cycle to work scheme

Pension with Aviva

Job summary

Vanderlande is seeking an Operational Transition Manager for London Heathrow, with regular travel across the UK and Ireland. The role focuses on planning and delivering transition activities, creating training materials, and ensuring readiness across airports.

The candidate will manage operational risks, produce performance reports, and drive closure reports and lessons learned, while promoting safety and collaboration across teams.

Qualifications

• Airport baggage handling knowledge and operational understanding.
• Ability to travel across UK & Ireland with a valid licence.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience delivering end-user FIT training.
• Ability to transform raw data into clear actionable documents or dashboards.

Responsibilities

• Identify project benefits, deliverables, operational impact, and deadlines with project team and stakeholders.
• Plan and oversee Operational Transition activities within budget and timescales.
• Create training material and deliver to operational teams at airports across UK & Ireland—and beyond.
• Prepare and present Operational Readiness communications to stakeholders.
• Identify operational risks and present mitigation options to stakeholders.
• Provide progress reporting to Project Manager and leadership.
• Take preventative actions to mitigate risks and avoid reactive responses.
• Support post Go-Live Reliability with monitoring and reporting.
• Prepare end of project closure reports and lessons learned.
• Support a safety-first culture in the working environment.

Skills

Project coordination

Stakeholder management

Airports/aviation knowledge

Communication skills

Training delivery

Data storytelling

Risk management

Difficult situations handling

Travel readiness

Tools

Power BI

Job description

Operational Transition Manager

Reports to: Operation Integration Manager. Location: London - Heathrow (Regular Travel across UK & Ireland). Contract Type: Permanent.

Role Responsibilities

• Identify project benefits, deliverables, operational impact, and deadlines through consultation with project manager, sponsors, and stakeholders
• Plan and oversee Operational Transition activities including training ensuring they are managed within the project budget, and in accordance with timescales and quality criteria
• Create training material and deliver it to operational and service teams at Airports across the UK & Ireland, occasionally further afield internationally
• Prepare and present Operational Readiness communications to internal and external stakeholders
• Identify operational risk, articulate this and communicate to stakeholders along with options for mitigation and management
• Progress reporting to Project Manager, Operational Transition Leader and senior stakeholders for clarity and endorsement
• Takes preventative action to mitigate any risks or issues in advance; does not get caught up in permanent reactive mode
• Manage the post Go-Live Reliability and Confidence period through regular performance monitoring and reporting, stakeholder communications and management
• Prepare end of project closure reports, sign off acceptance of change, benefit realisation and ‘lessons learnt’
• Support a safe working environment through championing and encouragement of a safety-first culture

Role Qualification and Skills

• Airport baggage handling processes and operational knowledge is a must
• Relevant technical background is desirable
• Adaptability to changing technologies and software
• Experience working closely with airport, airline and ground handler stakeholders
• Excellent written and verbal communications skill required
• Able to transform raw data into clear actionable documents or dashboards (Power Bi knowledge desirable)
• Experience handling difficult/stressful situations
• Training delivery - Ability to deliver end user FIT training
• Valid driving licence and the ability to travel and stay away regularly on projects

What we offer

• 28 days annual leave (excluding public holidays)
• Aviva Medical Cover
• YuLife - Wellbeing membership with fast access to GP appointments, promotion of health and wellbeing along with daily quests to gain Yucoins that can be swapped for shopping vouchers
• A challenging work environment with lots of opportunities of career progression
• Cycle to work scheme
• Yellow Nest is a salary exchange scheme that reduces childcare costs for parents and employers
• Pension with Aviva
• Access to Achievers an award-winning recognition platform that inspires to recognise your coworkers Where points are awarded that can be exchanged for a range of goods and discounts

Diversity & Inclusion

Vanderlande is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regards to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age marital status or disability status. If you feel there is a barrier that potentially prevents you from applying, we are always happy to discuss or explore, any reasonable adjustments can be made to support your application.

Every day, millions of people rely on Vanderlande without even knowing it. From baggage checked in at the airport to parcels on their way to someone’s doorstep, our automation solutions help keep the world moving. Vanderlande designs, delivers, and supports automation technology, operational software, and lifecycle services for leading airports and parcel operations worldwide. Across more than 100 countries, our customers rely on us to keep their operations moving reliably, efficiently, and sustainably. Behind every solution are the people who make it happen. At Vanderlande, how we work matters just as much as what we deliver. Our values, Every Day Better, We Care, and Team Play, guide how we collaborate, support each other, and create value for our customers. Here, you can work with colleagues across disciplines and cultures, contribute to work that makes a difference, and build your future in an organisation that invites you to grow. Explore what is possible at Vanderlande and discover how you can make an impact. Aspire. Grow. Achieve. Together.