Operations Director (Professional Services Consultancy)

Novo Executive Search & Selection Ltd; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental consultancy in Edinburgh is seeking an Operations Director to oversee operations strategy and daily business functions. The successful candidate will possess strong leadership, budget management, and project management skills. This highly visible role requires experience in environmental or engineering consultancy, ensuring operational excellence. A passion for sustainable practices and compliance with regulations is essential.

Qualifications

• Current Operations Manager or Head of Operations experience in an environmental or engineering consultancy.
• Experience leading and managing teams with responsibility for deliverables and career progression.
• Proven record in budget management and project delivery.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operations strategy and daily business operations.
• Lead the operations team and represent operations at the Management Board level.
• Ensure compliance with standards and legislation.

Skills

Strong people management

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Budget management

Project management

Communication skills

Technological proficiency

Job description

Our Client

This business is a fast-growing award-winning modern environmental consultancy that aims to make a difference. The company’s expert consultancy teams collaborate across disciplines such as ecology, landscape and planning to create cities, towns and general areas for a more sustainable future. The consultancy’s creative professionals are passionate about addressing the climate and biodiversity crises.

The Role – Purpose

The Operations Director will oversee and develop the operations strategy and the day-to-day operations of the business, ensuring that their internal systems, processes and teams deliver operational excellence and enable the business performance in the short and long term. They will keep up to date with changing standards and legislation across the areas within their responsibility, while also leading the operations team and operating as a member of the Management Board, and reporting in turn to the Company Board on issues or progress. This is a highly visible senior leadership role in the company. The Operations Director will be the ‘Go To’ person for a wide range of issues and will represent operations with the business and through the company’s corporate governance.

Core Responsibilities

The main areas of responsibility for this role include:

• Operational Excellence, Performance and Strategy
• Operational Structuring and Operating Model
• Property
• Health & Safety
• Quality Management and Environmental Management
• Administrative and Bid support
• GDPR

Objective & Subjective Fit

This role requires a highly organised person who is able to track a wide range of issues simultaneously and build strong relationships and credibility across the organisation. The role will primarily focus on cycles of activity relating to strategy, compliance, audit and risk management.

Experience Needed

• A current Operations Manager or Head of Operations with a track record of ideally working for either environmental or engineering consultancy businesses
• Suitable candidates may have also worked for other professional services consultancy businesses or possibly even contractor companies
• Experience of having had responsibility for a budget on a major programme or at a functional level.
• Experience of leading and managing a team, with responsibility for their deliverables as well as their personal wellbeing and career progression.
• Experience with delivery of major projects or implementation of new systems.
• Optimisation of systems through positive attitude to change and the proficient use of technology.
• Ideally demonstrable awareness and experience of utilising technology as an enabler within a business.
• Experience of coordinating or delivering training to support take-up and embed new systems or tools with consistency across the company.
• Professional experience in areas such as efficiency, project management and strategic operations would be looked on favourably.

The Person

• The ability to communicate complex matters clearly and concisely, to assist the business in applying them to the commercial context and to set implementable and measurable strategic objectives.
• Strong people management and stakeholder management skills, to lead and motivate operational teams, as well as achieve buy-in across the wider business.
• Engaging with colleagues to understand specific needs and experience as they relate to tools and policies such as project management, QMS/EMS in our project work.
• Project management demonstrated in relevant contexts such as operating model projects, office refits, implementation of new systems or standards (e.g. ISO standards / accreditation).
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Budget management with strong numeracy and spreadsheet skills to ensure operational costs are well understood and controlled.
• Problem-solving and decision-making. This role is in large part about identifying possible problems and responding to actual problems.
• An organised and efficient approach to completing work within tight deadlines and / or on a strict compliance schedule.