Operations Manager

People Group; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

People Group in East London (Stratford) seeks an Operations Manager to lead multiple district heat network centres, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operation.

You will manage shift engineering and maintenance teams, drive health and safety, and influence project delivery and commercial performance across three sites.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operational or engineering management within energy/utilities/industrial environments.
• Strong organisational and planning capability.
• Experience leading shift engineering and maintenance teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of district energy centres and network infrastructure across multiple sites.
• Ensure continuity of heat, power and utility supply to customers and effective handovers between teams.
• Take ownership of site budgets, cost control and contribute to contract performance and profitability.
• Support delivery of new projects, expansions and improved asset performance.
• Manage subcontractors, permits, access, and ensure safety and compliance across sites.

Skills

Operational management

Engineering management

Organisational capability

Education

Engineering qualification (HNC/HND/Degree) advantageous

Job description

Role: Operations Manager - (District Heat Networks/Utilities)

Location: East London (Stratford)

The Client:

My client is a prominent and forward-thinking energy infrastructure provider in the United Kingdom, specializing in the design, delivery, and long-term operation of large-scale decentralized low-carbon utility networks.

The company focuses heavily on urban district heating, cooling, and power solutions, managing critical assets that supply sustainable energy to thousands of residential and commercial properties. Renowned for its engineering excellence and commitment to the green transition, the business integrates cutting-edge technologies like industrial heat pumps and waste-heat recovery systems to drive urban centres toward a zero-carbon future.

The Role:

The Operations Manager will be accountable for the safe, efficient, and commercially effective operation of multiple district energy centres and associated network infrastructure across 3 energy centres in East London.

The role is responsible for leading both the shift engineering teams and day-based maintenance teams, ensuring consistent high performance, reliability, and compliance across all sites.

The post holder will drive a strong health, safety and compliance culture, ensuring all statutory, environmental and permit requirements are met.

In addition to operational delivery, the role plays a key part in, supporting future network expansion and development projects, facilitating new customer connections, delivering budgetary (P&L) performance, building a highly capable, motivated, and upskilled team

This is a site-based leadership role with flexibility to work across locations and occasionally remotely.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Delivery & Site Management

• Provide day-to-day operational oversight of all energy centres and district network infrastructure.
• Ensure continuity of heat, power and utility supply to all customers.
• Coordinate activities across shift teams and day maintenance functions. Ensure effective handovers, communication and operational control across all sites.
• Monitor operational performance and respond to plant issues, incidents or constraints.

Maintenance Coordination & Asset Performance

• Ensure delivery of planned preventative maintenance (PPM), reactive and corrective works.
• Work closely with Maintenance Manager / Coordinator to ensure work is correctly prioritised and scheduled Resources are effectively deployed Downtime is minimised
• Monitor asset reliability and implement actions to improve performance.
• Lead and promote a strong safety-first culture across all teams.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety legislation Environmental permits Company and contractual obligations
• Act as a key operational responsible person for site compliance.
• Ensure RAMS, permits to work and safe systems of work are adhered to.
• Lead incident response, investigations and corrective actions.

Commercial & Financial Performance (P&L)

• Take ownership of site operational budgets and cost control.
• Monitor and manage operational expenditure.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without impacting performance or safety.
• Contribute to overall contract performance and profitability.

Projects, Customer Connections & Growth

• Support delivery of new projects, upgrades and network expansion.
• Coordinate operational input into new customer connections
• Commissioning of new assets and System integration
• Work collaboratively with project and commercial teams.
• Lead, motivate and manage operational teams across multiple sites.
• Ensure teams are competent and engaged and delivering to expected standards
• Identify training needs and drive upskilling of engineers.
• Promote accountability and ownership at all levels.
• Support succession planning and development pathways.
• Act as a key contact for operational stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively with Internal teams and Customers, clients, Contractors and suppliers
• Support resolution of operational issues, service impacts or complaints.

Contractor & Supply Chain Management

• Oversee subcontractor activities and performance.
• Ensure all contractors work safely and in line with site requirements.
• Coordinate access, permits and site logistics.
• Strong understanding of energy centre operations and district heating systems
• Knowledge of maintenance planning and asset management
• Understanding of compliance, environmental permits and safe systems of work
• Experience working with operational performance data and reporting

Experience & Qualifications

• Proven experience in an operational or engineering management role
• Experience within energy, utilities, or industrial environments
• Strong organisational and planning capability

Qualifications:

• Engineering qualification (HNC/HND/Degree) advantageous Working Arrangements