Operations Manager

Manchester City Council; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Essential Car Allowance

Job summary

Manchester City Council is seeking an experienced Operational Manager to lead the Infrastructure Team across multiple cemeteries, a crematorium and extensive grounds. You will drive burial/cremation services, estates maintenance, and environmental projects while stewarding budgets and ensuring safety compliance.

The role demands strong leadership, stakeholder engagement and a commitment to public service. You will collaborate with funeral directors, faith groups and local communities to deliver

Qualifications

• Experience managing frontline operational teams in a local government/public sector environment.
• Strong knowledge of health and safety management and safe systems of work.
• Experience managing budgets, resources and service performance.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership working skills.
• Willingness to obtain NEBOSH General Certificate if not held.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a frontline operational workforce.
• Deliver burial, cremation and grounds maintenance services across multiple sites.
• Manage budgets, resources, vehicles, machinery and contracts.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and industry best practice.
• Work closely with funeral directors, faith groups, councillors and community partners.
• Drive service improvements and infrastructure investment projects.

Skills

Frontline team leadership

Public sector experience

Health and safety management

Budget management

Stakeholder engagement

Project delivery

Education

NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent

Job description

About The Role

Working Hours: 35 Hours Per Week

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Additional Payments: Essential Car Allowance

Closing Date & Closing time: 11.59pm, 04 November 2026

Interview Method: Face to Face

Legal Right to Work: In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action

This role is subject to -

References - where possible we require 3 years' history.

Essential Car Documentation- This post is a designated Essential Car User. Therefore, you must always hold a full valid driving licence and provide your own car for use at work. You will receive the Essential Car User Allowance.

Medical Clearance - Pre-placement health assessment (PPHA)

Manchester City Council's Bereavement Services manage five cemeteries, a crematorium and over 100 hectares of green space, delivering around 3,000 burial and cremation services each year. We are looking for an experienced and motivated operational manager to lead our Infrastructure Team and help shape the future of this vital public service.

This is a unique opportunity to manage a diverse operation encompassing burial and cremation delivery, grounds maintenance, memorial safety, fleet and equipment management, infrastructure maintenance and environmental improvement projects across multiple sites.

What you'll do

• Lead and inspire a frontline operational workforce.

• Deliver high-quality burial, cremation and grounds maintenance services across multiple sites.

• Manage budgets, resources, vehicles, machinery and contracts.

• Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and industry best practice.

• Work closely with funeral directors, faith groups, councillors, contractors, Friends Groups and local communities.

• Drive service improvements, sustainability initiatives and infrastructure investment projects.

You'll play a key leadership role in one of Manchester's most valued services, helping provide dignified services for residents while managing significant green spaces, heritage assets and infrastructure. No two days are the same, and your work will directly impact the communities we serve.

If you're an experienced operational leader with a passion for public service, we would love to hear from you.

For more information, please contact the hiring manager, Diane Murphy, [email protected].

About the Candidate

We would love to hear from you if you have experience of:

• Experience managing frontline operational teams.

• Experience working within a local government or public sector environment.

• Strong knowledge of health and safety management and safe systems of work.

• Experience managing budgets, resources and service performance.

• Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership working skills.

• The ability to motivate teams and deliver continuous improvement.

• A NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent health and safety qualification, or a willingness to obtain one within an agreed timescale.

About Us

Working for Manchester City Council is a chance to make a real difference in a diverse city that leads change and improves lives. Whether you're supporting communities or improving public services, you'll help create opportunities and shape a better future for everyone

Benefits we offer

• Up to 26 days' annual leave, rising to 31 days after five years' service
• Buy up to two extra weeks' leave
• Up to 3 days' volunteering leave
• A 35-hour work week for full-time roles
• We review pay each year and recognise three trade unions
• The UK's largest local government pension scheme
• Enhanced parental and carers leave
• Employee discounts and perks
• Good Employment Charter member

For more information about working for Manchester Council, please visit Careers - Manchester City Council

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

Manchester City Council values equality and works to provide a fair and inclusive environment for a workforce that is as diverse as the communities it serves. We want to further increase the diversity of our workforce, in particular the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and disabled staff at all levels of the Council. This advert is open to all applicants, and we would particularly welcome applications from candidates identifying with one or both of those characteristics.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care.
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term condition
• Have you completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme or any MCC positive action programmes?

When You Join Us

We're a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

For more information about the role or any adjustments, email [email protected].

What we will need from you if you're successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we'll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile attached.

GM Elevate Programme

If you have completed the GM Elevate( Leadership Development) Programme within the last two years, please indicate this within the 'Personal Statement' section or 'Supporting Statement' section of your application.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Accessible Formats

Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Calculate your take home pay.

Use this service to estimate how much Income Tax and National Insurance you should pay for the current tax year.

Privacy Notice