Operations Manager

Vital Energi; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Vital Energi, a growing Heat Networks business, is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead a team of Contract & Project Managers, delivering multiple contracts safely, on time and within budget.

You will drive continuous improvement across operational delivery, manage key client relationships and stakeholder interactions, oversee QA, HSE and governance, and contribute to future growth and value-for-money through innovative installation methods.

Qualifications

• Proven senior operational leadership experience in engineering.
• Experience managing large value contracts/projects.
• Strong contract management, delivery, budget ownership and P&L responsibility.
• Excellent stakeholder and client relationship abilities.
• Solid health, safety, quality and governance understanding.
• Strategic regional leadership capability.
• Ability to develop plans to deliver business strategy.

Responsibilities

• Attend pre-contract meetings with senior commercial staff.
• Interpret contract requirements for performance and delivery.
• Ensure Contract Managers & Project Managers maintain construction programmes and milestones.
• Oversee QA procedures and ensure projects are defect-free and completed.
• Ensure health and safety plans across sites meet high standards.
• Input into labour and sub-contractor selection for UK projects.
• Attend key client meetings to manage expectations.
• Review systems to improve contract performance.
• Conduct staff reviews within the unit.
• Develop client relationships and pursue further works.
• Engage with potential clients to build bid relationships.
• Promote company policies on equality and health and safety.
• Input into trading forecasts for current and future years.
• Participate in unit commercial reviews and cost management.

Skills

Senior leadership

Contracts management

Project delivery

Budget & P&L

Stakeholder management

Health & safety

Strategic leadership

Communication skills

Business planning

Job description

Vital Energi are excited to announce that we’re looking for an experienced and driven Operations Manager to join our growing Heat Networks business unit.

This is a key leadership role, responsible for overseeing the successful delivery of multiple contracts, supporting operational excellence, and ensuring projects are completed safely, on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality and client satisfaction.

As Operations Manager, you will provide leadership and direction to a team of Contract & Project Managers, ensuring the effective delivery of contracts across the Heat Networks portfolio. You will play a pivotal role in building and maintaining strong client relationships, managing key stakeholder interactions, and driving continuous improvement across operational delivery.

You will also be responsible for overseeing financial performance, ensuring value for money, and promoting innovative, cost-effective installation methods and technologies that support the future growth of the business.

The Role

• Attend pre-contract meetings in conjunction with senior commercial staff
• Understand the contract and client requirements for performance and delivery of the projects
• Ensure Contract Managers & Project Managers are on top of approving and maintaining construction programmes and the key milestones associated with these.
• Ensure all Contracts Managers & Project Managers are managing Vital Energi’s QA procedures and that they are being followed, projects are defect free and successfully completed
• Ensure all those beneath them are producing health and safety plans and managing all H&S aspects across all sites to a high standard.
• Input into selected and securing labour and sub-contractors for all projects across the UK
• Attend key site meetings with key clients and look to ensure the team below are managing all client’s expectations.
• Review systems and methods when required to improve contract performance internally and ensure those beneath them are implementing these methods
• Undertake reviews with all members of staff within this unit.
• Work closely with the key client to further develop relationships and promote the company as well as looking to secure further works.
• Engage with potential clients to build relationships and work as a key member of a bid team.
• Promote and comply with the Company’s policies on equality and health and safety both in the delivery of service and the treatment of others.
• Input into both secured and unsecured trading forecast for current year and future years
• Partake in unit commercial monthly reviews to costs across all projects can be managed and acted upon when needed by implementing measures to those under their control.

Skills & Experience

• Proven senior operational leadership experience within a related engineering environment
• Successful portfolio as a Contracts Manager or Project Manager overseeing large value projects
• Strong experience of contract management, operational delivery, budget ownership and P&L performance.
• Strong customer relationship, commercial awareness, stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Excellent analytical, planning, problem-solving and decision-making capability.
• Sound understanding of health, safety, quality, compliance and operational governance requirements.
• Strategic regional leadership
• Commercial and operational judgement
• Customer focus and relationship management
• Communication, influencing and decision-making
• Develop plans to deliver the business strategy

The company is opposed to all forms of discrimination and will select for employment, training and promotion on the basis of suitability for the job and/ or merit. It is company policy that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of sex, race, colour, age, ethnic or national origins, political affiliations, religious beliefs, marital status, physical disability or is disadvantaged by unjustifiable conditions or requirements.

Applicants must have the unrestricted and ongoing right to work in the UK for the duration of employment, without the need for sponsorship. Due to the nature of this role, we are unable to support visa sponsorship or employ individuals with time-limited permission or conditions attached to their right to work in the UK,