Operations Manager Fire Safety

SOCOTEC UK Limited; Bicester; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy firm in the United Kingdom is seeking an Operations Manager to support the Fire Safety Practice. You will oversee a team, manage project delivery, and liaise with clients. Successful candidates will have excellent communication skills, project management experience, and proficiency in business management software. Benefits include flexible working, company pension, and employee assistance programmes. Join us to help create a safer and more sustainable world.

Benefits

25 days holiday

Electric car scheme

Employee recognition schemes

Flexible working arrangements

Enhanced company pension

Qualifications

• Excellent leadership and communication skills.
• Senior administration/operational experience with proven project management capabilities.
• Experience in team management and development.

Responsibilities

• Support the Commercial Manager in day-to-day running of the Fire Safety Practice.
• Manage the Fire Safety Operations team.
• Oversee project delivery and successful completion of consultancy work.

Skills

Leadership and communication

Project management

Team management

Analytical mindset

Proficiency in MS Office

Tools

CRM software

ERP software

Job description

Operations Manager - Bicester

Are you interested in Fire Safety Practice? This could be your opportunity to excel as an Operations Manager, as well as playing a vital role in helping our business succeed.

As our company grows and develops, we are ever expanding our teams. We have a great opportunity for a dedicated Operations Manager to wear the SOCOTEC badge with pride.

We are looking for a motivated, dedicated, and reliable professional to join our team, ideally with experience in a similar role. Working across a variety of projects both autonomously and as part of a wider team, it is key that you are able to work efficiently as part of a team, as well as independently.

The tasks you will undertake will include (but are not limited to):

• Supporting the Commercial Manager in the day-to-day running of the Fire Safety Practice department
• Line management and resource management of the Fire Safety Operations team, including tracking availability, time management, and payment processing
• Overseeing project delivery, ensuring successful completion of all fire safety consultancy work
• Managing new enquiries, preparing fee quotations, and coordinating tendering opportunities
• Monitoring budgets, costs, and departmental finances, reporting to the Commercial Manager
• Maintaining department accreditations and memberships
• Conducting annual appraisals and identifying training and development needs for team members
• Acting as the primary client contact for escalated contract issues

To be successful in this role, you will be able to demonstrate:

• Excellent leadership and communication skills
• Senior administration/operational experience with proven project management capabilities
• Experience in team management and development
• Proficiency in MS Office and business management software (e.g., CRM, ERP)
• Strong analytical mindset with strategic problem-solving skills

About Fire Safety Practice

Our Fire Safety Practice team handles the consultancy side of fire safety. When it comes to fire safety, we provide a host of services including risk assessing, compartmentation surveys, creating fire evacuation plans and fire door surveys. Our services apply to current built assets, and we work on everything from commercial properties to residential, including retail through to educational buildings.

We can offer you a wide range of benefits including 25 days holiday with the opportunity to buy more, an electric car scheme (where applicable), employee recognition schemes, family friendly support, employee benefits and discounts app, employee assistance programmes, and enhanced company pension. We also offer flexible working arrangements with the possibility of working from various SOCOTEC offices. SOCOTEC UK are proud to be Disability Confident accredited.

Why SOCOTEC?

Here at SOCOTEC UK, we have over 2,000 colleagues across our divisions delivering world‑class services to our customers. We provide an unrivalled range of testing, inspection, and certification services throughout the UK, and we deliver excellence to our customers by recruiting and retaining the very best industry talent. As an Operations Manager, you will play a pivotal role in providing these services.

We offer transversal career pathways as well as linear pathways, and we will support you in attaining a portfolio career in one place. Not to mention the possibility of working locally, nationally, or internationally across our 26‑country network.

Think you've got what it takes to add value to our success? We would love to hear from you and look forward to receiving your application.

Building a safer and more sustainable world is the core mission we set out to achieve at SOCOTEC, it is at the heart of everything that we do. We are committed to acting as a key player in society, investing in innovative solutions to ensure social and environmental responsibility.