Operations Head jobs in United Kingdom

Midlothian Council seeks applications of the exciting position of ‘Operations and Asset manager’ to lead our operations team based out of Fushiebridge depot. The successful candidate should bring a mixture of academic ability with real world experience leading a multi-disciplinary operation.

Midlothian council is the fastest Growing Local Authority in Scotland and as such we need dynamic leadership to help us embrace change as our business and customers needs evolve. Fushiebridge is a 365-day dynamic depot where road services operations is managed delivering the below works streams to include -

• cyclic maintenance – such as Gully cleansing, potholes and line marking
• capital projects – to include resurfacing, construction and drainage works
• street lighting – leading both cyclic and long-term capital upgrades
• CCTV – working closely with Police Scotland to utilise our new state of the art CCTV assets
• Traffic signals - working with term maintenance contractors to manage our expanding assets
• Asset Management – being the key correspondent on RAMP projects
• Winter maintenance - keeping Midlothian’s 720km+ network moving in all conditions

As a key part of the roads leadership team the successful candidate will deliver reactive works, and feed into both medium and long-term capital plans as well as represent the service on various boards both internally and externally. As a central leader to an operations team, it is essential applicants fully understand the reactive nature of the service and the high-profile optics it operates in. the successful candidate will have access to Midlothian council’s generous staff pension scheme, salary sacrifice scheme and further staff discounts through partner organisations.

KNOWLEDGE:

A Degree in Civil Engineering (or equivalent) or a fully Incorporated Engineer (1 Eng) with management modules is essential.

Substantial experience of roads construction and maintenance contracting, together with considerable experience in the organisation and control of substantial resources and employee management; and experience in the operation of responsive emergency services and procedures is also essential. Significant experience of tendering for services, managing contracted services and of procurement for high value equipment in a large service is also essential. Significant experience of participating in working groups within a large organisation and in working parties across multi-organisations is also essential.

HNC in business administration or equivalent qualification would be desirable.

CLOSING DATE - Sunday 4th January 2026

INTERVIEW DATE - week commencing 19th January 2026

Position Title: Operations and Asset Manager (Roads)

Directorate: Place

Location: Fushiebridge Depot

Contract Status: Permanent

Hours of Work: 36 hours per week

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday 7 hours 12 minutes per day

Weeks per year: 52

Please note that it is Midlothian Councils policy that successful applicants will be appointed to the first point on the salary scale.

Based on 36 hours over 52 weeks per year, the minimum actual salary for this position is £54,475.92 per annum.

Compliance with the mandatory Cabinet Office PSN (Public Sector Network) Code of Connection requires the Council to meet a baseline personal security standard. This requires completion of a disclosure check for all employees who can access official information. The fee for this PSN Disclosure check will be met by you.

Please note that Disclosure Scotland has changed the way disclosure certificates are issued. You will be notified by email from Disclosure Scotland that your certificate is available to view. Once you have viewed your certificate you will be allowed to share this with your employer and it is only available for 14 days from the first day you have viewed the certificate. If you do not grant access to Midlothian Council to view before access is removed, a further application will need to be generated, and this will incur an additional cost.

If you have difficulty applying for this post or accessing attached documents, or if you have a disability and reasonable adjustment is required, please call 0131 271 3063 to speak to a member of the Recruitment Team stating the post reference number.

Midlothian Council is currently undergoing a period of transformation, changing and improving the way it delivers services in Midlothian. As a consequence, there are a number of existing employees for whom we are committed to seeking suitable alternative employment within the Council in accordance with our legal obligations. Candidates are advised that, for some vacancies, internal candidates in this situation will be interviewed before the wider selection pool and a slightly longer delay may be experienced before application outcomes can be advised to you. Thank you for your patience in this matter.

If you are a trainee of a Midlothian Council Training Programme, have a disability or you are a care experienced young person who has previously been a looked after child you are eligible for a guaranteed interview if you meet the essential criteria for the post.