Job Description
Senior Manager, Inspection, Maintenance & Field Services
Lead the people. Own the delivery. Set the standard.
As Senior Manager, Inspection, Maintenance & Field Services, you will have end-to-end accountability for the delivery of inspection, maintenance, and field services across MBNL’s passive infrastructure estate. This is a highly visible leadership role at the heart of Operational Services—balancing safety, quality, cost, and pace while driving continuous improvement at scale.
This role blends hands-on operational leadership, supplier assurance, and strategic improvement, with regular time spent in the field validating standards and behaviours.
Why this role matters
This role directly safeguards the availability, safety, and longevity of MBNL’s passive infrastructure—underpinning network performance for EE/BT, Three, and millions of end users. You’ll shape how inspection and maintenance is delivered today while building the capability, culture, and partnerships needed for tomorrow. This is a hybrid role with a minimum of 2 days per week in our Central Reading office as well as occasional supplier and site visits.
What you’ll be here to do:
You’ll lead a team of six Delivery Managers, with full responsibility for their performance, development, engagement, and wellbeing. You will also own MBNL’s relationship with the primary Managed Service Provider and ensure seamless integration across all suppliers involved in inspection and maintenance delivery. You’ll:
Operational Leadership & Delivery
* Own the end-to-end delivery of inspection, proactive maintenance, reactive maintenance, and field services across all passive infrastructure.
* Provide leadership, coaching, and prioritisation to Delivery Managers, ensuring consistent execution of their allocated programmes.
* Dynamically adapt plans to respond to urgent priorities, such as storm events or emerging network risks.
* Resolve delivery exceptions, blocked sites, and changes in scope to keep work on track.
Health, Safety & Standards
* Lead Health & Safety management in line with MBNL policies and CDM Regulations.
* Ensure Delivery Managers and suppliers consistently demonstrate safe working behaviours, escalating any unsafe practices immediately.
* Spend regular time in the field alongside suppliers and Delivery Managers to validate safety, quality, and workmanship.
Supplier Performance & Assurance
* Assure supplier delivery against KPIs, standards, and policies (including HS001, I&M manuals, regulatory and engineering standards).
* Hold suppliers to account for performance, behaviours, and outcomes—intervening directly where delivery falls short.
* Foster strong collaboration between Managed Service Providers to ensure clear accountability and seamless integration.
Data Quality & Governance
* Ensure inspection and maintenance data is accurate, complete, and supported by appropriate evidence (e.g. photos, condition scores).
* Drive strong governance discipline across planning, execution, and reporting.
* Use data and insight to challenge performance, identify risk, and drive improvement.
Continuous Improvement & Leadership Culture
* Partner with suppliers to improve service quality, drive innovation, and reduce cost and rework.
* Challenge the status quo, stay connected to external best practice, and embed continuous improvement.
* Be a visible role model for the MBNL Way—coaching managers to give regular feedback and develop their teams to shine.
* Build a high-performing, engaged leadership team aligned to MBNL’s values and objectives.
Who we’re looking for:
You’re a confident operational leader with a strong track record of delivery through suppliers and teams in complex infrastructure environments. You’ll have:
* Proven experience driving delivery across third-party suppliers at scale.
* Background in infrastructure asset management, construction, or engineering environments.
* Experience working with Operations / Service Management frameworks (e.g. ITIL).
* Strong knowledge of Health and Safety and CDM regulations.
* Proven capability in governance-led delivery, process adherence, and assurance.
* Experience managing high-volume delivery programmes.
* Ability to manage project financials and engage confidently with Programme and Finance teams.
* Excellent communication, influencing, and negotiation skills.
* Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt rapidly in dynamic situations.
If you also have the following, we’re especially interested in talking to you:
* Background or knowledge in MEICA engineering.
* Experience using Remedy and SiteTracker.
If you’re motivated by ownership, leadership, and making a visible impact at scale, this is a role where you can truly set the standard.