Porterage / Operations Manager
Location: Oxford area
Contract: Permanent | Full‑time
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced operations‑focused people manager to lead a large, customer‑facing operational team delivering a critical support service on a complex and high‑profile site.
While this role sits within a healthcare‑adjacent environment, we welcome applications from managers with backgrounds in logistics, transport, facilities, estates, distribution, campus operations or other regulated service settings, as well as those from traditional porterage or healthcare support services.
This is a hands‑on leadership role, suited to someone who thrives in fast‑paced environments where service quality, safety and people leadership really matter.
The Role
You will be responsible for the day‑to‑day management and performance of a multi‑disciplinary operational team of approximately 40 colleagues, working across a busy, live environment.
Working closely with senior stakeholders, supervisors and support functions, you will ensure the service is delivered safely, efficiently and professionally at all times.
Key responsibilities include:
* Leading, coaching and developing a large front‑line operational team
* Ensuring high standards of customer service in a time‑critical environment
* Workforce planning, rota management, absence and overtime control
* Oversight of recruitment, onboarding, appraisals and performance management
* Managing HR processes including attendance, welfare, disciplinary and grievance matters
* Maintaining service continuity and responding effectively to incidents or service pressures
* Promoting a strong health & safety culture, including near‑miss and incident reporting
* Producing clear operational, performance and financial reports for stakeholders
* Supporting continuous improvement and introducing smarter ways of working
* Using and embedding operational systems for task coordination and reporting
About You
You’ll be an experienced operational people manager who is comfortable leading from the front and making sound decisions under pressure.
You do not need previous porterage experience to apply, but you must bring strong leadership instincts and experience from a comparable operational setting.
We’re particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate:
* Proven experience managing teams in a busy, operational or service‑critical environment
* Strong people management skills, including motivation, performance and welfare
* Confidence managing rotas, resources and costs while maintaining service quality
* Experience working within regulated, unionised or safety‑critical environments (or similar)
* Clear, professional communication with a wide range of stakeholders
* A structured, calm and pragmatic approach to problem‑solving
* A commitment to equality, inclusion and respectful leadership
Qualifications & experience
* A formal management qualification (e.g. facilities, operations, leadership) or equivalent operational leadership experience
* Good IT skills, including standard office systems and operational software
* Experience within healthcare, logistics, transport, facilities, estates or large‑site operations is welcome
Why Join?
* Lead a visible, high‑impact service that genuinely makes a difference day to day
* Work in a team‑oriented, purpose‑driven environment
* Apply your operational leadership skills in a new and rewarding context
* Opportunity to influence service delivery, standards and team culture
How to Apply
If you are an operational leader looking to take on a challenging and meaningful role — whether from porterage, logistics, facilities or wider operations — we would be keen to hear from you.
Applications from candidates with diverse professional backgrounds are strongly encouraged