Operations Manager
£50,000–£60,000 + Vehicle + Fuel Card + Healthcare + Pension
Office base: St Albans
Geographical coverage: Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire & North London
50% office / 50% field
This is an excellent opportunity to join a long-standing and highly reputable business within the drainage and infrastructure services sector. The company is known for reliability, strong client relationships and consistently high service standards across commercial, residential, aviation and public‑sector environments, including school trusts. Continued growth has created the need for an experienced Operations Manager to support daily performance and help shape the future structure of the business.
You will oversee eight sites, manage a field team of around 10 operatives (working as 5–8 single or paired gangs), take ownership of scheduling and workflow, and ensure all work is delivered safely, efficiently and to high-quality standards.
The role
This is a hands-on, leadership-focused role based in the St Albans office, with frequent travel across Herts, Beds, Bucks and North London. You will plan the weekly schedule of works, allocate operatives based on skills and strengths, review job cards and CCTV reports, manage customer follow‑up activity and monitor programme costs. You will also support improvements to systems, processes and team structure as the business continues to grow.
Alongside day‑to‑day operations, you will supervise staff, coordinate between departments, maintain compliance, track KPIs and support strategic planning. This role suits someone calm, level‑headed and people‑focused who enjoys improving processes and leading teams.
Key responsibilities
Plan and manage the weekly schedule of works across 8 sites.
Lead, coach and support the field team with fair and consistent leadership.
Review job cards, CCTV reports and follow‑up works for accuracy and timely completion.
Maintain strong communication with customers, including school trusts and major commercial clients.
Coordinate between departments to ensure smooth, efficient workflow.
Monitor P\&L, programme costs and key operational KPIs.
Analyse workflows and implement process improvements.
Ensure compliance with H\&S, environmental and industry regulations.
Support delivery of projects from £20k–£100k, with occasional larger schemes such as pump stations and drainage realignments.
Use iTouch and other digital tools for scheduling, reporting and follow‑up management.
Split time effectively between office duties and site visits.
What you’ll bring
Experience working as an Operations Manager, Contracts Manager or Project Manager, ideally in drainage, civils, utilities or plumbing.
Experience overseeing multiple schemes simultaneously.
Strong leadership skills with a supportive, people‑focused approach.
Confidence managing field teams, scheduling and operational delivery.
Strong organisational and problem‑solving ability.
Good commercial awareness with experience monitoring cost and performance.
Strong IT skills and willingness to use field‑based software (CCTV reporting experience beneficial).
Integrity, reliability and a positive, proactive mindset.
Ability to help build systems, structure and team development as the business scales.
Certifications
CSCS or EUSR (not essential upfront — the company can arrange these for you).
IOSH Managing Safely (ideal).
SSSTS (advantageous).
First Aid (beneficial).
What’s on offer
£50,000–£60,000 depending on experience
Company vehicle (likely a truck) + fuel card
Private healthcare after probation
Pension (after 3 months)
23 days holiday + 8 bank holidays
Holiday buyback scheme (up to 5 extra days after probation)
Laptop and mobile for mobile working
Supportive team atmosphere with real opportunity to influence structure and business growth
Who this suits
This role is ideal for someone from drainage, civils, utilities or plumbing who loves leading teams, improving systems and ensuring excellent service delivery. Perfect for a grounded, positive leader with strong people skills and commercial awareness.
Keywords
operations manager, drainage, civils, utilities, infrastructure, field operations, service delivery, contracts manager, project manager, team leadership, H\&S, CSCS, EUSR, IOSH, SSSTS, CCTV surveys, pump stations, drainage repairs, excavation, temporary works, scheduling, resource planning, KPI tracking, St Albans, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, North London