Please note that the advertised salary for this position is subject to the pending 2026/2027 national pay award. The final salary will be adjusted accordingly once this has been agreed. As Service Manager - Transport & Depots, you'll lead a complex and highly visible portfolio that directly affects people's daily lives, from passenger transport and learner travel, to depots, harbours and parking services. It's a role that combines strategic influence, operational leadership and public service impact. Reporting to the Corporate Manager - Sustainability & Transport, you'll operate at the heart of a member-led local authority, working closely with elected members, senior colleagues, partners and contractors to deliver safe, compliant, resilient and value-for-money services in a demanding and evolving environment.
Responsibilities
* Leading diverse transport, depot and infrastructure services with significant budgets (over £6m) and complex risk profiles
* Providing confident leadership to large, multi-disciplinary and geographically dispersed teams, creating a high-performing and supportive culture
* Driving commercial performance, contract management and procurement, ensuring services remain resilient and financially sustainable
* Advising elected members and senior leaders, and presenting clear, evidence-based recommendations to Cabinet, Council and Scrutiny
* Leading service improvement and transformation, including managing the people, cultural and service impacts of change in response to legislative, financial and policy pressures
* Ensuring strong governance around health & safety, emergency planning, business continuity and public accountability
* Representing the Council locally, regionally and nationally, and contributing corporately beyond your service area
Highways and Environmental Services
* Highways Maintenance: Cyclic and Routine Maintenance; Emergency response; Highways inspection; Winter service
* Highways Development: Planning liaison; Road safety; Regional transport; Street lighting; Streetworks; Traffic management; CWIC/NMWTRA; Design supervision; Flood and coastal risk management; Highways improvement
* Local Environment Services: Waste Collections; Household waste sites; Grounds maintenance; Street cleaning
Key attributes for leading across strategy and delivery
* Enjoy balancing strategic leadership with operational realities
* Confident in leading through ambiguity, pressure and change
* Strong commercial judgement alongside public service values
* Comfortable working at the interface of politics, community expectations and professional advice
* Value collaboration, wellbeing and continuous improvement
* Experienced managing high-value contracts and suppliers, balancing cost, quality and risk
Essential requirements
* Senior management experience within a complex multi-service organisation
* A strong track record of leading people, managing budgets and improving performance
* Experience working within, or closely alongside, a public sector or local government environment
* Excellent communication and influencing skills
* Degree level qualification in a relevant subject or demonstrable equivalent experience
* At least three years' management experience in at least one relevant service area
* Strong understanding of customer care and public service valuesFlexibility to meet service needs, including occasional evening or weekend working
* Excellent written and spoken English
Welsh language
* Listening & speaking – Level 3
* Reading & writing – Level 2
Desirable
* Membership of a relevant professional body
* Experience of partnership-based service delivery
What we offer
* A challenging and rewarding senior management role with real community impact
* Hybrid working and flexible working arrangements
* Local Government Pension Scheme
* A supportive organisation committed to staff development and wellbeing
* The opportunity to shape and modernise key transport and depot services across Ceredigion
* Work-life balance
* Lifestyle savings scheme
* Generous employer pension scheme
* Cycle to work scheme
* Learning and development
Where you’ll work
We deliver efficient, sustainable and bilingual services to the people of Ceredigion, promoting well-being in our communities, pride in a healthy well-kept environment, and confidence in our local economy. Our key responsibilities include delivering efficient transport and environmental services.
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