Operations Manager
Full Time | Office Based |Permanent
Monday to Friday, 7:00am – 5:00pm
Location: Mid Kent
Salary £35,000 - £45,000 (DOE)
We are looking for an experienced Operations Manager to oversee the scheduling, planning and delivery of drainage operations within a highly reactive environment.
This role is pivotal to ensuring work is scheduled effectively, resources are deployed efficiently, and services are delivered safely, on time, and to a high standard.
The position combines hands-on operational coordination with commercial awareness and would suit someone confident managing moving parts in a fast-paced, logistics-heavy setting.
The Role
Plan, coordinate, and oversee daily operations involving specialist vehicles, drivers and subcontractors
Ensure effective utilisation of fleet, drivers, and external partners
Act as a key point of contact for subcontractors, managing availability, performance, and communication
Provide support to field teams, resolving on-site issues and operational challenges
Maintain a strong understanding of specialist vehicles and equipment, including their capabilities and limitations
Continuously review workloads and adjust plans in response to urgent callouts, delays, or changing priorities
Work closely with internal teams to ensure smooth end-to-end service delivery
Ensure all activity is carried out in line with health & safety standards and internal procedures
Oversee jobs from planning through to completion, ensuring accurate records and documentation are maintained
Commercial & Financial Oversight
Monitor costs and budgets for works under your control
Manage spend across labour, equipment, subcontractors, and materials
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs without impacting service quality
Support accurate job costing, invoicing, and operational reporting
Skills & Experience
Demonstrable experience in scheduling or managing operations ideally within utilities, drainage or logistics
Strong operational understanding of specialist vehicles and plant
Highly organised with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a reactive environment
Confident communicator, able to work effectively with drivers, subcontractors, clients, and internal teams
Calm, solutions-focused approach when dealing with operational pressure
Good commercial awareness with experience managing costs and budgets
Competent with scheduling systems and office software
Personal Qualities
Proactive and well-organised
Practical and detail-oriented
Adaptable and dependable
Comfortable working independently while contributing positively to a wider team
Hands-on, can-do approach to problem solving
Interviews are to be held immediately, so please apply today for immediate consideration!
This role is being handled by Nicole Howe, Business Support Consultants for Pearson Whiffin Recruitment.
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