Wokingham, England, United Kingdom
Title: Service Operations Manager
Location: Wokingham site, with occasional travel to meet client and operational requirements.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
* Lead the day‑to‑day delivery of pavement investigation highway schemes, managing field‑based engineers from the Wokingham office.
* Programme and schedule work to meet client requirements, adapting to changing priorities and shift patterns.
* Support National Highways operations teams, ensuring works are delivered safely, efficiently, and to the required standard.
* Engage with clients, contractors, and supply chain partners to coordinate delivery and meet operational needs.
* Work with the Lab Manager and wider team to deliver an end‑to‑end service from site investigation through to laboratory testing and reporting.
* Manage resources, deployment, and operational priorities to ensure effective delivery.
* Support, implement, and champion elements of the TRL Health and Safety Strategy, ensuring health and safety is embedded in all aspects of operational delivery and team culture.
* Apply knowledge of CDM and principal contractor requirements in planning and delivery.
* Contribute to continuous improvement across operational processes and delivery standards.
Skills and Experience
* Demonstrable experience in an operational management, delivery management, or highways investigations role.
* Proven ability to programme, schedule, and coordinate operational teams in a dynamic environment.
* Previous experience of managing field‑based engineers or operational delivery teams.
* Good understanding of client‑led service delivery, ideally within highways or wider infrastructure environments and understanding contractual requirements.
* Experience in highway asset classes (such as pavements, structures or VRS) or practical experience of testing, inspection or surveying (e.g., coring and condition surveys).
* Knowledge of CDM requirements and experience working within principal contractor arrangements.
* Proven experience in overseeing health and safety requirements in operational and site‑based settings.
* Experience of supporting, implementing, or promoting health and safety initiatives within an operational environment.
* Ability to manage changing priorities, schedules, and shift patterns while maintaining service quality.
* Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships with clients, contractors, and internal teams.
* A collaborative approach, with the ability to work across site and laboratory functions to deliver integrated services.
* Previous experience in pavement investigations or related highways investigations activity would be beneficial.
* Experience working with tier 1 contractors and supply chain partners to deliver services effectively would be beneficial.
* Experience in working cross‑functionally to support with bids and tenders to ensure there is technical and operational compliance.
Benefits include a competitive salary, 25 days’ annual leave, matched pension, life assurance cover, group income protection, healthcare cash back scheme, and support for professional memberships and study.
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