Operations Manager
Our client has a long history of delivery of EHV cable projects and complex major HDD schemes. In recent years they have transitioned from delivering Tier 2 works for National Grid and Tier 1 works for offshore wind farm clients to being in a tier 1 position across the regulated and non-regulated sectors, with schemes up to £100m in civils value being delivered. As the Energy sector at their company grows, they have an exciting opportunity to expand their team with a new Operations Manager of the EHV electricity transmission projects. The role, reporting to the Sector Director for Energy, would be responsible to leading delivery across all EHV cable projects in the regulated and non-regulated sectors. Projects vary from full EPC schemes in the regulated sector for National Grid, to civils only in the regulated and non-regulated sectors acting in a tier 1 Principal Contractor role and in a tier 2 sub-contractor role. Their projects are situated all over the UK and the successful candidate must be prepared and able to lead sites teams across this geography.
Responsibilities
The Operations Manager will take overall responsibility for the portfolio of works, both technically and commercially through preconstruction, to delivery and handover. With support from Operations Manager covering our HDD specialist business unit and Commercial Manager, schemes will be selected, tendered and delivered safely, on time and within budget.
Operational Performance
Lead, develop and implement clear strategy for successful delivery performance.
Work with Energy Operations Director to drive success for the division.
Develop training strategy for upskilling resources reallocated from other business unit sectors to become skilled in delivering EHV works as revenue grows.
Provide accurate and timely Board reporting and guide the Operations Director in dealings at Board level.
Lead implementation of appropriate project controls to enable accurate forecast positions on schedule, cost, and value across the portfolio.
Ensure effective planning at all stages in accordance with IMS and commercial plans.
Set clear, measurable targets for performance expectations across projects and hold teams to account for meeting these.
Health, Safety, Wellbeing, Quality and Environmental
Provide visible HSEQSW leadership across the EHV project portfolio and collaborate with other internal Volker Wessels business (in JV arrangements), National Grid and other customers to provide consistency and deliver with certainty.
Monitor performance and HSEQSW regularly across the projects and implement improvements.
Share lessons learned with the company, clients and stakeholders, where appropriate, and draw upon lessons to learn and implement improvements.
Team Leadership and Development
Oversee the EHV operations Team.
Ensure clear roles and responsibilities are understood throughout the team and hold people properly accountable for their work.
Develop training strategies among the various levels and disciplines within your team to ensure succession planning is possible and expansion of the team as revenue increases.
Solution Development
Provide technical input and leadership in the conclusion of technical challenges in project development stages
Drive ownership of the ECI process to provide project certainty ahead of the delivery phase.
Engage with ECI phase to define clear solutions. Mitigate and allocate risk through this phase.
Drive innovation and challenge standards to deliver best value.
Financial and Commercial Performance
Work closely with and support the Commercial colleagues.
Ensure Commercial management is fully integrated across the lifecycle of projects.
Ensure that risk and change is proactively identified and timeously raised.
Identify and advise Operations Director and Procurement Manager of supply chain partners and assist in bringing new business into our supply chain to support projects
Programme Management and Project Controls
Establish appropriate project controls at project level.
Robust programme management and progress monitoring to be implemented.
Delivery Management
Early engagement with solution development.
Accountability through whole lifecycle (ECI to Completion).
Set and oversee delivery of clear project strategies and encourage integration across the Value Chain.
Business Growth
Strong collaboration with clients and other delivery partners to maximise success of each project.
Support growth in the business unit with recruitment of new staff and onboarding of new supply chain.
Input into strategy developed by Operations Director on direction of business growth.
Required Experience/Skills
Innovative mindset with ability to optimise resources to achieve both short-term goals and long-term sustainability.
Outcome focused, out-performance driven and committed to delivering customer expectations and required outcomes.
Effective decision maker that takes accountabilities for all aspects of a project/ portfolio, including health, safety, wellbeing, environment, time, quality, cost (profit margin), customer satisfaction, staff retention and progression.
Strong team management experience with ability to lead and work in a motivated, high-performing, multi-discipline team covering the end-to-end project lifecycle.
Experience in a similar or related role with previous involvement through the two-stage project delivery.
Experience of collaborating with and influencing customers, key stakeholders, partners, suppliers and staff at all levels.
Commercially astute with understanding of how business decisions impact the bottom line.
Inclusive with ability to build a culture of innovation, embrace new ideas, continuously improve ways of working and step outside comfort zone.
Experience of implementing and engendering a leading-edge health, safety, environmental and quality culture.
Proficient in business improvement, with the ability to cultivate a culture aligned with a company's core values.
NEC ECC experience is essential with FIDIC appreciation preferred.
Degree or equivalent in civil or electrical engineering preferred
Professional accreditation e.g. chartership preferred
