Operations Manager

Job summary

Growing reactive maintenance business serving clients across the southeast of England. Purpose of the Role The Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring the business runs efficiently, effectively and profitably day to day while supporting the growth of the company. You will oversee the help desk, scheduling and office teams, coordinate engineers in the field, and build strong relationships with key clients to drive high service standards, better utilisation, and increased value from our client base. Key Responsibilities Operational management Oversee day-to-day operations from job intake through to completion, ensuring smooth workflow between office and field. Ensure effective scheduling and allocation of engineers to minimise travel time and maximise productive hours. Monitor SLA performance and take action to prevent and recover potential breaches. Work with those responsible for stock, parts and vans to ensure availability and cost-effective use of resources. Use systems such as BigChange and Xero to monitor performance, spot issues and drive improvements. People leadership and culture Lead and develop the help desk/scheduling and office teams, providing clear expectations, coaching and feedback. Address underperformance, inefficiencies and downtime fairly and constructively. Client and key-account management Act as an operational point of contact for key clients, handling escalations and running review meetings where needed. Commercial performance and growth Monitor operational KPIs (e.g. engineer utilisation, first-time fix rates, travel time, job margins) and take action to improve them. Identify and implement practical process improvements that deliver measurable efficiency or margin gains. Essential skills required Experience in plumbing, drainage, HVAC or a similar field-service / reactive maintenance environment. Proven track record in an Operations Manager or senior supervisory role in a small to mid-sized business. Strong people leadership skills, with experience managing office-based teams and coordinating field engineers. Confident user of job management / field service software (e.g. BigChange or similar) and comfortable working with reports and KPIs. Ability to understand and work with margins, labour efficiency and basic commercial metrics. Hands-on and willing to get into the detail when needed, while able to step back and manage through others. Calm and structured under pressure, able to prioritise and make decisions in a fast-moving environment. Commercially aware, always looking for ways to improve efficiency, service and profitability. Credible, straightforward communicator who builds trust with engineers, office staff and clients alike.