Operations Manager

Lanes Group is a leading nationwide utility services provider with c.5000 dedicated employees. Our diverse subsidiaries drive our success across various sectors, contributing to a remarkable turnover of over £700 million. We are committed to excellence and innovation, ensuring we provide industry leading services to our clients and stakeholders. Join us to be part of a dynamic and growing team that values diversity and fosters professional growth.

Department:

Sapphire Utility Solutions, a Lanes Group Company specialise in multiple divisions.
Yorkshire Water - WWSA provides essential wastewater services to millions of customers and businesses across Yorkshire. From managing sewerage networks to treating wastewater, protecting the environment, and maintaining reservoirs and catchments.

The Team play a vital role in supporting communities across the region and are committed to sustainability, innovation, and customer service, investing in infrastructure and environmental improvements to create a thriving Yorkshire for generations to come.

Purpose of the role:

We are currently recruiting for an Operations Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership across multiple workstreams within our Yorkshire Water Delivery Frameworks.

This role is accountable for the successful delivery of proactive wastewater maintenance programmes, alongside supporting Yorkshire Water’s reactive response activities and resilience operations. You will play a key role in ensuring safety, compliance, operational performance, customer satisfaction, and service excellence across all areas of delivery.

Working closely with Project Managers, Supervisors, and operational teams, you will drive continuous improvement, promote collaboration, and ensure the highest standards of operational delivery are achieved.

About the role:

• Location: Bradford
• Role type: Permanent
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 42.5 hours per week

Key Responsibilities:

Programme & Delivery Oversight:

• Lead the planning and execution of wastewater maintenance programmes, ensuring delivery against time, cost, quality, safety, and compliance targets.
• Work closely with planning and operational teams to optimise resource allocation and scheduling across multiple concurrent projects.
• Support Yorkshire Water during periods of increased demand, coordinating resilience and reactive response activities to maintain service delivery.
• Ensure all works are delivered in accordance with client requirements, company procedures, and industry best practices.
• Monitor operational performance and implement improvements to drive efficiency, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

Commercial & Financial Management:

• Manage operational budgets, ensuring cost-effective delivery and value for money.
• Work collaboratively with commercial teams to monitor performance, control operational costs, manage subcontractor expenditure, and support procurement activities.
• Drive a compliant and efficient operational service, minimising cost of failure and improving overall quality of delivery.
• Identify opportunities for operational efficiencies and continuous improvement.

Leadership & People Development:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Project Managers, Supervisors, and operational personnel, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Set clear objectives, monitor team performance, and support professional development and succession planning.
• Promote strong collaboration across departments to ensure effective communication and successful project delivery.
• Encourage innovation, accountability, and the adoption of new technologies and working practices.

Health, Safety & Compliance:

• Champion a positive health, safety, and wellbeing culture across all operational activities.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, company policies, and client requirements.
• Monitor operational risks and implement appropriate controls to maintain safe working environments.
• Lead investigations into incidents, identify lessons learned, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Requirements:

Skills and experience:

• Proven experience in an Operations Manager, Contract Manager, or Senior Operational Leadership role.
• Experience managing large-scale operational programmes and field-based teams.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Good commercial and financial awareness with experience managing budgets and performance.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

Desirable:

• Experience within the wastewater, utilities, drainage, environmental services, or infrastructure sectors.
• Knowledge of Yorkshire Water or similar utility frameworks.
• Health & Safety qualifications (IOSH, NEBOSH, or equivalent).
• Experience managing reactive, planned, and resilience-based operational programmes.

Living the Company Values

By embedding our companies core values and purpose into each role, ensures that every employee, regardless of their role or level, understands how their individual development and contributions align with our purpose of ‘improving today for a better tomorrow’.

Each role and value has an alignment to set proficiency levels and expectations; this role holder is expected to:

• Leading:Acts as a role model, shaping the learning agenda and influencing change.
• Agile:Anticipates learning needs, adjusts quickly to changing operational contexts.
• Nurturing:Supports the development of others through coaching and structured development plans.
• Engaging:Inspires and motivates learners, builds trust and credibility
• Safe & Secure:Ensures all learning is aligned to safety and compliance standards.

Your Contribution to the company:

• Strive to be always positive and constructive
• Adhere to all company policies
• Straight talking about the facts of the situation – open discussions are the best way to find solutions
• Help others through communicating clearly
• Deliver on commitments
• Ensure that any ideas that may enhance the productivity or systems of the company are brought to the attention of Senior Management, or your colleagues
• Deliver our Company Values understanding that by working together in unity we are ‘Stronger Together’

Equality, Diversion & Inclusion

At Lanes Group, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered. We believe that our differences make us stronger and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all employees. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups. Join us in our commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse world.

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