Job Description:

Role:  Operations Manager – (District Heat Networks/Utilities) - CONTRACT

Location: East London (Stratford)

Duration: 3-6 months 

The Client:

My client is a prominent and forward-thinking energy infrastructure provider in the United Kingdom, specializing in the design, delivery, and long-term operation of large-scale decentralized low-carbon utility networks.

The company focuses heavily on urban district heating, cooling, and power solutions, managing critical assets that supply sustainable energy to thousands of residential and commercial properties. Renowned for its engineering excellence and commitment to the green transition, the business integrates cutting-edge technologies like industrial heat pumps and waste-heat recovery systems to drive urban centres toward a zero-carbon future.

The Role:

The Operations Manager will be accountable for the safe, efficient, and commercially effective operation of multiple district energy centres and associated network infrastructure across 3 energy centres in East London.

The role is responsible for leading both the shift engineering teams and day-based maintenance teams, ensuring consistent high performance, reliability, and compliance across all sites.

The post holder will drive a strong health, safety and compliance culture, ensuring all statutory, environmental and permit requirements are met.

In addition to operational delivery, the role plays a key part in, supporting future network expansion and development projects, facilitating new customer connections, delivering budgetary (P&L) performance, building a highly capable, motivated, and upskilled team

This is a site-based leadership role with flexibility to work across locations and occasionally remotely.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Delivery & Site Management

• Provide day-to-day operational oversight of all energy centres and district network infrastructure.
• Ensure continuity of heat, power and utility supply to all customers.
• Coordinate activities across shift teams and day maintenance functions.  Ensure effective handovers, communication and operational control across all sites.
• Monitor operational performance and respond to plant issues, incidents or constraints.

Maintenance Coordination & Asset Performance

• Ensure delivery of planned preventative maintenance (PPM), reactive and corrective works.
• Work closely with Maintenance Manager / Coordinator to ensure work is correctly prioritised and scheduled Resources are effectively deployed Downtime is minimised

Health, Safety, Environmental & Compliance

• Lead and promote a strong safety-first culture across all teams.
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety legislation Environmental permits Company and contractual obligations
• Act as a key operational responsible person for site compliance.

Commercial & Financial Performance (P&L)

• Take ownership of site operational budgets and cost control.
• Monitor and manage operational expenditure.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without impacting performance or safety.

Projects, Customer Connections & Growth

• Support delivery of new projects, upgrades and network expansion.
• Coordinate operational input into new customer connections
• Commissioning of new assets and System integration

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, motivate and manage operational teams across multiple sites.
• Ensure teams are competent and engaged and delivering to expected standards
• Identify training needs and drive upskilling of engineers.

Stakeholder & Customer Management

• Act as a key contact for operational stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively with Internal teams and Customers, clients, Contractors and suppliers
• Support resolution of operational issues, service impacts or complaints.

Contractor & Supply Chain Management

• Oversee subcontractor activities and performance.
• Ensure all contractors work safely and in line with site requirements.
• Coordinate access, permits and site logistics

Skills & Competencies & Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of energy centre operations and district heating systems
• Knowledge of maintenance planning and asset management

Qualifications:

• NEBOSH (or equivalent) desirable
• Engineering qualification (HNC/HND/Degree) advantageous Working Arrangements