- Operations Manager – Highways Maintenance, Local Authority
- 6 month ongoing contract to support the service
- Location: West Yorkshire (District-Based)
- Salary: £55k Target
- Contract: Temporary Interim | Full-Time
- Sector: Highways, Local Authority, Environmental Services, Public Realm, Civil Engineering, Utilities, and Infrastructure Operations
A leading UK public-sector organisation is seeking an experienced Highways Operations Manager to lead a team and a high-profile frontline highway services maintenance and upkeep across a major West Yorkshire district. This is a senior operational leadership role with visibility at corporate, community and political levels-ideal for a proven leader in highways, civils, construction operations, environmental services, or large-scale public realm delivery.
The role oversees a complex portfolio including: Highway maintenance, Public Rights of Way, Land drainage, Gully maintenance, Winter services, weather response, Operational depots, Fleet & plant with Multi-million-pound assets and budgets
You’ll lead c60+ skilled and semi-skilled frontline staff, manage a multi-functional operational depot, and take responsibility for statutory services that keep the district’s network safe, open, and resilient.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage diverse multi-skilled frontline teams delivering district-wide highway, drainage, and winter maintenance operations.
- Oversee planned, reactive, and emergency works, ensuring safe and efficient operation.
- Act as Transport Manager under the organisation’s Operator’s Licence, managing fleet compliance and high-risk operational environments.
- Manage capital and revenue delivery through internal teams and contractors.
- Ensure full compliance with CDM, Health & Safety legislation and safe systems of work.
- Maintain high-profile public-facing services, respond to weather events and highway emergencies.
- Develop and manage multi-million-pound operational budgets, assets, and equipment.
- Build strong working relationships with stakeholders, elected members, trade unions and contractors.
- Drive service improvement, innovation, and workforce development.
Key Requirements
- Significant senior operational management experience in highways, civil engineering, environmental services, construction, utilities, or large-scale public realm operations.
- Strong leadership of large, dispersed frontline teams and unionised workforces.
- In-depth understanding of H&S, CDM, risk, compliance, and management of high-risk operational sites.
- Proven experience managing complex operational budgets, plant, vehicles, and large-scale assets.
- Experience coordinating contractors and delivering large capital/revenue programmes.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and the ability to lead in a politically aware environment.
- Full driving licence.
- Degree in Civil Engineering (or extensive equivalent experience).
- IOSH Managing Safely & to obtain CPC Transport Manager if required.
- Experience in Highways, unionised environments, and Civil Engineering / Highways Contractors encouraged.
Why This Role?
- Lead one of the region’s most high-profile, essential, and visible public services.
- Autonomy to shape service direction, improvement, and operational strategy.
- Significant influence across regeneration, infrastructure, and environmental projects.
- Manage a major operational team with meaningful community impact.
- Senior leadership presence with political, community and multi-agency visibility.
All enquiries and applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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