Overview
Operations Manager – Highways Local Authority
Sector: Highways, Roads, Local Authority, Environmental Services, Public Realm, Civil Engineering, and Infrastructure Operations
A leading UK public-sector organisation is seeking an experienced Highways Operations Manager to lead large, high-profile frontline highway services across a major district. This is an 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 – Operations Manager, Highways – Local Authority
- 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.
- 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
Key Requirements – Operations Manager, Highways
- 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 assets
- Experience coordinating contractors and delivering large capital/revenue programmes
- Strong stakeholder engagement and the ability to lead in a politically aware environment
- Degree in Civil Engineering (or extensive equivalent experience)
- Experience in Highways and Civil Engineering / Highways Contractors encouraged
Why This Role? Operations Manager, Highways
- 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.
Contact mike.butler@omegaresource.co.uk or 0113 2123519
Public Sector / Local Authorities
Highway Operations, Road Maintenance, Winter Services, PROW, Fleet Management, Environmental Services, Highway Inspector, Highway Asset Management
Job Functions:
Highways Operations / Maintenance
Engineering / Technical Services
Fleet / Transport Management
Civil / Highway Engineering
You are likely to be a Highway Operations Manager, Senior Highway Engineer, Winter Services Manager, Highways Asset Manager, Senior Civil Engineer – Roads.
Principal Consultant – Highways, Construction Manager – Highway Schemes
#J-18808-Ljbffr