Operations Manager

Operations Manager – Defence FM Contract

Locations: Abingdon, Didcot & Newbury

Contract: Full-time, Permanent

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead the delivery of Facilities Management services on a high‑profile Defence contract, covering multiple secure sites across Abingdon, Didcot and Newbury.

This is a senior, hands-on role requiring strong leadership, technical understanding, and the ability to manage compliance, performance, and people in a demanding operational environment. You will act as the focal point for all site issues, ensuring contractual delivery, statutory compliance, and exceptional client engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead client and end‑user engagement, preparing for and delivering weekly/monthly meetings.
• Track and drive KPI performance, analysing daily operational data and ensuring failed KPIs, backlog tasks, and non‑compliant assets are resolved promptly.
• Motivate, mentor, and performance‑manage site teams, conducting regular 1‑2‑1s, identifying issues, and supporting staff development and training needs.
• Oversee daily site and office operations, maintaining full role-awareness and providing operational cover where required.
• Manage Health & Safety compliance, ensuring all statutory checks, inspections, documentation, and reporting metrics remain on target and up-to-date.
• Lead audit preparation and delivery, ensuring high assurance scores and timely action closure.
• Maintain information management systems and statutory documentation, ensuring management plans, returns, portals, and records are complete and current.
• Manage small works and low-value projects, tracking progress, mitigating risk, and escalating delays or issues early.
• Act as the primary operational escalation point, liaising continuously with the SDAM and maintaining strong relationships with DIO and Military stakeholders.

Essential experience & skills:

• You will be an experienced and confident leader with a strong background in managing FM operations within a regulated or secure environment.
• Strong understanding of statutory compliance, assurance, and governance within Facilities Management.
• Experience managing small works / minor projects.
• Good working knowledge of CDM Regulations, Health & Safety, and compliance frameworks.
• Mechanical or Electrical background preferred.
• Proven experience managing and motivating teams, including in challenging or high-pressure environments.
• Excellent communicator, able to deliver clear, structured verbal and written updates.
• Confident leading audits, inspections, and assurance activities.
• Ability to take ownership, act decisively, and drive issues through to resolution.
• Strong people manager, mentor, and motivator.

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