Operations Director – Water Utilities / Infrastructure / Civil Engineering
Hertfordshire HQ | London & South East Projects | Hybrid Working
Excellent Salary + Bonus + Car Allowance + Private Medical Insurance
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Operations Director to lead the delivery of a major water infrastructure and utilities programme across London and the South East.
This senior leadership role is ideal for candidates with a strong background in water utilities, civil engineering, highways, infrastructure, pipeline installation, or planned works delivery who are looking to take ownership of a flagship operational programme with significant long-term investment and growth.
The successful candidate will oversee the delivery of a large-scale water mains replacement programme involving over 150km of critical infrastructure works, managing operational performance, commercial delivery, safety, client relationships, and multidisciplinary teams across multiple live projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead operational delivery across major water, utilities, highways, or civil engineering projects
- Manage large planned works and infrastructure programmes valued in excess of £35m annually
- Drive productivity, programme performance, and operational efficiency
- Oversee installation and commissioning activities for water mains and linear infrastructure
- Ensure compliance with highways regulations, permitting, HSEQ, and industry standards
- Lead and develop large operational and project delivery teams
- Build strong client, stakeholder, and supply chain relationships
- Support continuous improvement, Lean delivery, and programme optimisation
Candidate Requirements
We are seeking an Operations Director, Contracts Director, Framework Director, Programme Director, or Senior Operations Manager with experience in:
- Water utilities
- Civil engineering
- Infrastructure delivery
- Highways
- Pipeline installation
- Utilities frameworks
- Planned maintenance or capital works programmes
Ideal experience includes
- Leading large-scale operational delivery teams
- Managing multi-site utilities or infrastructure programmes
- Water mains replacement or pipeline projects
- Commercial and budget management responsibility
- Strong stakeholder and client management capability
- Fast‑paced, high-volume delivery environments
Desirable Qualifications
- Engineering degree or equivalent
- NEBOSH Construction or General Certificate
- Temporary Works knowledge/certification
- Lean, Agile, or continuous improvement experience
Package
- Attractive basic salary
- Performance‑related bonus
- Company car or car allowance
- Private medical insurance
- Hybrid working
- Long‑term secured workload
- Senior leadership opportunity within a growing infrastructure business
Based from a modern Hertfordshire headquarters, this role will involve regular travel to projects across London and the South East.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a senior infrastructure or utilities professional to play a key role in one of the UK's most significant water network upgrade programmes.
#J-18808-Ljbffr”, “datePosted”: “2026-05-15”, “hiringOrganization”: { “@type”: “Organization”, “name”: “Fawkes & Reece London”, “sameAs”: “https://uk.whatjobs.com/pub_api__cpl__432620053__4861?utm_campaign=publisher&utm_medium=api&utm_source=4861&geoID=179” }, “jobLocation”: { “@type”: “Place”, “address”: { “@type”: “PostalAddress”, “addressLocality”: “Hemel Hempstead” } } }Operations Director – Water Utilities / Infrastructure / Civil Engineering
Hertfordshire HQ | London & South East Projects | Hybrid Working
Excellent Salary + Bonus + Car Allowance + Private Medical Insurance
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Operations Director to lead the delivery of a major water infrastructure and utilities programme across London and the South East.
This senior leadership role is ideal for candidates with a strong background in water utilities, civil engineering, highways, infrastructure, pipeline installation, or planned works delivery who are looking to take ownership of a flagship operational programme with significant long-term investment and growth.
The successful candidate will oversee the delivery of a large-scale water mains replacement programme involving over 150km of critical infrastructure works, managing operational performance, commercial delivery, safety, client relationships, and multidisciplinary teams across multiple live projects.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead operational delivery across major water, utilities, highways, or civil engineering projects
- Manage large planned works and infrastructure programmes valued in excess of £35m annually
- Drive productivity, programme performance, and operational efficiency
- Oversee installation and commissioning activities for water mains and linear infrastructure
- Ensure compliance with highways regulations, permitting, HSEQ, and industry standards
- Lead and develop large operational and project delivery teams
- Build strong client, stakeholder, and supply chain relationships
- Support continuous improvement, Lean delivery, and programme optimisation
Candidate Requirements
We are seeking an Operations Director, Contracts Director, Framework Director, Programme Director, or Senior Operations Manager with experience in:
- Water utilities
- Civil engineering
- Infrastructure delivery
- Highways
- Pipeline installation
- Utilities frameworks
- Planned maintenance or capital works programmes
Ideal experience includes
- Leading large-scale operational delivery teams
- Managing multi-site utilities or infrastructure programmes
- Water mains replacement or pipeline projects
- Commercial and budget management responsibility
- Strong stakeholder and client management capability
- Fast‑paced, high-volume delivery environments
Desirable Qualifications
- Engineering degree or equivalent
- NEBOSH Construction or General Certificate
- Temporary Works knowledge/certification
- Lean, Agile, or continuous improvement experience
Package
- Attractive basic salary
- Performance‑related bonus
- Company car or car allowance
- Private medical insurance
- Hybrid working
- Long‑term secured workload
- Senior leadership opportunity within a growing infrastructure business
Based from a modern Hertfordshire headquarters, this role will involve regular travel to projects across London and the South East.
This is a fantastic opportunity for a senior infrastructure or utilities professional to play a key role in one of the UK’s most significant water network upgrade programmes.
#J-18808-Ljbffr…