VIVO Defence Services
Area Manager - Home Counties
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Experienceable Area Manager
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and values-driven Area Manager to lead the delivery of a high-quality repairs and maintenance service, ensuring excellent outcomes for customers, stakeholders, and the business.
This is a senior operational role with full accountability for performance, budget control, and health and safety compliance across the service area.
Location
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire or Brize Norton, to cover sites in Oxford, Bicester, Wallingford, Aylesbury & Maidenhead
Contract Type
Permanent, full-time
Salary
Competitive + Company Car/Car Allowance + Benefits
What You Will Do
As Area Manager, you will:
- Lead and motivate a multi-disciplinary team and specialist supply chain partners to deliver planned, reactive, and out-of-hours services, including managing cover for holidays, leave, and sickness.
- Take ownership of operational performance, managing complex repairs, monitoring KPIs, using data and trend analysis to drive continuous improvement and value for money.
- Hold profit and loss responsibility, managing delegated budgets through robust financial control, forecasting, exceptional reporting, and remedial actions as required.
- Work collaboratively with internal teams and external partners to:
- Identify opportunities for service improvement
- Increase operational efficiency
- Support business change whilst maintaining quality and customer experience.
- Be responsible for people leadership, creating a supportive, fair, and positive cultural environment where employees are engaged, motivated, and able to develop themselves.
- Conduct one-to-ones, appraisals, and performance reviews, managing employee matters like sickness, absence, health & safety, grievances, and discipline in line with policy and best practice.
- Build trusted relationships with stakeholders and ensure compliance with contractual and bid commitments.
- Undertake necessary training to act as the Responsible Person for Legionella and Asbestos.
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You will primarily work from High Wycombe or Brize Norton (whichever is closer), with hybrid working options available after passing probation.
What We Need From You
You must bring:
- Strong leadership, communication, and decision-making skills, with a flexible and agile approach.
- Sound knowledge of repairs and maintenance services, relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, and British Standards.
- Proven experience managing multi-disciplinary teams, contractors, and subcontractors in a performance-driven environment.
- A strong background in the Social Housing sector or significant Hard Services FM experience.
- Relevant professional qualifications such as CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building) or RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), or equivalent with a good working understanding of health and safety management.
- Comfortable using Microsoft Office applications and understanding performance data to inform decisions.
- The ability to be a trusted, caring, and commercially aware leader who excels in a fast-paced environment, committed to delivering exceptional services.
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Desirable:
- NEBOSH or IOSH health and safety qualifications.
- Experience acting as a Responsible Person for Legionella and Asbestos.
What We Offer
- 6% employee-matched pension contribution
- 25 days annual leave + fair operating scheme
- Performance-based £ bonus
- Company car/car allowance
- Life assurance (2× annual salary)
- Private medical cover for self and partner
About VIVO Defence Services
This role is with VIVO Defence Services, a joint venture between Serco and EQUANS.
By applying, please note that information in your CV may be shared between VIVO Defence Services, Serco, and EQUANS during recruitment.
At VIVO, we are committed to:
- Building a diverse and inclusive organisation
- Making reasonable adjustments at all stages of recruitment
- Encouraging applications from a diverse candidate pool
We welcome discussions around flexibility and hybrid working, and proudly are a Disability Confident Leader. Disabled applicants meeting the minimum criteria will be invited for assessment interviews to showcase their abilities.
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