Canal & River Trust
Head of Operational Planning and Control
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About the Trust
We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?
Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.
Join Our Team: Head of Operational Planning & Control Opportunity
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
We're excited to welcome a Head of Operational Planning & Control to our new Operations division. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for ensuring the effective coordination, planning and control of operational activities across the Trust's waterways network, enabling our front-line teams to deliver safe, efficient and reliable services every day.
Working Hours & Location
This is a home-based role which follows a 37 hour working week and will be assigned to one of the Trust's key operational hubs. Regular travel across England and Wales as required to competently perform the role. A valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential.
Role Overview
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will provide strategic leadership for the Trust's operational planning, control and support services, ensuring resources, information and coordination are optimised to support network performance.
Leading teams responsible for control room operations, planning and scheduling, logistics, incident management and operational support services, you will create a cohesive and scalable operating model that improves efficiency, consistency and responsiveness across the Trust. You will use data, technology and insight to drive continuous improvement, strengthen operational resilience and support high-quality service delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for the Trust's operational planning and control functions, ensuring resources, information and operational support services are aligned to deliver safe, efficient and reliable network operations
- Lead diverse teams spanning control room operations, planning and scheduling, logistics, incident management and operational support services, creating a high-performing and integrated function
- Drive operational efficiency, consistency and resilience through effective planning, coordination, standardisation and the intelligent use of data and technology.
- Ensure the Trust maintains a robust incident management capability, providing leadership, coordination and continuous improvement across response and recovery activities.
- Develop and embed scalable operating models that improve productivity, customer service and resource utilisation across the network.
- Build strong relationships across Operations, Engineering, Project Delivery and external partners to ensure aligned decision-making and effective network-wide coordination.
- Provide Gold Command cover as part of the Trust's incident management framework, delivering strategic leadership during major incidents and ensuring effective organisational response and continuity.
- Display the Trust values and behaviours at all times, ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life.
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About You
You will be an experienced operational leader with a track record of leading planning, control, logistics, scheduling or operational support functions within a complex environment. Comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels, you'll bring the ability to optimise resources, improve performance and deliver efficient, scalable services.
A collaborative and proactive leader, you'll be known for bringing clarity to complexity, building high-performing teams and driving continuous improvement. You'll be motivated by using data, technology and insight to improve decision-making, strengthen operational resilience and deliver better outcomes for customers, colleagues and stakeholders.
Skills & Qualifications
Technical
- Significant experience leading operational planning, control, scheduling, logistics, resource management, or operational support functions within a complex operational environment.
- Ideally degree-qualified and actively engaged with relevant professional bodies.
- Experience operating within a regulated utility, retail, infrastructure, logistics, or similarly complex multi-disciplinary organisation across a large geographical area.
- Proven experience leading centralised operational services and delivering efficiency, consistency, and service improvements at scale.
- Experience of operational control, incident management, business continuity, command and coordination, or emergency response frameworks.
- Demonstrable experience using operational data, performance insights, and technology to drive decision-making and operational improvements.
General:
- Strong leadership experience, with a proven track record of building high-performing teams and successfully leading organisational change.
- Demonstrates the Trust’s leadership behaviours through decisive action, operating with pace and purpose, communicating effectively, collaborating to achieve shared outcomes, and taking accountability for delivery.
- Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to lead through credibility, authority, and collaboration.
- Full UK driving licence.
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Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
We offer a salary of £80,000 - £90,000 plus £6,240 car cash allowance per annum. Enjoy private medical instance, a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: EVP - 1.
Learn more: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits
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Our values
We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.
We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.
All of our jobs can be considered on a part time, flexible or job share basis.
We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourage you from applying under the scheme.
At Canal & River Trust, we are committed to fair, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices. As part of our hiring process, we may use AI to analyse applications and support us work more efficiently. However, all hiring decisions – without exception - are made by our hiring managers.
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us
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