Lampton Group
Head of Operations

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Head Of Recycle
Permanent Position
Based at Southall Depot
Very competitive salary
Hybrid Working
Mon – Friday 9am 5pm (can be flexible on these hours)
About Lampton Services
Lampton Services are an award-winning business, providing a range of services, commissioned by LBH, for residents in the borough. From collecting recycling and waste, to maintaining parks, repairing and upgrading homes to managing allotments, Lampton Services is at the heart of the Hounslow community working every day to make it a great place to live.
Why join Lampton Services?
- We offer annual pay reviews and incremental pay increases
- 26 days holiday allowance, plus bank holidays - an additional day per year for each completed years’ service, up to five years
- Free GOLD gym membership
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave and Pension Scheme
- Exclusive Discounts - save with Lampton Rewards and EE mobile offers
- Staff wellbeing perks - online GP access, EAP, health testing, flu Jabs, and eye care vouchers
- Sustainability Perks - cycle to work and electric car salary sacrifice scheme
- Career Growth – CPD training, structured development, and leadership opportunities
About the Job
To provide strategic and operational leadership for Lampton Recycle 360 Ltd, ensuring the safe, compliant, efficient and commercially sustainable delivery of waste and recycling services on behalf of the London Borough of Hounslow and other customers. The postholder is accountable for a c.£17m service portfolio and a workforce of over 180 employees.
Working collaboratively with the Director of Operations and senior leadership colleagues as well as key stakeholders and members at London Borough of Hounslow. The postholder will shape and deliver long-term business and operational plans focused on safety, compliance, service performance, efficiency, innovation, customer outcomes and sustainable growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic and Operational Leadership Provide strategic and operational leadership for Lampton Recycle 360, translating corporate and shareholder priorities into clear, deliverable business and operational plans. Develop and implement forward-looking strategies that improve service resilience, productivity, customer outcomes, environmental performance and long-term sustainability.
- Service Delivery and Performance Lead the effective delivery of waste and recycling services, ensuring high standards of operational performance, service quality and customer experience. Establish robust performance management arrangements, using KPIs, operational data and trend analysis to identify risk, drive accountability and secure continuous improvement.
- Leadership and Workforce Management Provide inspirational, visible and engaging leadership to a workforce of over 180 employees, creating a culture of safety, accountability, inclusion and high performance. Lead and develop managers and teams, ensuring clear objectives, effective performance management, workforce planning, succession planning and capability development.
- Financial and Commercial Management Hold accountability for profit and loss, budget management and financial performance across a c.£17m service portfolio. Develop and deliver robust financial plans, identify efficiencies, manage cost pressures and ensure resources are deployed effectively. Drive value for money, sustainable income growth and improved commercial performance.
- Contract and Client Management Lead the effective management and delivery of key contractual arrangements, maintaining strong and constructive relationships with the London Borough of Hounslow and other customers. Oversee contract performance, variations, service changes, commissions and negotiations, ensuring clear governance, accountability and alignment between contractual obligations and operational delivery.
- Health, Safety and Wellbeing Provide senior leadership for Health & Safety and wellbeing across Recycle 360 operations, ensuring effective risk management and compliance with relevant legislation, corporate standards and safe systems of work. Promote a proactive safety culture and ensure learning from incidents, audits, assurance activity and operational experience is embedded into continuous improvement.
- Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Ensure full compliance with relevant environmental legislation, statutory requirements, government waste strategy and regulatory frameworks. Act as a principal liaison with regulatory and enforcement bodies, including the Environment Agency, maintaining effective relationships and promoting best practice.
- Operational Facilities and Environmental Permitting Oversee the safe, compliant and effective operation of relevant waste facilities, including Material Handling Facility and associated transfer or treatment activities. Ensure compliance with Environmental Permits, Fire Prevention Plans, planning requirements and other applicable regulatory obligations. Maintain effective systems of operational control, assurance and business continuity.
- Fleet and Operational Resilience Provide strategic oversight of fleet and vehicle-related requirements supporting waste and recycling operations, working collaboratively with relevant maintenance and fleet functions to ensure vehicle availability, legal compliance, operational resilience and effective forward planning. Contribute to fleet strategy, procurement and replacement planning aligned with service and environmental objectives.
- Business Planning, Transformation and Innovation Collaborate with the Director of Operations, senior leadership colleagues and Board to shape and deliver long-term business plans. Lead transformation and change programmes that improve efficiency, modernise services, strengthen systems and controls, and respond effectively to legislative, technological and market developments.
- Procurement and Value for Money Lead and oversee compliant procurement activity within the service area, ensuring robust specification of goods and services, effective contract management and demonstrable value for money. Contribute to major procurement programmes and investment decisions affecting operational capability and resilience.
- Commercial Growth and Business Development Identify and pursue appropriate opportunities for sustainable commercial growth, income generation and service expansion in line with agreed business plans. Ensure commercial activity is supported by robust pricing, operational capacity, risk assessment and performance management.
- Stakeholder and Partnership Management Build and maintain effective relationships with senior stakeholders, elected members, client representatives, regulators, partners, suppliers and other external organisations. Influence standards, service delivery and sustainability outcomes at local and regional levels, representing Lampton professionally and credibly.
- Governance, Risk and Assurance Maintain effective governance, risk management and assurance arrangements across the service. Ensure significant operational, financial, regulatory and strategic risks are identified, escalated and actively managed, with clear mitigation and business continuity arrangements in place.
- Policies, Systems and Continuous Improvement Lead the development and implementation of effective policies, procedures, management systems and operational controls. Promote a culture of learning and continuous improvement, ensuring that audit findings, performance trends, incidents and emerging best practice translate into measurable service improvements.
- Corporate Leadership Contribute to the wider success of Lampton Services through collaborative working across organisational boundaries. Support corporate priorities, cross-business initiatives and strategic projects, providing leadership and professional expertise where required.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Person specification


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
- Senior management experience within waste, recycling, environmental services or a similarly complex operational environment.
- Proven experience of leading large, multi-disciplinary and operational workforces through managers and supervisors.
- Knowledge of UK waste and recycling legislation, environmental regulation and relevant government policy.
- Managing significant budgets, P&L accountability and complex financial pressures.
- Knowledge and practical experience of Health & Safety leadership, operational risk management and assurance.
- Ability to develop and deliver strategic and operational business plans.
- Strong commercial awareness with experience of procurement, value for money, efficiency delivery and/or income growth.
- Experience of managing complex operational performance through KPIs, data and structured governance arrangements.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the credibility to influence at senior leadership, Board, client and external stakeholder level.
- Ability to operate effectively in a politically sensitive, commercially focused and highly regulated environment.
- Full UK driving licence or ability to meet the travel requirements of the role.
Due to the needs of the business and the department, we may interview suitable candidates before the closing date. This job may also close early if a large number of applications are received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid missing your chance to apply.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of what we value as an organisation. Lampton Group is an equal opportunities employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other status protected by law. Our recruitment team are happy to support with any reasonable adjustments that are needed within the recruitment process.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London