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About The Role
We are seeking an experienced Service Manager to oversee the safe, efficient, and commercially successful delivery of vegetation-management services across National Grid and associated utility contracts.
Reporting directly to the Regional Operations Manager, you will lead a dispersed team of Line Clearance Managers and take full operational, financial, and health and safety responsibility for your designated area.
You will ensure all works are completed safely, to specification, and in accordance with contractual requirements. You will also be responsible for achieving agreed production volumes, maintaining strong client relationships, and delivering the area’s financial targets.
This is a senior operational role requiring an autonomous, commercially focused, and highly visible leader who can manage performance across multiple counties.
Key Responsibilities
Operational and Contract Management
- Take full responsibility for operational delivery across the designated area or workstream.
- Ensure vegetation-management works are completed safely, efficiently, to specification, and right first time.
- Deliver contractual and operational objectives, including agreed production volumes.
- Monitor availability, utilisation, effectiveness, and productivity across the team.
- Plan, price, and deliver works within agreed company authority limits.
- Produce accurate internal and external operational reports.
- Ensure compliance with contractual requirements, company procedures, and current legislation.
- Complete audit actions within agreed timescales.
- Identify operational risks and implement appropriate corrective or preventative actions.
Commercial and Financial Management
- Take full P&L responsibility for the designated area or workstream.
- Monitor expenditure, labour, overheads, and operational costs.
- Review and adjust monthly forecasts in consultation with Line Clearance Managers.
- Report forecast changes promptly to the Commercial Manager and Regional Operations Manager.
- Support monthly and annual contract-budget planning.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity, and commercial performance.
- Protect contract profitability while maintaining safety, quality, and service standards.
Leadership and People Management
- Lead, support, and develop a team of Line Clearance Managers and their operational teams.
- Set clear objectives and hold managers accountable for delivery.
- Build a culture based on trust, competence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Support succession planning, colleague development, and employee retention.
- Regularly review individual and team performance.
- Encourage shared learning from good practice, incidents, near misses, and operational challenges.
- Take ownership of personal development and promote continuous professional development throughout the team.
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Health, Safety, and Compliance
- Act as a visible and passionate safety leader.
- Promote proactive health and safety practices throughout the contract.
- Ensure compliance with legislation, client requirements, and internal company standards.
- Investigate incidents and near misses thoroughly.
- Identify root causes and ensure corrective and preventative actions are implemented.
- Check and challenge Line Clearance Managers to maintain safe working practices and consistently high standards.
- Ensure lessons learned are communicated across affected teams and workstreams.
- Maintain full accountability for health, safety, and environmental performance within the designated area.
Client and Business Development
- Build and maintain strong relationships with National Grid, utility clients, and other key stakeholders.
- Act as a senior point of contact for operational and service-delivery matters.
- Understand client priorities and respond proactively to concerns.
- Protect and develop existing contracts by consistently delivering high-quality services.
- Identify opportunities to enhance existing services and support potential new business.
- Communicate professionally, clearly, and concisely with clients, colleagues, and operational teams.
Essential Requirements
- Experienced and competent to UA5 standard, or an equivalent level of utility-arboriculture training.
- Demonstrable contract, service, or project-management experience.
- Proven experience managing dispersed operational teams across multiple counties.
- Strong track record of delivering contractual, operational, and financial targets.
- Experience managing budgets, forecasts, costs, and P&L performance.
- Strong working knowledge of health and safety legislation and operational compliance.
- IOSH qualification or equivalent recognised health and safety training.
- Strong commercial awareness and financial acumen.
- Competent using Microsoft Office applications and electronic reporting systems.
- Excellent people-management, leadership, and team-development skills.
- Strong client and stakeholder-management experience.
- Clear, concise, and professional written and verbal communication skills.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly throughout the designated area.
- Right to work in the UK.
Desirable Qualifications and Experience
- Degree, diploma, or equivalent qualification in arboriculture, forestry, or a related discipline.
- Level 5 Award or equivalent qualification in Leadership and Management.
- Experience delivering vegetation-management services for National Grid or another utility provider.
- Knowledge of utility-arboriculture standards, line-clearance operations, and associated contractual requirements.
- Experience supporting contract growth and business-development opportunities.
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Personal Attributes
- A progressive, proactive, and visible leader.
- Passionate about health, safety, and continuous improvement.
- Commercially focused and confident in making evidence-based decisions.
- Resilient and comfortable operating in a demanding environment.
- Able to work autonomously and take ownership of a geographically dispersed service.
- Strong motivator with the ability to build capable and engaged teams.
- Customer-focused, professional, and relationship-driven.
- Confident in challenging performance and ensuring accountability.
- Committed to improving personal, team, and contract performance.
About The Company
OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security, and catering.
Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers, and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values - Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.
Why Work for OCS?
- ✅ Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.
- 🚀 Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
- 🙂 Retail Perks: With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards, and wellbeing resources.
- 📝 Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
- 💰 Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)
How to Apply
If you are interested in joining a business that encourages professional development, career progression, and the chance to work with inspirational people, then please click apply and register your interest! You can also sign up to our job alerts when registering, which will notify you when other suitable vacancies are available.
We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.
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