Operations Manager (Reactive Maintenance Response)

** Internal Title: Reactive Response Team Manager

Advertised Salary: £40,838 + car cash allowance (£5,100 p.a.)  + benefits (see 'what we offer' section). 

Location: Remote/home based, with intermittent travel across our East Midlands and Yorkshire & North East canal networks. See our network map here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network

We are the charity who look after and bring to life 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, because we believe that life is better by water. Every role across the Trust plays its part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better, bringing wellbeing benefits to millions.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Reactive Team Manager, in our Reactive Response team based at Swarkestone, South Derbyshire. This role will, amongst other things, involve: 

• Work with other Trust colleagues to deliver a programme of reactive and prioritised planned work across the East Midlands & Yorkshire Northeast region, ensuring disruption to the visitors is minimised and wider Trust objectives are met.
• Lead and motivate a team of colleagues and volunteers to ensure they support the Trusts wider objectives of brand awareness, wider public support and delivering health and wellbeing outcomes.
• Represent the Trust with local stakeholders and draw in expertise as required.
• Provide excellence in the visitor experience for the Canal & River Trust through the effective planning and delivery of Reactive maintenance and repair works to protect and enhance the reputation of the network as a valued national asset and the provision of customer service. You will be responsible for your team from scheduling to delivery on site. 
• Perform construction activities alongside general management responsibilities. 

Our ideal applicant will hold good knowledge of Health and Safety is essential including CDM, risk assessments, method statements and temporary works.

Location & coverage

Based out of Swarkestone, South Derbyshire this role will require regular travel across the East Midlands region and Yorkshire Northeast region when required. You need to have your own transport and valid UK driving licence, as well as a willingness to work away from home on occasion.

See our network here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers

Please select the below maps to see the regions to be covered for this role:

YNE Region Map

EastMidlandsWaterwaysMap

The Canal & River Trust wants to create a sustainable and evolving canal and river network that is a national treasure – accessible to and cherished by all. Core to delivering this vision the job holder will be committed to equality and diversity whereby fellow employees, customers, our partners and volunteers feel respected, included and valued.

Key accountabilities:

• Delivery of a prompt first level response for reactive construction work, to ensure the safety of visitors and the availability of the network.
• Line management, coaching and mentoring of a team delivering a program of works.
• Development of the team to ensure that the appropriate skills and competencies are maintained expanded.
• Ownership of a program of planned and reactive repair work through employee, volunteer and contract work streams, to time, quality and budget, implementing efficiencies to maximise the impact of available resources.
• Delivery of works whilst ensuring compliance with safety, environmental and safety requirements.
• Management of small projects and associated budgets.
• Liaison with and coordination of Trust priorities with other teams to ensure all works and initiatives within their program are delivered with current and future visitors in mind.
• Participation in the planning and delivery of a 24/7 on call response, to ensure visitor and neighbour safety and satisfaction is always maintained.
• Responsible for equipment, vehicles and buildings to the required standards to ensure their availability for work and cost effectivness.
• Always display the Trust values and behaviours.
• Ensure that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promote inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions, or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust’s policies and values.

Health & Safety:

• Lead by example, ensure your team take responsibility for the safety of colleagues, volunteers, themselves and customers. Comply with Canal & River Trust’s Health & Safety policy and defined standards. Investigate and report incidents, accidents and near misses. Ensure safe use of appropriate equipment, prepare Risk Assessments and Method Statements ensuring contents are understood and acted upon.
• To be aware of your own responsibilities regarding safeguarding and to support our commitment to providing safe environments and working practises that promote and protect the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk at all times.

About you

Essential:

• Recognised safety qualification or proven safety related experience (SMSTS, NEBOSH or Educated to NVQ level 3 or equivalent in construction.
• Experience of Temporary Works Coordinator as you will hold role of principal contractor.
• Experience of working in a Construction environment. 
• Proven comprehensive experience of safety management of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations.
• Comprehensive experience of construction works in a visitor / infrastructure network environment to deliver an excellent visitor experience.
• Experience of leading a team / line management.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership and communication skills
• Experienced people manager with a track record of developing colleagues.
• Proven experience of living and translating the Trusts values and behaviours to a range of audiences.
• Strong budget management skills
• Solid experience of effective and efficient delivery processes and cost control
• Some experience of managing volunteers
• Good experience of contract management
• Basic IT skills - Ability to use laptop, smart phone and various work-based apps (excel, word, Sharepoint, PowerPoint). 

Valid driving licence as your work will require you to reach locations not easily reached by public transport. Access to a vehicle is needed. 

Desirable:

• Relevant heritage and environmental awareness.
• Current competency for the operation of construction plant.
• Lift Supervisor competency.
• Dive Contract Administrator.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

In addition to your annual base salary of £40,838, we also offer Car Cash Allowance (£425 per month) & a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits we are also open to flexible working arrangements. These include:

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years.
• Home working status with ‘hub’ facilities available should you need the flexibility to work outside of home.
• Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity after 1 years service.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.
• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.

At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

When you join the Canal & River Trust you become a member of an engaged team working to preserve our heritage for future generations. Come and share your passion and knowledge with a team that makes a difference to millions of people every day.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us