Operations Manager

The Vacancy

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Operations Manager to lead and deliver planned social housing projects across a multitude of works including, retrofit, elementals or FRA/HRB across properties throughout the North East and Yorkshire.

This is a senior operational role, ideal for someone with a strong background in planned works within social housing, ideally having worked on retrofit, elementals or FRA/HRB projects, who has operated at Tier 1 contractor level and is confident managing multiple programmes, teams, and client relationships.

The Role

As Operations Manager, you will have full responsibility for the successful delivery of retrofit-focused planned works programmes, ensuring projects are delivered safely, compliantly, on time, and within budget.

Key responsibilities include:

• Overall operational leadership of planned social housing retrofit programmes
• Managing multiple contracts and workstreams across occupied properties
• Leading, developing, and motivating Project Managers, Site Managers, and support teams
• Ensuring full compliance with health & safety, quality, environmental, and regulatory standards
• Overseeing programme performance, cost control, and delivery against KPIs
• Acting as the senior operational point of contact for clients and stakeholders
• Driving continuous improvement, efficiencies, and best practice across delivery teams
• Supporting mobilisation of new contracts and retrofit programmes where required

About You

To be successful in this role, you will ideally have:

• Proven experience as an Operations Manager (or Senior Contracts / Senior Project Manager ready to step up)
• A strong background in planned social housing works, ideally retrofit / decarbonisation/elemental/FRA/HRB projects
• Experience working for a Tier 1 contractor delivering large-scale housing programmes
• Excellent leadership and people management skills
• Strong commercial awareness and operational control
• Experience working in occupied environments
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach with excellent stakeholder management skills
• Full UK driving licence

What’s On Offer

• A senior leadership role within a growing and forward-thinking business
• Long-term planned works schemed
• Opportunity to play a key role in delivering net zero and decarbonisation initiatives
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Career development and progression opportunities

Given the nature of this position, you will need to undergo a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) at offer stage. Applicants with criminal convictions will be assessed individually, and we assure you that we do not discriminate based on an applicant’s criminal record or the details of any disclosed offenses. Additionally, certain roles may be subject to additional pre-employment checks.

To learn more about the checks included in this process, please click on the following link: National Security Vetting

Work for Wates

Wates is one of the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance companies.  Founded over 125 years ago, we have a proud legacy in the built environment.

We are driven by our purpose, ‘reimagining places for people to thrive’ and our three promises:

• Thriving places – working with customers, partners and communities to create places that are more sustainable, inclusive, and full of opportunity.
• Thriving planet – protecting nature and taking action on climate change by collaborating and innovating with our partners.
• Thriving people – creating opportunities and relationships so that everyone who works for and with us feels included, invested in and treated with care.

We are proud to be recognised as Gold Investors in People and as a Disability Confident employer.  We also ensure that our recruitment processes do not treat anyone less favourably due to an offending background.