Operations Manager

Serco - Lambeth Environmental Services

Shakespeare Rd, London SE24 0PY, Lambeth

Permanent, Full Time (40 hrs p/ - expectation to start early - from 6am on occasion dependent on service demands)

Up to £54,457 per annum + excellent benefits

Ready to impact a better future?

As an Operations Manager in our Environmental Services team, you’ll lead and manage the delivery of a local authority environmental services contract, ensuring safe, efficient and high-performing operations. You’ll be responsible for driving operational excellence, developing colleagues, building strong stakeholder relationships and delivering services that have a positive impact on communities every day.

This is an opportunity to help create impactful solutions that improve local environments and the communities they serve. By championing innovation, continuous improvement and outstanding customer service, you’ll help shape the future of the contract while building trust with customers, colleagues and stakeholders. Our work touches lives, and your leadership will help ensure services are delivered with pride, care and purpose.

What you’ll do as an Operations Manager

• Lead the operational delivery of environmental services, ensuring contractual obligations, business targets and customer requirements are achieved.
• Promote and maintain a robust health, safety and environmental culture, ensuring compliance with company policies, procedures and legislation.
• Develop and implement operational strategies, annual plans and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance performance and efficiency.
• Manage and develop Supervisors and operational colleagues, ensuring the business is appropriately resourced and motivated to achieve objectives.
• Monitor performance through key performance indicators, reporting processes and data analysis to drive informed decision-making.
• Build strong relationships with customers, stakeholders, trade union representatives and community partners while identifying opportunities for growth and service improvement.

Does this sound like you?

• Experience managing operations within a blue-collar or frontline operational environment.
• Management qualification at Level 3 or equivalent, with experience leading both direct and indirect reporting lines.
• Knowledge of budget management, forecasting and profit and loss responsibilities.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to develop trusted and productive relationships.
• CPC Licence Holder and Yellow Belt qualified, with a full UK driving licence.

What we offer

• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (and the option to buy up to five additional leave days each year)
• Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships (we currently offer over 60 different apprenticeships), mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression.
• Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres, and 24/7 access to a virtual GP service
• Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel
• Paid volunteering day, tax-free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme, donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity
• Our employee networks support connection by providing spaces for collaboration, learning, and belonging. They represent and empower all our colleagues including veterans, LGBTQIA+ employees, women, parents and carers, people with disabilities, and people from all cultural backgrounds.

Vetting and checks

A Standard DBS check will be carried out for this position. This includes spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and warnings as permitted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. An Occupational Health Questionnaire will also be completed so we can ensure you have the necessary support to perform your duties.

Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.

A little bit about us:

At Serco, everyone plays a vital part in delivering essential public services that make a real difference. As a global team of 50,000 people across Defence, Transport, Justice, Immigration, Healthcare, Leisure and Citizen Services, we’re united by a shared purpose: to improve the services that communities rely on. Guided by our values of Trust, Care, Innovation and Pride, our people make meaningful impact, every single day.

Our inclusive recruitment commitment:

We prioritise your skills and potential. As a Disability Confident Leader, the Top Great British Employer of Veterans 2026, and a Gold Inclusive Employer Standard holder, we champion equal opportunities for all. We offer flexible and hybrid working where possible and make reasonable adjustments throughout recruitment and employment.

• Guaranteed Interview Scheme: Applicants with disabilities, veterans and people with convictions, who meet the minimum job criteria, are guaranteed an interview. Simply opt into the relevant scheme on the application form.
• Ban The Box: We also support fair access for those with unspent criminal convictions through our ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some roles may have security exemptions).

For support with your application, please contact [email protected].

Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.