Interim Operations Manager

Role: Interim Operations Manager – Heat Networks / Utilities

Location: East London (Stratford), with travel across local sites

Contract: 3-6 months

Rate: Competitive day rate, to be agreed

The Client

Our client develops and operates low-carbon district heating, cooling and power networks, supplying residential and commercial customers across the UK.

The Opportunity

An opportunity for an experienced Operations Manager to make an immediate impact on a 3–6 month assignment covering multiple energy centres in East London (4-6 sites) . You will provide practical leadership to the existing engineering and maintenance teams, keeping critical services running safely and reliably throughout the cover period.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee daily energy centre and heat network operations, maintaining continuity of customer supply.
• Coordinate shift teams, maintenance teams and contractors, prioritising PPM, urgent repairs and plant availability including boilers, heat exchangers, CHP or similar plant.
• Maintain site compliance, permits to work, RAMS and safe systems of work; lead the response to operational incidents.
• Monitor plant performance, resolve immediate reliability issues and implement practical improvements within the assignment.
• Control operational expenditure and provide concise updates on service, risks and maintenance priorities.
• Coordinate essential operational input to ongoing works and provide a clear handover of outstanding actions at the end of the contract.

Experience and Qualifications

• Proven operations or engineering management experience within district heating, power, utilities or industrial plant.
• Strong maintenance background, ideally with a mechanical bias and experience of boilers, heat exchangers, CHP or similar plant.
• Confident coordinating operational teams and contractors across multiple sites, with sound safety and compliance knowledge.
• Able to assess priorities quickly, manage service issues and work effectively with limited familiarisation.
• Engineering qualification advantageous; NEBOSH or equivalent desirable.

Working Arrangements

Primarily site-based across the East London portfolio. Candidates with availability for a 3–6 month assignment are encouraged to apply.