Operations Manager in Walton on Thames

Job Description

Operations Manager

Hersham Area | £45,000 – £55,000 + Benefits | Full Time | Office Based

Ready to take ownership, make a real difference, and help build something?

Our client is a successful and growing service business based in the Hersham area, and they’re looking for an exceptional Operations Manager to join their team.

This isn’t a role where you simply keep the wheels turning.

It’s an opportunity for someone who thrives on responsibility, pace and variety — someone who can lead field-based teams, take ownership of budgets and margins, solve problems on the ground and help shape the way a growing operation works.

If you’re the kind of person who rolls up their sleeves, stays calm when things get complicated and genuinely cares about getting the right outcome for customers, this could be a fantastic next step.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll be at the heart of the operation, making sure jobs are delivered efficiently, profitably and to an exceptionally high standard.

Your responsibilities will include:

Leading and developing field-based teams, taking genuine ownership of performance and results.

Managing P&L / budgets, controlling costs and protecting margins.

Coordinating jobs from initial instruction through to successful completion.

Working closely with insurance adjusters, customers, contractors and other stakeholders.

Managing SLAs, scope authorisations and job documentation.

Being the person who steps in when things get difficult — including visiting sites personally when needed.

Handling sensitive, high-pressure and emotionally charged customer situations with empathy and professionalism.

Identifying opportunities to improve processes, increase revenue and make the operation more efficient.

Building structure and consistency as the business continues to grow.

Creating and improving the processes, systems and playbook that will support the next stage of the company's development.

Coaching and developing your team, creating a culture where people take pride in what they do.

What they're looking for

They are not simply looking for someone who has managed an operation.

They are looking for someone who has owned one.

You’ll ideally have experience in one or more of the following:

Insurance claims

Facilities management

Disaster recovery

Another fast-paced, field-based service environment

You’ll be comfortable talking about adjusters, SLAs, scope, authorisation, budgets and margins — and, more importantly, you'll understand how all of those things translate into real-world customer outcomes.

You’ll have a proven track record of:

Leading field-based teams

Not just supervising people, but taking responsibility for their performance and the overall result.

Managing budgets and profitability

You understand that great service and commercial discipline need to go hand in hand.

Handling difficult customers

You know how to deal with people who may be experiencing one of the worst days of their year. You bring calm, empathy and solutions — not corporate scripts.

Building and improving operations

You’ve helped introduce processes, improve standards or scale an operation. You’re someone who sees a problem and thinks, “How can we fix this properly?”

Working under pressure

Unpredictable demand, urgent jobs and competing priorities don’t faze you. You remain calm, organised and focused.

The kind of leader they want

This is as much about who you are as what you’ve done.

Our client is looking for a leader who:

Leads with integrity and empathy.

Treats customers as people, not case numbers.

Communicates clearly and consistently.

Understands that good documentation is essential, not an administrative afterthought.

Keeps customers, adjusters and colleagues properly informed.

Coaches and develops people rather than simply telling them what to do.

Is comfortable getting stuck in when the situation demands it.

Has the confidence to make decisions and take ownership.

Is entrepreneurial enough to spot opportunities, but disciplined enough to protect profitability.

Help build something

This is a growing business, so you won’t be walking into a huge organisation with a process manual for every possible scenario.

That’s part of the appeal.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape the operation, improve the way things are done and help build the infrastructure for future growth.

If you enjoy creating order from chaos, improving things that aren't quite there yet and seeing the direct impact of your work, you’ll feel at home here.

No two days will be the same

One day you could be reviewing performance and budgets.

The next, you could be dealing with an urgent customer issue, supporting a team on site, speaking with an adjuster or identifying a new opportunity to improve revenue.

That variety is exactly what makes this role exciting.

This is a hands-on Operations Manager role for someone who likes being close to the action — not someone who wants to manage entirely from behind a desk.

The opportunity

Salary: £45,000 – £55,000 per annum

Location: Hersham area

Contract: Full time

Working pattern: Office based

If you’re an experienced operations professional who wants to take ownership, develop people, improve processes and play a key role in a growing business, we’d love to hear from you.

This could be more than your next Operations Manager role — it could be the opportunity to help build the operation for the next stage of the business.