Operations Director

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Design and implement operational strategies, structures, and procedures aligned to the company’s growth objectives
• Set and deliver comprehensive performance and growth targets
• Act as a key partner to the CEO ensuring alignment between operational delivery and business strategy
• Leading transformation initiatives to improve efficiency and business growth

Operational Management

• Oversee the daily operations of the business, ensuring efficiency, coordination, and alignment across functions
• Ensure all activities comply with relevant local and international regulatory and legal requirements
• Identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks, including development of contingency plans
• Implement and oversee operational cost control strategies and performance optimisation
• Empower teams with the leadership, systems, and resources required to deliver strategic objectives

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing and collaborative operations and engineering team creating clear career development paths and succession planning strategies
• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusivity, and continuous learning and improvement
• Lead, coach, and mentor team members to maximise performance and engagement
• Create an environment where company values are consistently demonstrated
• Champion a strong HSE culture aligned with industry best practice

Project Delivery & Governance

• Ensure successful delivery of projects to time, budget, and quality standards
• Monitor performance through data, metrics, and KPIs, making adjustments where required
• Manage relationships with key clients, partners, and vendors
• Oversee dispute resolution and liaise with external legal advisors where necessary
• Ensure quality, safety, and sustainability standards are consistently met or exceeded
• Provide regular performance reports, insights, and recommendations to the CEO and Board
• Support strategic decision-making through data-driven analysis and operational insight

Commercial & Financial Oversight

• Lead operational budgeting, forecasting, and cost management activities
• Work closely with the CFO to track performance against financial targets and KPIs
• Drive margin improvement, operational efficiency, and cost-effectiveness
• Support bid and tender processes with operational and commercial input

Technology and Innovation

• Evaluate operational performance through data analysis, insight, and AI-driven analytics
• Optimise business processes to improve efficiency and effectiveness
• Stay abreast of technological advancements, including AI, and lead adoption of innovative solutions
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across operations

Key Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in a senior operations leadership role, building high-performing technical teams in support of significant UK and international growth
• Oil and Gas experience, ideally within subsea pipeline engineering, and offshore installation.
• An entrepreneurial innovator, who can identify opportunities and take verbal concept to engineered and installed solution.
• Strong operational, project delivery, and supply chain management expertise in a fast paced, dynamic environment
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and delivering transformational change
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels
• Strong negotiation, stakeholder management, and conflict resolution skills
• Proven ability to manage complex projects and lead multidiscipline teams
• Experience working in a growing SME environment (desirable)

Key Attributes

• Strategic thinker with hands-on operational capability
• Strong, inclusive leadership style with the ability to inspire and motivate teams
• High level of integrity, resilience, and accountability
• Decisive, solutions-oriented, and adaptable

Education

• BSc/BA in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field
• MSc/MBA or equivalent advanced qualification (preferred)