Engineering Operations Manager

Job Title

Engineering Operations Manager

Role Purpose

The Engineering Operations Manager plays a key leadership role in overseeing engineering teams responsible for delivering safe, reliable, and efficient technical operations. The role is heavily focused on people leadership, capability development, and operational excellence, ensuring teams are well-supported, engaged, and aligned with business objectives.

This position acts as a bridge between senior engineering leadership and frontline teams, translating strategy into day-to-day execution while fostering a strong culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

People Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and manage multiple engineering teams and team leaders.

• Drive performance through clear objectives, regular feedback, and structured performance reviews.

• Build team capability through coaching, training plans, and succession planning.

• Promote a positive, inclusive, and safety-focused workplace culture.

• Manage workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, and retention initiatives.

Engineering & Operational Oversight

• Support the delivery of engineering activities to agreed schedules, quality standards, and budgets.

• Ensure engineering processes, procedures, and systems are consistently applied and continuously improved.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve technical and operational challenges.

• Monitor workload, resourcing, and priorities to maintain operational continuity.

Safety, Compliance & Governance

• Champion high standards of safety, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

• Ensure teams operate in line with internal policies, industry standards, and statutory requirements.

• Participate in audits, incident reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a key point of contact between engineering teams, senior leadership, and operational stakeholders.

• Communicate clearly and effectively, translating technical and operational matters for varied audiences.

• Support change initiatives and help teams navigate organisational or operational transitions.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Proven experience leading and managing engineering or technical teams in an operational environment.

• Strong people management capability with a track record of developing high-performing teams.

• Solid engineering or technical background with the ability to understand complex systems and processes.

• Excellent communication, coaching, and stakeholder management skills.

• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Desirable

• Formal engineering qualification or equivalent practical experience.

• Experience working in asset-intensive, process-driven, or regulated environments.

• Exposure to continuous improvement, reliability, or operational excellence frameworks.

Leadership Attributes

• Approachable, visible, and people-focused leader

• Calm and decisive under pressure

• Strong sense of accountability and ownership

• Committed to safety, quality, and team wellbeing