Engineering Operations Manager

Engineering Operations Manager (Ambergate, Derby)

£74,000 to £79,000 + up to 15% bonus + company car

Ambergate, Derby

Working pattern: Hybrid - working primarily out of our Ambergate site with regular travel to other sites across the UK (on-site 5 days a week)

Location requirement: Based within a commutable distance of the Ambergate site

Some flexibility for home working may be available, where appropriate.

About us

National Gas is securing Britain’s energy. We transport gas throughout Great Britain, repair and maintain gas pipelines, and manage the meters that allow millions of homes and businesses to access the energy they need. We are the national gas network, providing secure energy to power Britain, achieve net zero, and maintain our industrial competitiveness.

About the role

Lead the delivery of safe, efficient and high-quality engineering operations across our National Gas Services (NGS) Ambergate operations teams (CEME & AGI), part of a nationwide network delivering critical pipeline services across the UK and Ireland.

As part of a business with over 45 years’ expertise in inspection, maintenance, repair and emergency response, you’ll drive consistency in operational delivery and support growth across licensed and unlicensed projects.

You’ll ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget and to the highest standards, while shaping operational performance, customer experience and continuous improvement across a multi-disciplinary workforce in a fast-paced, essential infrastructure environment.

What you'll be doing

• Manage operations delivery teams, providing leadership, coaching and performance oversight
• Oversee end-to-end delivery of engineering projects from planning through to execution
• Ensure projects meet safety, regulatory and performance standards
• Develop and implement resource plans, capacity strategies and risk management approaches
• Shape and deliver growth plans aligned to business and regulatory priorities
• Lead stakeholder engagement across Engineering, Delivery, Finance and Supply Chain
• Manage budgets, track costs and identify efficiency opportunities
• Champion continuous improvement, innovation and operational excellence
• Drive digital transformation across engineering processes, systems and tools
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental and statutory requirements
• Act as BCS Recovery Manager (Above 7 BAR Scheme) and deputy to the BCS Owner
• Support strong customer outcomes and reinforce a high-performing, safety-first culture

About you

You’re an experienced operations leader with strong technical grounding and a track record of delivering complex engineering programmes. You balance commercial awareness with safety and regulatory compliance, lead with clarity, and build high-performing teams. You communicate confidently with stakeholders and are driven to improve systems, processes and customer outcomes.

Key requirements & experience

Essential

• Strong experience in engineering operations within gas transmission/distribution or related infrastructure
• In-depth knowledge of pipeline intervention techniques, systems, equipment and associated safety and regulatory standards
• Proven experience managing large, multi-disciplinary teams (circa 40+ people), including contractors
• Demonstrated experience delivering projects end-to-end (scope, planning, execution, budget control)
• Solid understanding of project management, risk management and resource planning
• Working knowledge of UK gas networks and specialist pipeline services
• Ability to lead safely, influence stakeholders and drive performance and continuous improvement
• IOSH Managing Safely (or equivalent)
• Full UK driving licence

Desirable

• Experience participating in emergency standby rotas and responding to gas incidents
• Knowledge of National Gas policies, procedures and reporting systems
• HNC (or equivalent) in a relevant engineering discipline
• Progression towards Incorporated Engineer status or equivalent experience

Security clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.

Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What we offer

• Competitive salary and annual performance bonus
• Company car - subject to business mileage
• Double-match pension scheme (max. company contribution 12%)
• Generous holiday allowance (26/28 days + bank holidays)
• Flexible benefit scheme, inc. private healthcare, dental insurance, technology plans, and more
• Financial protection with 10x salary death in service and financial support if you’re unable to work due to long-term illness or injury
• Excellent family friendly provisions such as maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental leave
• Professional development opportunities inc. financial support to help you cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions
• Employee assistance programme offering free confidential professional counselling 24/7
• Inclusive, supportive, and forward-thinking workplace

Inclusive recruitment

At National Gas, we are disability confident, and we are signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve. We celebrate the different experiences our colleagues bring to our organisation and strongly encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply. Please let us know of any reasonable adjustments you need to perform your best.

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