Purpose of the Role

Operations Manager Environmental Services is a high-profile, hands-on leadership role responsible for the strategic direction and operational management of the Environmental Services department. You will oversee and develop the Environmental Services team, ensuring consistent adherence to high operational standards that reflect the quality of a leading shopping centre. This role will drive the execution of operational excellence, ensuring alignment with business objectives, while supporting Shift Leaders and Team Managers to deliver outstanding customer experiences.

As the subject matter expert, you will provide both strategic vision and practical leadership, ensuring that all operational functions—spanning Environmental Services—are optimized to benefit both stakeholders and visitors.

Leading the strategic direction and day to day running of the internal, external, waste and landscape teams within the Centre for all Stakeholders.

In this role, you will cultivate a team culture that reflects our core values and promotes an inclusive, high-performance environment. By fostering engagement, diversity, and accountability within the operational team, you will empower individuals to thrive in their roles. Your leadership will inspire and coach team members to exceed expectations for both customers and brand partners. Additionally, you will leverage strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain productive relationships with external agencies and key stakeholders, driving collaborative success across the Centre.

With a sharp focus on delivering results, you will manage the Centre’s service delivery, ensuring safety, security, and cleanliness standards are met while driving performance across all areas. Your ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment, communicate effectively, and maintain operational integrity will ensure that your department operates smoothly and efficiently. Ultimately, you will uphold the Centre’s reputation for excellence through clear communication, coaching, and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction being pivotal in setting and sustaining high standards.

Key Responsibilities

The role includes a variety of tasks including the following:

• Act as an ambassador for the Centre and your functional area, showcasing exemplary behavior and actively promoting team recognition within the business. Lead by example, creating a positive and inclusive environment that values diversity, while cultivating a strong team culture. Take ownership of your role with a visible leadership presence, providing ongoing coaching, constructive feedback, and recognition for outstanding contributions. Continuously seek ways to infuse energy, personality, and innovation into your leadership approach to inspire your team.

• Set a clear vision for customer service excellence and world class service, demonstrating a passion for creating exceptional experiences. leading by example as a role model for high standards of service, inspiring the team to deliver outstanding service to customers, contractors, retailers, and colleagues. Cultivate a culture of excellence where each team member feels empowered to deliver outstanding service at every touchpoint.

• Champion operational excellence through a focus on compliance, clear communication, consistency, and collaboration. Prioritize a safe and legally compliant environment within the Centre, embedding streamlined processes that drive both operational efficiency and consistency. Foster a proactive approach to risk management and innovation, ensuring the Centre meets the highest standards for safety, functionality, and service quality.

Main Duties

Leadership

• The Operations Managers play a pivotal role as departmental heads, overseeing both Team Managers and Shift Leaders to drive the performance of their teams. They act as a link between high-level strategic goals and on-the-ground operations, stepping into a Duty Manager role for enhanced coordination in security and operational decision-making. Their responsibilities are multifaceted, blending leadership, strategic oversight, and active participation in Centre wide objectives.
• Provide structured coaching , be comfortable with honest conversations and adept in performance management to elevate team standards, addressing performance gaps promptly and ensuring any complaints or concerns are documented and resolved per Centre policies. Support continuous assessment and development of team members, working with HR on hiring, vetting, and ensuring compliance with employment regulations and training standards.
• Lead talent development by setting clear role expectations, fostering high performance, and collaborating with HR for training, licensing, and retention efforts. Take ownership of HR functions, including objectives, performance reviews, and disciplinary actions, to maintain a committed and capable team.
• Champion training and development by identifying team needs, ensuring effective training delivery, and evaluating its impact on operational success. Proactively champion the ongoing development of Centre based delivery teams to ensure confidence and excellence in world class service and operational delivery. Support recognition programmes by ensuring team members’ efforts are being recognized and nominations processed. Support and encourage participation in staff initiatives and events.
• Facilitate clear communication by ensuring full and active participation in the daily huddles and departmental briefings with all teams. Ensuring relevant and business critical information and objectives are communicated to the teams.
• Attending meetings with the senior Centre operational team, Property, Marketing, and Asset Management teams to drive collaborative efforts and deliver exceptional operational results. Delivering a clear understanding of business objectives, team performance, and display excellence in communication. Aligning performance with business objectives, strategic plans, provide KPI status, service delivery and commercial performance. Develop strong relationships with retailers through varying forms of engagement to ensure we are supporting.

Financial and commercial performance

• Set, monitor, and manage departmental budgets, ensuring service charge expenditures align with forecasts and that variances are analyzed and accounted for.
• Drive productivity across the department by strategically deploying staffing resources, maximizing internal manpower, and minimising agency reliance. Collaborate with HR to address staffing challenges, reduce turnover, and build high-performing teams.
• Oversee tender processes to ensure alignment with operational and commercial goals, approving contracts that meet business objectives.
• Partner with Centre Management to identify growth and profitability opportunities, managing P&L responsibilities such as expenditure control, debt management, invoicing, and cash flow.
• Support the team through changes, fostering adaptability and continuous improvement by developing clear transformation plans and promoting ideas for Centre-wide enhancements.

Risk Management

• You will have a clear focus on operating safely and legally – being proud of the work ethic instilled in the team. Manage and ensure compliance with all aspects of health and safety / quality assurance / environmental requirements across the centre.
• Ensure daily quality audit checks are completed in line with agreed schedules. Report all defects in the centre through the appropriate channels making sure they are followed up and checked. Delivering a safe, clean and attractive environment for customers, retailers and team members, ensuring all the building and malls and car parks are fit for purpose.

Operational excellence

• Management of key contracts within the Environmental Services operation. Maintaining a good relationship with all contractors and make sure Service Level Agreement’s are adhered to. From service, to responsiveness, performance and finally redress.
• Support the Cleaning and Environmental Operational Lead for Savills and the Cleaning and Environmental area manager.
• Work closely with the Compliance team to ensure all equipment is maintained and safe to use. All servicing and maintenance to be planned in advance to ensure smooth running of the operation.
• To set objectives for direct reports and review quarterly. Ensure same approach and mechanisms for all staff within area of responsibility. Keep all site-based company information manuals up to date and available.
• Management of key portfolio objectives in line with the overall business objectives. Understand business risk and drivers to assist with aligning a tailored and flexible delivery solution.
• Development of innovation and best practice standards across all operational aspects of service delivery. Implementation and management of continuous review processes; leading continuous improvement plans and projects.
• Contribute and support corporate responsibility goals, including active involvement in community projects. Participate in at least one day of volunteering annually in alignment with the Foundation pledge.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Person Specification:

• Proven Leadership with demonstrated success of managing complex operations in retail, leisure, or hospitality. Skilled in leading, motivating, and achieving objectives with multi-functional teams.
• Exceptional influencing and motivational skills with a record of supervising teams effectively. Able to inspire and drive high performance.
• Strong communicator with the ability to interact at all levels, respecting workplace diversity. Effective in briefing, networking, and fostering a team-oriented culture. Polite, approachable, confident, and self-motivated with high personal presentation standards.
• Outstanding organisational and problem-solving skills with the ability to balance priorities. Adaptable, calm under pressure, and efficient in managing change to ensure service continuity.
• Strong oral and written communication, report writing, and presentation skills. Analytical mindset for navigating complex situations, maintaining energy, and building credibility quickly. Technical literacy and proficiency with operational technology to maximize business efficiency.
• Knowledge of safe working practices aligned with HASAW and Health & Safety policies. Willing to work flexible hours and extra shifts as required.

Qualifications and experience:

Essential:

• Minimum 3 years of front-line customer service management, leading large teams.
• Financially astute with experience in payroll, materials, and machinery budgeting; proven track record in budget management.
• Strategic experience in the retail sector with strong analytical skills for data analysis, reporting, and trend identification.
• Proven ability in contract management, retention, and delivering exceptional customer service under pressure

Desirable:

• Background in a retail/hospitality company recognized as an Employer of Choice.
• Management qualification and/or NEBOSH General Certification.
• Experience in designing and aligning service delivery with strategic business goals.
• Knowledge of communication planning for management teams and the development of enhanced data reports

Working Hours - 40hrs per week (One weekend in 4) 

Salary - Up to £50,000 

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Please see our Benefits Booklet for more information.