Operations Manager Edinburgh, Scotland
Job description
The appointment will be at Grade: 8, Salary: £44,414 : £52,841.
Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry.
Heriot-Watt University has five campuses: three in the UK (Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Orkney), one in Dubai and one in Malaysia. The University offers a highly distinctive range of degree programmes in the specialist areas of science, engineering, design, business and languages. Heriot-Watt University is also Scotland's most international university, boasting the largest international student cohort.
About our Team
The Residential and Cleaning Service is part of Hospitality Services and has responsibility for all aspects of the cleaning the University accommodation, internal public areas and spaces across the Edinburgh campus. The team provides year-round services to the inventory of 2000 bedrooms, academic and public areas as well as third party clients.
The Hospitality Services team makes up nearly 10% of the University's staff establishment with Residential and Cleaning Services representing 45% of this total.
Detailed Description
To provide the strategic management and oversee the operational management and service delivery of the team to all customer and stakeholders. Directing and managing the team and service delivery through the Deputy providing support and advice
Support and assist with the planning and development of projects for new builds, significant refurbishments or alterations to residential accommodation, academic areas and new initiatives.
Provide the specialist expertise to all stakeholders regarding the cleaning of facilities and specifically the maintenance of soft furnishings.
Support the Jean Muir Student Village Manager on all matters relating to the provision of cleaning services in the village.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Management Responsibilities
- Direct and manage the service delivery of the team through the assistant manager and supervisors.
- Agree strategic objectives and plans for the team for each financial and academic year in advance and collaboratively with relevant stakeholders to ensure delivery.
- Monitor, motivate develop the team members and oversee performance management to ensure that individual contributions are optimised
- Manage the day to day budgets for the team ensuring it operates effectively within budget constraints and ensuring appropriate stocks and financial records are maintained.
Decision Making
- Delegate and monitor workload and objectives for team balancing conflicting demands from customers and staff
- Provide timely and accurate advice to customers and stakeholders based on your technical or specialist knowledge
- Assess the risks of various options and work with the relevant customer/stakeholder to achieve the optimum outcome
- Provide technical advice and support to others to enable development of strategy, direction and vision
- Following Procurement guidelines negotiate with suppliers regrading prices and deliveries to increase financial efficiency
- Advise on future physical resource requirements within your area e.g. general/specific equipment, apparatus, space etc.
Planning and Organising
- Plan, prioritise and organise the work or resources of self and team to ensure the timely delivery of agreed service objectives in line with customer needs
- Set performance standards and establish regular monitoring processes to ensure work is carried out and performed to the required standard, taking the necessary follow-up measures to ensure targets are met through effective performance
- Plan, organise, co-ordinate and facilitate meetings, workshops and larger events.
- Monitor project status and take remedial action where necessary to ensure that projects are delivered on time.
- Gather and analyse requirements for systems in order to identify optimum solutions
Initiative and Problem Solving
- Provide advice and guidance on complex and non-standard queries, using personal knowledge and experience
- Provide advice and guidance to team members who raise or refer queries
- Use initiative and creative ideas to resolve non-standard problems using experience and reasoning to reach an effective conclusion
- Prepare and deliver training and briefing sessions to provide tools, techniques and support to relevant customers and stakeholders
- Generate original ideas and innovative solutions through the provision of specialist know-how and advice as appropriate
- Gather and analyse requirements for systems in order to identify optimum solutions
Teamwork
- Work collaboratively and effectively within your department, sharing expertise and contributing to the development of the department operational plan
- Participate in working groups within the university and externally if required, sharing ideas, experience and providing technical advice
- Contribute to and provide support and encouragement across the team
- Build cooperation and set example by demonstration a flexible approach
- Cover for other managers in the department, including deputising for senior members as appropriate
Service Excellence
- Provide timely and appropriate guidance and advice on policy, procedure, legislation and local processes
- Provide expert technical advice within your area of knowledge and experience.
- Create a positive image of the University by being responsive, prompt and courteous when responding to requests or enquiries from customers
- Proactively seek to understand and react to the needs and requirements of the customer
- Work with colleagues within the department to contribute to and manage the continued review and improvement of the service
- Set standards for your team
- Produce timely reports for senior management as requested
- Liaise with internal and external teams, committees, bodies etc. to ensure an effective service
- Advise staff and students of the applications, techniques and use of specialist equipment.
Clear and Consistent Communications
- Write/review papers, policies, guidance and briefings for relevant audiences and stakeholders
- Write letters, emails and other direct communication to individuals and groups
- Interpret, prepare, analyse and deliver reports
- Provide detailed explanations of systems, procedure or technical information both verbally and in writing
- Interpret, prepare, analyse and deliver reports
Citizenship
- Demonstrate the University Values at all times through performance and behaviour
- Participate in ad-hoc duties to support the team/University and for personal development
- Support newer or inexperienced colleagues within and outside the University by offering support, help and advice
- Positively promote the University internally and externally through positive behaviour and supporting University-wide activities
Education, Qualifications and Experience
Essential
- Degree calibre
- Commercial and / or HE experience of a similar scale to role offered
- Experience as lead or key client in major refurbishment programmes
- Recent successful experience of Change Management : in a lead or senior position
- Experience of developing and or managing Service Levels Agreements
- Significant experience of individual and team management or a diverse work force; including attendance, discipline and grievance management
- Ability to coach, motivate, assess and manage team members
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and presentation skills, able to understand and communicate complex issues effectively
- Demonstrable excellent customer service and attention to detail
- Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
- Effective IT skills in a business environment (specifically MS Office)
- Experience of working closely with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation
- High level organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
How to Apply
Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Sunday 18th June 2023.
At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.
Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.
