Location
Wash Lodge, Valentines Park, 210 Cranbrook Road, Ilford IG1 4TG

Hours
Full time - 40 hours per week

Salary
£63,822 per annum

About the Role
Vision Redbridge Culture & Leisure Ltd is seeking a Head of Operations to lead the strategic and operational delivery of our Parks & Open Spaces service across the London Borough of Redbridge. This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive, resilient and experienced leader with a proven track record of delivering high-quality services and projects in green spaces. The successful candidate will develop strategies and oversee the delivery of services, projects, staff and budgets, ensuring consistently high standards across parks, grounds maintenance, allotments, nature conservation, country parks and fleet maintenance operations.

You will ensure services are well-managed, financially sustainable and customer-focused, while embedding a strong culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and partnership working across Redbridge.

Key responsibilities include:
- Providing strategic leadership and operational oversight of parks, open spaces, grounds maintenance, allotments, nature conservation, country parks and fleet maintenance
- Leading, managing and developing operational teams, promoting a positive, accountable and high-performing working environment
- Developing and implementing operational strategies, service plans and improvement initiatives aligned with Vision’s objectives
- Overseeing service budgets, financial planning and resource allocation to ensure efficiency, value for money and financial sustainability
- Ensuring services meet agreed standards, contractual obligations and key performance indicators (KPIs), addressing operational performance issues as required
- Managing contractors, suppliers, assets and maintenance programmes effectively
- Ensuring compliance with health and safety legislation, statutory requirements and organisational policies
- Identifying opportunities for service development, income generation, efficiencies and commercial growth
- Building and maintaining effective relationships with Redbridge Council, elected members, community organisations and other key stakeholders
- Supporting environmental sustainability, biodiversity, conservation and the long-term development of parks and green spaces
- Leading operational responses to significant incidents, service disruptions and emergencies, ensuring appropriate business continuity arrangements are in place

Experience
- High level of horticultural and grounds maintenance knowledge
- Proven track record of leading, managing and developing people and delivering excellent services
- Experience managing budgets, resources and operational service delivery
- Experience of leading change and continuous improvement in complex environments
- Strong understanding of health and safety, operational risk and fleet management

About you
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at political and senior management levels
- Strong strategic planning, organisational and decision-making skills
- Commercial awareness with the ability to identify and implement opportunities for change, improvement and growth
- Excellent communication and partnership-working skills
- A proactive, resilient and customer-focused approach, with the ability to motivate, challenge and engage individuals and teams

Qualifications
Not explicitly stated, but relevant qualifications in horticulture, management or related fields would be advantageous