Title: Operations Manager
Be the leader that powers safe, reliable delivery
As our Operations Manager, you’ll take the lead in delivering our mains replacement programme across East London, ensuring projects are completed safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards. You’ll be responsible for leading the safe, efficient delivery of contracted works to time, cost, and quality, while managing all aspects of project delivery including planning, budgets, risks, and resources.
From embedding a strong safety and process safety culture across teams and partners, to providing first-line assurance across all operational and contractual activities, this role sits at the heart of driving performance and compliance. You’ll produce accurate monthly reporting across SHE, financials, and programme delivery, while challenging teams to deliver innovative, efficient, and fit-for-purpose solutions.
Working closely with internal teams, strategic partners, and contractors, you’ll ensure robust contractual governance across all delivery partners, build strong stakeholder relationships, and support community engagement on major infrastructure schemes. You’ll also play a key role in driving awareness of regulatory requirements (RIIO) across engineering teams, ensuring we consistently deliver against business and regulatory expectations.
Why you’ll love this role
Lead with Purpose
Take ownership of a major infrastructure programme with an annual value of circa £50m, shaping delivery and performance across multiple teams and partners.
Safety First, Always
Champion a proactive safety culture, embedding process safety and ensuring compliance with all operational and engineering standards.
Customer at the Heart
Drive a customer-first mindset—ensuring inquiries and complaints are handled effectively and continuously improving the customer experience.
Influence & Improve
Lead investigations, share best practice, and drive continuous improvement across SHESQ and project delivery.
Collaborative Delivery
Work closely with strategic partners, supply chain, and internal stakeholders to deliver projects efficiently and to specification.
Make an Impact
Support innovation, new systems, and smarter ways of working—helping to shape the future of how we deliver infrastructure projects.
What you’ll bring
- Proven project or contract management experience within a complex operational environment
- Strong understanding of engineering or infrastructure project delivery
- Solid commercial acumen and ability to manage budgets and contracts effectively
- A passion for customer experience and service excellence
- Strong leadership skills with experience managing teams (direct and indirect)
- Knowledge of Cadent procedures (or similar frameworks) is advantageous
Qualifications:
- Degree (or equivalent experience)
- Membership of a relevant professional body (desirable)
At Cadent, we’re thrilled to be part of the future of UK energy!
We have a clear roadmap to drive our performance to the forefront of our industry and support the UK government in achieving its net zero targets by 2050.
We’re making a difference through innovation and new ways of working. Together, we’re shaping a cleaner, greener future for our 11 million customers, whom we put at the heart of everything we do.
What’s In It for You
Here at Cadent, we recognise that our people are truly unsung heroes. Quietly confident, delivering every day - that’s why we’re committed to supporting our people to get the best out of themselves. For this role, we offer:
- Private Medical Insurance for you, your partner and your family available through MyChoices, our flexible benefits programme, with access to a 24 hour Bupa HealthLine
- 25 days’ holiday, plus 8 statutory days and an option to buy or sell holiday days
- An Annual Performance Bonus of up to 15% of your salary
- A generous pension scheme where the company double matches your contributions up to 12% i.e. if you contribute 6% a month, the company will contribute 12%
- A competitive salary that’s reviewed each year against the market median salary for your role, skills, knowledge and experience
- Generous family policies and flexible benefits
- A free Employee Assistance Line where you can get support and advice on any of the challenges you’re facing, completely confidentially
- Support to help you cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions, course fees, books, examination fees and time off for study leave – so long as it’s relevant to your role
- Plus many more benefits that help you join the dots between your work and home life!
We support a healthy work-life balance and are open to flexible working options.
Diversity and Inclusion
Don’t meet every requirement? No problem! If you’re excited about this opportunity but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification mentioned, we would still love for you to submit your application – you may just be the right person for this role or other opportunities at Cadent.
We value diversity and are committed to being an equitable employer. Our employee communities – Women in Cadent, Pride at Work (LGBTQ+), Embrace (ethnicity and religion), Thrive! (disability), the Cadent Military Community, the Grief Awareness Community, and the Men's Engagement Network (M.E.N) – can’t wait to welcome you!
What’s next?
To be considered for this role, please submit your application with an up-to-date CV and our Talent Acquisition team will get in touch soon. To learn more about Cadent, visit our website at Home | Cadent (cadentgas.com)
Be part of something big. Help shape the future of gas for generations to come.
