Operations Manager – Pressure Equipment

Job Description

1. Role, purpose, and scope

The Operations Manager – Pressure Parts is responsible for the safe, compliant and commercially effective delivery of all pressure equipment and pressure part project works undertaken by [Employer hidden] across the UK and Europe.

This role provides strategic and operational leadership across tendered and time-and-materials pressure systems projects, ensuring that delivery aligns with client requirements, statutory obligations, and [Employer hidden]’s Integrated Management System (IMS). The postholder is accountable for assigning Project Managers, ensuring execution packs are fully implemented, and maintaining operational control from award through to completion.

As a senior operational leader within [Employer hidden]’s core Pressure Systems service line, the Operations Manager – Pressure Parts will work closely with Engineering, Commercial, Health & Safety and Finance to ensure projects are delivered in line with our commitment to safety, quality, environmental responsibility and client satisfaction, as set out within our Group Policies.

The role is client-facing and technically grounded, requiring strong leadership, deep knowledge of pressure equipment regulations and codes, and the ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams across multiple live sites and jurisdictions.

2. Principal accountabilities

Operational Leadership – Pressure Parts

• Oversee all pressure equipment and pressure part project activities across the UK and Europe.
• Assign appropriately competent Project Managers and Project Supervisors to each project.
• Ensure tendered works are delivered strictly in accordance with approved execution packs and P06 Project Management processes.
• Maintain operational oversight of programme, quality, safety and commercial performance across all live projects.
• Conduct structured operational reviews with Project Managers to ensure delivery excellence and effective risk management.

Project Governance and Execution

• Ensure execution packs are fully developed, approved and implemented prior to site mobilisation.
• Confirm compliance with relevant pressure equipment legislation (including PED/UKCA where applicable), client specifications and applicable codes and standards.
• Ensure inspection, testing, certification and documentation requirements are controlled and completed in accordance with IMS procedures.
• Monitor and intervene where project risk, safety exposure, cost or programme deviation is identified.

Purchasing and Commercial Control

• Ensure all goods, materials, subcontract services and specialist inspections required for pressure part works are procured in line with [Employer hidden]’s commercial and procurement procedures.
• Work in collaboration with the Procurement function to ensure supplier selection, approval and engagement are compliant with SP01 Procurement and commercial governance controls.
• Verify that purchase orders reflect approved scopes, pricing structures and contractual terms.
• Ensure subcontractors and suppliers meet technical, safety and certification requirements prior to engagement.
• Maintain cost control by monitoring procurement commitments against project budgets.
• Ensure full transparency, documentation and audit trail for all procurement activities in line with [Employer hidden]’s Quality Policy
• Promote ethical supply chain management in accordance with [Employer hidden]’s Code of Conduct.

Time and Material Projects

• Oversee the review and preparation of quotations for time and material pressure part works.
• Ensure accurate scope definition, resource planning and pricing alignment with Commercial.
• Validate that procurement and resource arrangements reflect operational capacity and client requirements.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with Engineering to ensure technical integrity, WPS approval, ITP development and compliance with notified body requirements.
• Liaise with Commercial to ensure contractual obligations, change control, and margin protection are maintained.
• Partner with Health & Safety to ensure compliance with statutory duties and [Employer hidden]’s Health & Safety Policy.
• Collaborate with Finance to review cost performance, forecasting, cash flow and revenue recognition.

Timesheet Governance and Control

The Operations Manager holds accountability for ensuring robust control and oversight of payroll and client billable timesheets across their service line or region. This includes:

• Ensuring all project and site-based personnel submit accurate and timely payroll timesheets in accordance with company procedures.
• Reviewing and approving timesheets to confirm labour hours, classifications, overtime and allowances are correctly recorded and authorised.
• Ensuring client billable timesheets are validated against site records, scope of works and contractual agreements prior to submission for invoicing.
• Maintaining clear segregation between payroll approval and commercial billing validation where required by internal controls.
• Monitoring trends in labour utilisation, overtime and cost performance to support commercial margin protection.
• Ensuring full transparency, traceability and audit readiness of timesheet records in line with [Employer hidden]’s Integrated Management System and financial governance standards.

Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Compliance

• Promote a culture where safety is prioritised and never compromised.
• Ensure full compliance with [Employer hidden]’s Health & Safety, Quality and Environmental Policies.
• Support audits, client surveillance and notified body inspections.
• Ensure lessons learned and continual improvement initiatives are embedded across pressure part operations.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as senior operational contact for pressure part works.
• Ensure customer requirements are fully understood and delivered in line with P09 Customer Focus.
• Support commercial negotiations and high-level client discussions where required.
• Build long-term, trust-based partnerships aligned to [Employer hidden] Group’s vision of engineering excellence.

Leadership and Team Development

• Provide leadership, direction and operational clarity to Project Managers and Supervisors.
• Ensure expectations regarding safety, quality, documentation, procurement discipline and delivery standards are clearly communicated.
• Support training and competency development in collaboration with HR and the Labour Manager.
• Contribute to succession planning within the Pressure Systems division.

3. Organisational Relationships and Behaviours

Reports to: Head of Operations

Line Management Responsibility: Project Managers, Project Supervisors.

Key Internal Interfaces: Procurement Manager. Head of Engineering. Commercial Managers, Group Head of Health & Safety, Finance Director, Labour Manager and Stores Manager

Key External Interfaces: Clients and Notified Bodies.

4. Expected Behaviours

The Operations Manager – Pressure Parts is expected to embody [Employer hidden] Group’s behaviours at all times:

• Commitment: Delivering safe, compliant and commercially sound outcomes without compromise.
• Integrity: Ensuring documentation, certification, procurement and commercial decisions reflect the highest professional standards.
• Brevity: Communicating clearly and decisively across operational, technical and client interfaces.
• Compassion: Supporting colleagues and fostering a positive and accountable working culture.

The role holder must act as a visible ambassador for [Employer hidden]’s Pressure Systems capability and our wider commitment to Powering Excellence, Engineering Success.

5. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Significant experience in pressure systems, boiler, piping or high-integrity pressure equipment project delivery.
• Strong working knowledge of Pressure Equipment Regulations (PED/UKCA), welding standards, NDT requirements and inspection regimes.
• Demonstrable experience managing multiple complex projects across geographically diverse locations.
• Proven leadership capability within industrial, power generation, marine, offshore or petrochemical sectors.
• Experience overseeing procurement and subcontractor engagement within controlled commercial environments, ensuring compliance with company procedures.
• Practical experience operating within an ISO-accredited Integrated Management System (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001).
• Strong commercial awareness, including cost control, budget management and margin protection.
• Ability to review and interpret technical documentation, drawings, specifications and certification requirements.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Relevant engineering qualification (HNC/HND/Degree or equivalent professional experience).

Desirable

• Chartered Engineer status or actively working towards chartership.
• NEBOSH General Certificate or equivalent health and safety qualification.
• Formal project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, APM, PMP or equivalent).
• Experience working with Notified Bodies and third-party inspection authorities.
• Experience delivering pressure equipment projects across European jurisdictions.
• Knowledge of international design and construction codes (e.g. ASME, EN standards).
• Experience contributing to strategic business growth within a specialist engineering division.