Operations Manager - Residential and Cleaning Services

This role provides operational leadership for a team of approximately 100 colleagues, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality cleaning and residential services across academic, research, and residential spaces. 

The role is responsible for ensuring services are delivered safely, effectively, and consistently across academic, research, residential and public environments through strong operational management, effective supervisory structures and clear service standards. The postholder will lead and support supervisors and frontline teams to maintain high levels of operational performance, customer service, compliance and continuous improvement across a complex 7-day operational environment.

Working closely with Accommodation Managers and wider Estates & Facilities colleagues, the role contributes to the planning and delivery of operational priorities, service developments and refurbishment activity, ensuring services remain responsive to the evolving needs of the University community. The role also works collaboratively with the Scottish Borders Campus Operations Manager to support consistency of approach, operational alignment and service standards across campuses.
 

Leadership & People Management Responsibilities

1. →Provide clear leadership, direction, and oversight to supervisors and frontline teams.
2. →Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, professionalism and continuous improvement across operational teams.
3. →Ensure clear expectations are established for operational performance, customer service and conduct.
4. →Manage employee relations matters including performance management, absence management, conduct and wellbeing matters in line with University policies and procedures.
5. →Drive a high-performance culture through effective people management, development, and engagement. 
6. →Maintain oversight of operational standards through regular engagement with service areas and supervisors.
7. →Develop strong relationships with stakeholders, adapting services to meet evolving needs.
8. →Work with, operationally oversee, and manage the various key third party supplier and contract agreements – to include but not limited to, deep cleans, mattress replacement, white good repairs, cleaning chemicals, machinery and associated goods.
9. →Act as the primary liaison between contractors, project teams, and Estates colleagues for refurbishment, remedial, and planned works.

Decision Making

1. →Make operational decisions relating to service delivery, staffing, resource allocation and operational priorities within agreed policies and budgets.
2. →Delegate and review workload and objectives, balancing competing demands across stakeholders and operational teams.
3. →Assess operational risks and implement appropriate actions to minimise disruption and maintain service continuity.
4. →Provide technical advice and support to others to enable development of strategy, direction and vision.
5. →Follow Procurement guidelines negotiate with suppliers regrading prices and deliveries to increase financial efficiency.
6. →Escalate significant operational, compliance or resource concerns where appropriate.
7. →Advise on future resource requirements, including equipment, infrastructure, and space.

Planning and Organising

1. →Plan and coordinate operational activity to ensure effective and consistent service delivery across multiple service areas.
2. →Monitor workloads and priorities to optimise the deployment of teams and resources.
3. →Set and deliver strategic objectives and plans in alignment with financial and academic cycles.
4. →Manage day-to-day expenditure to ensure financial control and efficiency.
5. →Support short and longer-term operational planning in line with University priorities and service requirements.
6. →Coordinate staffing and operational resources to support changing operational demands and peak periods.
7. →Develop and embed a programme of engagement to enhance and develop the relationship between the team and key stakeholders.
8. →Lead, coordinate and participate in planning and delivery of key annual activities and events – to include student departure and arrival planning, optimising availability for commercial activities.   

Initiative and Problem Solving

1. →Act as a source of expert advice on complex or non-standard operational issues.
2. →Provide advice and guidance to team members who raise or refer queries.
3. →Apply initiative and professional judgement to resolve problems and deliver effective solutions.
4. →Prepare and deliver training and briefing sessions to provide tools, techniques and support to relevant customers and stakeholders. 
5. →Develop and implement innovative approaches to improve service quality and operational efficiency.
6. →Gather and analyse requirements for systems to identify optimum solutions.

Teamwork

1. →Work collaboratively across the department, contributing to the development and delivery of operational plans.
2. →Participate in internal and external working groups, sharing expertise and providing professional input.
3. →Contribute to and provide support and encouragement across the team.
4. →Build cooperation and set example by demonstration a flexible approach. 
5. →Cover for other managers in the department, including deputising for senior members as appropriate.

Service Excellence 

1. →Provide clear guidance on policy, procedure, and relevant legislation.
2. →Ensure compliance with health and safety legislation, University policies and operational procedures across all service areas.
3. →Provide expert technical advice within your area of knowledge and experience.
4. →Proactively seek to understand and react to the needs and requirements of the customer. 
5. →Work with colleagues within the department to contribute to and manage the continued review and improvement of the service.
6. →Produce timely reports for senior management as requested.
7. →Maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support service delivery.
8. →Advise staff and students of the applications, techniques and use of specialist equipment.

Clear and Consistent Communications 

1. →Prepare and review reports, policies, briefings, and guidance for a range of audiences. 
2. →Communicate clearly and professionally with individuals and groups through written and verbal channels. 
3. →Analyse and present information to support decision-making and service improvement. 
4. →Explain systems, procedures, and technical information in a clear and accessible way.

Citizenship 

1. →Demonstrate University values through professional behaviour and performance. 
2. →Contribute to wider University activities and undertake additional responsibilities as required. 
3. →Support and mentor colleagues, sharing knowledge and experience. 
4. →Act as a positive ambassador for the University, both internally and externally.

Essential

1. Commercial and / or HE experience of a similar scale to role offered 

    

2. Experience of developing and or managing Service Levels Agreements
3. Significant experience of individual and team management or a diverse work force; including attendance, discipline and grievance management

4. Ability to coach, motivate, assess and manage team members

    

5. Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
6. Effective IT skills in a business environment (specifically MS Office)
7. Experience of working closely with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation 
8. High level organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment
9. Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team 
10. Excellent ability to manage and control resources and a good understanding of budgets and accounts.
11. Experience in implementing controls

Desirable

1. Professional Qualification, Membership of Professional body in a defined role 
2. Recent attainment of IOSH
3. Hands on knowledge of Accommodation and Reservation systems used in HE
4. Experience of working as part of a dynamic project board
5. Experience of working in Higher Education 
6. Good presentation and creative skills

Special Factors 

1. Requirement to work at weekends and / or out of hours – depending on the time of year, this could be a regular occurrence 
2. Occasional requirement to travel to other UK campuses

This job description is intended as a flexible framework which outlines the key general areas of activity in your position. Other activities may be required which are not outlined above but which are appropriate to the position and grade. Your personal objectives (Forward Job Plan) will also set out specific tasks and objectives for you to achieve, including objectives to help your career development.

Applications can be submitted up to 11:55pm (UK time) on Sunday 05 July 2026

Please submit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.

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.