Drainage Reactive Manager

We have an exciting opportunity for a Drainage Reactive Manager to lead the delivery of all reactive drainage works across the Rail Division. This is a critical operational role responsible for managing emergency and unplanned works within a demanding 24/7 environment, ensuring safe, timely, and efficient responses to client requirements.

The successful candidate will oversee the coordination of labour, plant, subcontractors, and support functions to ensure reactive incidents are attended, managed, and closed out to the required standard. You will work closely with Help Desk Service Coordinators, Duty Engineers, BDU Managers, and field teams to maintain service performance, minimise disruption, and protect client assets.

This role requires a driven and resilient individual who can perform under pressure, make sound decisions quickly, and lead teams in a fast-paced reactive environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all reactive drainage operations across the contract.
• Ensure emergency and unplanned works are responded to within contractual timescales and service level requirements.
• Oversee day-to-day reactive workload, prioritising incidents based on risk, urgency, Mandated KPIs, and operational impact.
• Manage field teams, supervisors, subcontractors, and support functions to ensure effective service delivery.
• Work closely with Service Coordinators and Duty Engineers to allocate appropriate resources to live incidents.
• Provide operational leadership during high-priority incidents and escalations.
• Monitor performance against KPIs, response times, completion rates, and client expectations.
• Ensure all reactive works are delivered in accordance with health, safety, environmental, and quality standards.
• Review completed works, ensuring records, photographs, and job data are accurate and auditable.
• Identify recurring issues and trends, implementing improvement plans to reduce repeat reactive demand.
• Support client meetings, escalations, and performance reviews relating to reactive delivery.
• Manage labour productivity, overtime, and cost control within the reactive function.
• Contribute to out-of-hours escalation arrangements where required.

Skills and Experience Required:

• Proven experience managing reactive operations within drainage, rail, utilities, highways, or infrastructure sectors.
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing operational teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to make effective decisions under pressure and manage multiple live priorities.
• Good understanding of drainage operations, incident response, and service delivery expectations.
• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to balance service and cost control.
• Experience managing KPIs, client relationships, and operational reporting.
• Good IT skills, including workforce management and job management systems.
• Full UK driving licence.
  
  

Benefits

• 24 days holiday
• Pension scheme and death-in-service benefit

• Regular training opportunities, including our in-house City & Guilds qualifications

About the Lanes Group:

Lanes Group plc is a leading nationwide utility services provider with over 3,500 dedicated employees. Our diverse subsidiaries drive our success across various sectors, contributing to a remarkable turnover of over £500 million. We are committed to excellence and innovation, ensuring we provide industry leading services to our clients and

stakeholders. Join us to be part of a dynamic and growing team that values diversity and fosters professional growth.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from under-represented members of the community. 

Strictly no agencies please