Operations Director

Operations Director

Location: Fareham, with regular travel to Heathrow required.

The Operations Director - Aviation Engineering Project Services is a strategic leadership role accountable for the commercial success, operational delivery, and growth of our Aviation business area. In this role you will lead a high-performing team, oversee client delivery across multiple accounts, and ensure financial targets are achieved. Acting as a credible sector expert, working closely with sales and business development to identify and convert new opportunities, while fostering strong client relationships through a solutions-driven mindset. With full ownership of resourcing, performance, and service quality, the Operations Director is expected to drive continuous improvement, empower their team to grow and innovate, and play a key role in shaping the future of the Aviation portfolio.

Responsibilities:

Strategic & Financial Leadership

• Own the P&L for the Aviation Engineering Project Services business area, ensuring financial targets are met or exceeded.
• Involved in the setting and delivering of the annual business plan in line with company strategy.
• Identify and implement commercial opportunities to grow revenue and margin.

Client Delivery & Relationship Management

• Ensure successful delivery across all aviation client accounts, maintaining high standards of performance, quality, and client satisfaction.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships as a credible technical and operational expert.
• Act as an escalation point for client issues and ensure timely and effective resolution.

Business Growth & Development

• Operate with an entrepreneurial and growth mindset to scale the business area in a sustainable and profitable way.
• Support the sales team with technical input, bid/proposal development, and client presentations.
• Identify new business opportunities and collaborate with the BD team on strategic pursuits.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and empower a high-performing team to grow their accounts and take ownership of client relationships.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and innovation.
• Identify and nurture future leaders within the Aviation team.
• Conduct regular 1:1s, manage performance and develop growth plans for direct reports.

Resource & Operational Management

• Oversee the allocation and performance of consultants/resources across client sites, ensuring high-quality service and utilisation.
• Maintain clear oversight of delivery status, risk, and resourcing plans.
• Implement best practices in project and service delivery, including governance, reporting, and quality assurance.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with other Directors and Heads of Department to align Aviation operations with broader company goals.
• Contribute to internal initiatives around process improvement, service innovation, and culture building.

What we're looking for:

• Proven experience at Operations Director or Senior Manager level, ideally within Aviation, Defence, or another complex technical/regulated sector.
• Strong P&L ownership experience and commercial acumen.
• Track record of successful delivery of complex programmes or consultancy services to large clients.
• Deep understanding of project delivery lifecycles, resource management, and operational governance.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a focus on growth, value creation, and innovation.
• Strong problem-solving and solution-development capabilities with a client-first approach.
• Exceptional leadership skills with experience managing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Confident communicator and relationship builder, both internally and externally.
• Comfortable operating at both strategic and hands-on levels.
• Strong network within the aviation or aerospace industries.

 

What Can We Offer You?

• A competitive salary package
• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays, and your birthday off
• Company pension
• Benefits
• An environment where your learning and development is supported through a range of various learning tools and courses

With ambitious people at our heart, we're driven by our ability to facilitate positive change. Connecting engineering specialists with the right talent, we go the extra mile to create bespoke solutions and powerful collaborations that support and accelerate the ever-evolving engineering industry, today and tomorrow.

Carbon60 is powered by Impellam, a connected group providing global workforce and specialist recruitment solutions.

 

For all queries, please contact

 

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnerships, pregnancy or maternity or age.