Head of Operations

Airband Community Internet Ltd; Droitwich Spa; Hybrid; GBP 68,000 - GBP 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading telecommunications provider is looking for a Head of Operations to manage end-to-end field operations, ensuring effective delivery of service through internal and external teams. Key responsibilities include overseeing third-party partnerships, technical support, and maintaining operational excellence. The candidate should have at least 5 years of senior operational leadership experience, with a background in managing outsourced field services. The position offers a competitive salary along with several benefits including hybrid working options and a generous leave policy.

Benefits

25 days of paid leave, rising to 30

5% company pension

Free Broadband

Discounts on phone plans

Cycle to work scheme

Healthcare and medical insurance

Employee discount platform

Qualifications

• Demonstrated 5+ years senior operational leadership in multi-partner, geographically distributed field teams.
• Proven experience managing outsourced field delivery and SLA-based contracts.
• Knowledge of CDM Regulations and contractor safety management.
• Lean / Continuous Improvement (e.g. Six Sigma Yellow/Green Belt).

Responsibilities

• Own all field-based operational activity from site build readiness through to live service operations.
• Lead and manage third-party installation, build and maintenance partners.
• Ensure compliance with health & safety, quality and regulatory requirements across all field activities.
• Define and track operational KPIs across build support, installs, repairs and maintenance.
• Act as a trusted partner to the COO and MD build performance, risks, and opportunities.

Skills

Communication

Leadership & Performance

Change Management

Relationship Management

Negotiation & Conflict Resolution

Risk Management

Project Leadership

Commercially astute

Regulatory Compliance

Adaptability

Job description

Job Title: Head Of Operations

Location: Droitwich (Hybrid)

Job Type: Full-Time (40 hours per week)

Salary: up to £80,000 DOE + £4,800 Car Allowance + discretionary annual bonus

Job Summery

The Head of Operations is responsible for end-to-end field operations across the Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network of Rural Wireless (RW), covering site build support, customer installations, break/fix maintenance, and ongoing infrastructure support.

The role owns the operational execution model, ensuring safe, high-quality, and cost-effective delivery through a mix of internal teams and third‑party partners.

The role also leads the Technical Support function, providing second-line technical guidance to field engineers and partners, and acting as a critical interface between Networks, Platforms, and on-the-ground delivery resources. Reporting directly to RW’s Chief Operating Officer, the role is accountable for ensuring rollout execution aligns with strategic objectives and operational excellence.

Field Operations Leadership

• Own all field-based operational activity from site build readiness through to live service operations.
• Define and operate a scalable field operations model covering:
  • Network site build support and commissioning
  • Customer CPE installation
  • Break/fix and reactive maintenance
  • Preventative maintenance of critical infrastructure
• Ensure consistent operating standards, tooling and processes across all field activities.

Partner & Contractor Management

• Lead and manage third-party installation, build and maintenance partners.
• Define partner onboarding, accreditation, training and performance management frameworks.
• Own operational SLAs, KPIs, and commercial performance management with delivery partners.
• Drive continuous improvement in cost, quality, safety and time-to fix/install.

Service Assurance & Maintenance

• Own break/fix response models, escalation paths and repair SLAs.
• Coordinate with the Network Operations function on fault identification and prioritisation.
• Ensure resilience and uptime of key network sites through planned maintenance and rapid incident response.
• Manage spares, tooling and field readiness to support fast restoration.

Technical Support Helpdesk

• Lead the Technical Support Helpdesk supporting internal and third-party field engineers.
• Provide second-line technical assistance for installation, commissioning and fault resolution.
• Act as a bridge between field teams and Network, Platforms and Engineering teams.
• Ensure knowledge management, troubleshooting guides and technical documentation are maintained.

Operational Governance, Quality & Safety

• Ensure compliance with health & safety, quality and regulatory requirements across all field activities.
• Embed quality assurance, right-first-time and audit processes.
• Own operational risk management related to field delivery and partner execution.

Performance Management & Reporting

• Define and track operational KPIs across build support, installs, repairs and maintenance.
• Provide regular performance reporting to executive leadership.
• Use data to drive productivity improvements and cost efficiency.

Team Leadership

• Lead field operations managers, partner managers and the Technical Support Helpdesk team.
• Build a high-performance operations culture focused on safety, accountability and service excellence.
• Develop capability, succession and scalable operating models as the network grows.

Leadership

• Act as a trusted partner to the COO and MD build performance, risks, and opportunities.
• Build and mentor a high-performing leadership team to deliver the program.
• Foster a culture of disciplined execution and accountability.

Key Skills

• Communication – ability to present to C-suite audiences, boards, and external stakeholders.
• Leadership & Performance – ability to build and lead high performance teams, ensure performance development frameworks are in place to manage staff performance, drive development of organisational capability and undertake succession.
• Change Management – drives a positive change culture, championing adaptability, continuous improvement, and agile thinking across the organisation.
• Relationship Management – outstanding relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to influence and inspire at all levels. Skilled in cross-functional alignment and structured decision-making.
• Negotiation & Conflict Resolution – balances commercial, operational, and relational factors, ensuring outcomes align with strategic goals and long-term value.
• Risk Management – identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks to protect organisational interests and ensure informed decision-making.
• Project Leadership – manages scope, risks, and dependencies, proactively addressing issues to keep projects on track and within budget.
• Commercially astute – has a strong grasp of budget and financial management.
• Regulatory Compliance – ensures organisational adherence to relevant laws, regulations, and standards, reducing legal and operational risk.
• Adaptability – proven ability to learn, adapt, and refine delivery models in changing environments.

Essential

• Demonstrated 5+ years senior operational leadership in multi-partner, geographically distributed field teams.
• Proven experience managing outsourced field delivery and SLA-based contracts.
• Knowledge of CDM Regulations and contractor safety management.
• Lean / Continuous Improvement (e.g. Six Sigma Yellow/Green Belt).

What can Airband Offer you?

• 25 days of paid leave a year rising to 30 plus bank holidays with service.
• 5% Airband pension plus a minimum 3% employee contribution.
• Customer referral bonus – a thank you for every customer you send our way.
• We offer hybrid working – a mix of working from home and in the office.
• Free Broadband – If you are in our coverage, you can benefit from free broadband with us!
• 20% off your monthly line rental on EE’s phone, tablet, SIM only or mobile broadband plans.
• Cycle to work, Tech scheme, Healthcare and medical insurance. Dental care, and Health cash fund (dependent on the length of service).
• Airshare (employee discount platform) – discounts on everyday shopping, weekly groceries, holidays, the list is endless – save up to £1,000 a year!
• Refer a friend reward scheme!

Pre-employment checks

Please note that you are required to have the right to work in the UK and we request satisfactory references as part of our recruitment process. A DBS check may be required for a number of our roles, particularly those that are customer-facing. Also, a driving license may be required for positions that require you to be out in the field as part of the role.

Recruitment agency support is not required at this time.