Head of Operations (Parks & Open Spaces)

Location: Wash Lodge, Valentines Park, 210 Cranbrook Road, Ilford IG1 4TG
Type: Full time, 40 hours

Vision Redbridge Culture & Leisure Ltd is looking to recruit a Head of Operations to lead the strategic and operational delivery of our Parks & Open Spaces service across the London Borough of Redbridge.

This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive, resilient and experienced leader with a proven track record of delivering high-quality services and projects in green spaces.

The successful candidate will develop strategies and oversee the delivery of services, projects, staff and budgets, ensuring consistently high standards across our parks, grounds maintenance, allotments, nature conservation, country parks and fleet maintenance operations.

You'll ensure services are well-managed, financially sustainable and customer-focused, while embedding a strong culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and partnership working across Redbridge.

Key responsibilities

As Head of Operations (Parks & Open Spaces), you will:

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of parks, open spaces, grounds maintenance, allotments, nature conservation, country parks and fleet maintenance.
• Lead, manage and develop operational teams, promoting a positive, accountable and high-performing working environment.
• Develop and implement operational strategies, service plans and improvement initiatives aligned with Vision’s objectives.
• Oversee service budgets, financial planning and resource allocation, ensuring efficiency, value for money and financial sustainability.
• Ensure services meet agreed standards, contractual obligations and key performance indicators (KPIs), addressing operational performance issues as required.
• Oversee the effective management of contractors, suppliers, assets and maintenance programmes.
• Ensure compliance with relevant health and safety legislation, statutory requirements and organisational policies.
• Identify opportunities for service development, income generation, efficiencies and commercial growth.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with Redbridge Council, elected members, community organisations and other key stakeholders.
• Support environmental sustainability, biodiversity, conservation and the long-term development of parks and green spaces.
• Lead operational responses to significant incidents, service disruptions and emergencies, ensuring appropriate business continuity arrangements are in place.

About you

We are looking for someone who has:

• A high level of horticultural and grounds maintenance knowledge.
• A strong track record of leading, managing and developing people and delivering excellent services.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at political and senior management levels.
• Strong strategic planning, organisational and decision-making skills.
• Commercial awareness, with the ability to identify and implement opportunities for change, improvement and growth.
• A strong understanding of health and safety, operational risk and fleet management.
• Experience of managing budgets, resources and operational service delivery.
• Experience of leading change and continuous improvement in complex environments.
• Excellent communication and partnership-working skills.
• A proactive, resilient and customer-focused approach, with the ability to motivate, challenge and engage individuals and teams.

Working at Vision

You'll play a key role in shaping the future of parks and open spaces across Redbridge, helping to deliver high-quality, accessible and sustainable green spaces for residents and visitors.

If you possess the commitment to consistently deliver exceptional results and the ability to motivate, challenge and engage individuals and teams, this is the opportunity for you.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received. We therefore encourage early applications.