Local Operations Manager (England)

About us:

DEUTSCHE WINDTECHNIK (DWT) is Germany’s largest Independent Service Provider offering a comprehensive service package for Wind Turbine Generators (WTG) from one single source. With more than 6,600 WTGs under contract and more than 1,800 employees operating in several European countries, Deutsche Windtechnik sets the bar for Independent Service Provider services in the European wind energy sector.

In 2015, Deutsche Windtechnik entered the UK market and now has over 640 WTGs/700MW under Service & Maintenance contracts. We aim to expand further into both onshore and offshore markets. Deutsche Windtechnik Ltd‘s head office is located in Livingston.

About the job:

The Local Operations Manager (LOM) is a pivotal role in linking the back office to the field. The role sits within the Operations Department and is responsible for the operational management of wind farms within a geographical area of the business. Taking ownership, handling communication, building collaborative relationships both internally and externally, and managing expectations are key components towards the role’s success. 

Duties and responsibilities:

• Ensure a safety culture is visible throughout the business with a clear focus on QHSE.
• Embed and ‘live’ the company’s vision, mission, values and behaviours.
• Take complete ownership of your area.
• Stand in for the Head of Operations in periods of absence.
• Lead all people management topics – Managing poor/high performance, appraisals, sickness issues, site issues and all relevant people issues. Lead, motivate, communicate and engage openly and consistently with all employees across their area.
• Identify and drive technician training requirements for your area, working with the Engineering and Technical Training Leader to produce a technician training pipeline.
• Coordinate resource versus demand, including training, sickness, working time directives and annual leave, to maximise contractual obligations.
• Ensure the effective operational management and development of your area in terms of client relationships, legal compliance and commercial issues.
• Ensure effective communication with the Supply Chain to optimise site stock levels, service kits, stock movements and specialised calibrated tool list.
• Ensure technicians consume parts/book times daily.
• Assess fault analysis every month on top fault errors in conjunction with Engineering (AE’s) and ensure Rotorsoft close out is carried out immediately post work on WTG’s.
• Ensure there is a centralised plan for your area, covering both planned and unplanned work for a rolling year, in conjunction with Planning and Dispatch. Gather service data from each customer for WTG/sites.
• Develop and monitor all service and maintenance plans for resource rotas, reactive maintenance, and retrofit and snagging plans, ensuring they meet appropriate timelines in conjunction with planning, dispatch, and communication with respective customers.
• In conjunction with Planning and Dispatch, coordinate stat inspections for each area, including PO and induction process with Team Leads.
• Support planning and dispatch to create rolling monthly service order packs.
• Verify and communicate the monthly workload to technicians.
• Participate in a weekly call with dispatch to verify the weekly/monthly plan and rolling bank of work and service orders.
• Hold Team meetings – assign and communicate QHSE alerts, the monthly bank of work, and Engineering alerts.
• Create a fleet plan and vehicle availability, including a servicing plan, in conjunction with the Fleet Manager.
• Ensure service check sheets and service orders are closed out through Team Leads in PIAX/Proalpha.
• Send the service checklist and pending works to customers weekly through Team Leads. Once confirmed, send back to dispatch. Confirm and upload pending works (snagging list).
• Support sales with new projects, resource allocation, and technical capability.
• Collate and share information on best practices and drive continuous improvements/ quality standards.
• Ensure the Stopped WTG tracker is collated, as per the process, and any LDs/ opportunities are communicated immediately to the Head of Operations for escalation to the risk and opportunity matrix.
• Ensure that all additional service works are closed and invoiced correctly, following the correct process.
• Deliver agreed financial targets, availability reports, budgets and management reporting on monthly KPIs.

Your profile:

• Strong leadership experience
• Excellent understanding of the wind turbine safety rules
• Building effective relationships with all key stakeholders
• Strong business acumen
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Natural decision-maker, able to exercise judgment and take responsibility for the consequences of actions and decisions
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Ability to manage change and constantly challenge the status quo
• Determined and resilient, with the drive to complete tasks
• Demonstrate progressive behaviours, driving continuous improvement for their area and the UK operations team.
• Flexibility

We offer:

•        32 days annual leave (increases with length of service)
•        Private Health Insurance
•        Employee Assistance Programme which provides employees with 24/7 confidential help
•        Private Pension Scheme
•        Life Assurance

Equal opportunity:

DWT is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a work environment that is free from discrimination and where employees are treated with dignity and respect. Employment at DWT is based solely on an individual’s merit and qualifications, which are directly related to job competence.

DWT does not discriminate against any employee or job applicant based on race, ethnicity, nationality, ancestry, genetic information, citizenship, religion, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, rules or regulations.

We adhere to these principles in all aspects of employment, including recruiting, hiring, training, compensation, promotion and benefits. 

Interested in learning more?