Area Manager, Management Operations Manager

Area Manager – Grounds Maintenance Surrey & London | £45,000  Car/Van Allowance  10% Bonus (OTE £50k) Our client, a specialist grounds maintenance contractor is seeking an experienced Contract/ Area Manager to take ownership of a high-value, multi-site housing association contract spanning Surrey and London. This is a pivotal hire for the business, offering full account leadership across a c.£1.3m contract and the chance to make an immediate, visible impact on service delivery and client relationship recovery.

The Contract The portfolio is split across three lots. In total, the contract spans around 15 teams and 30 operatives, including subcontractor resource, delivering fortnightly grounds maintenance visits across the client's housing stock.

The right candidate will bring structure, accountability, and credible on-the-ground leadership to stabilise performance, rebuild client confidence, and set the account up for long-term growth.

The Role Reporting into senior operational leadership, you'll take full responsibility for the account, managing two supervisors (one covering the London lots, one covering Surrey) who in turn oversee the wider team structure.

Key responsibilities include:

Full ownership of service delivery, KPIs, and contract compliance across all three lots Direct line management of two supervisors, with indirect oversight of c.13 teams Resourcing, scheduling, and performance management to close the current visit-compliance gap Acting as the senior client contact, rebuilding and maintaining a strong working relationship at a critical point in the contract lifecycle Site visits and inspections across both Surrey and London (London coverage required at least weekly) Budget oversight and commercial performance against contract targets Driving a firm, fair, performance-led culture among operational teams What We're Looking For Essential:
Background in grounds maintenance (Ideal) Full UK driving licence (non-negotiable) Experience managing a contract in the region of £800k–£850k or above Track record managing 6–8 teams, ideally across multiple sites Strong, credible people and performance management skills, comfortable managing operatives who test boundaries Excellent planning, scheduling, and organisational capability Highly valued:
Demonstrated success rebuilding or stabilising an underperforming contract Strong client relationship management experience, particularly with demanding stakeholders A proactive, hands-on, "get stuck in" approach from day one Location & Working Pattern Ideally based in Surrey or the Thames Valley/West London area. The role is largely site-based (4 days per week across Surrey and London), with 1 day working from home.

Regular travel to the London lots is required. Package £45,000 base salary Company car, van, or car allowance 10% performance bonus (up to £4,500), linked to contract delivery