Head of Operations 📍 Newcastle (Head Office base)
💷 £65,000 – £70,000

Lead the Network.

Set the Standard.

Keep the Region Moving.

This isn’t just about running buses.

It’s about leading people, making sound decisions under pressure, and delivering safe, reliable services every single day.

We’re looking for an experienced Head of Operations to take ownership of a large, multi-site public transport operation across the North East.

You’ll be responsible for the operational heartbeat of the business — from first departures to peak-time resilience and incident response — setting the standards and leading the teams that keep services running safely and consistently.

Based in Newcastle, this is a highly visible leadership role requiring regular presence across multiple depots and operational sites throughout the region.

What You’ll Own

- End-to-end operational delivery — safe, punctual and fully compliant services.

- Clear performance standards across multiple depots, with strong accountability.

- Leadership, coaching and development of Depot Managers and operational teams.

- Operational safety and regulatory compliance, including engagement with external regulators.

- Network resilience — managing disruption and leading effective incident response.

- Productivity, efficiency and cost control without compromising safety or service.

- Strong cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Commercial, Finance and HR.

- Providing clear operational insight to support senior-level decision-making.

Who You Are

- A credible senior operational leader from bus, transport, logistics or a similarly complex environment.

- Experienced in leading large, dispersed teams within a safety-critical, unionised setting.

- Visible, decisive and calm under pressure.

- Commercially aware, comfortable managing budgets and improving performance.

- A confident decision-maker with strong operational judgement.

- A clear, authentic communicator who can engage frontline teams and senior stakeholders alike.

What’s On Offer

- £65,000 – £70,000 salary

- Full-time, Monday to Friday (with flexibility to meet operational needs)

- A high-impact leadership role at the core of the business

- The opportunity to shape operational standards and drive meaningful change

- A culture built on safety, accountability and strong leadership

If you’re ready to take ownership of a complex regional operation and lead from the front, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today by submitting your CV or contact Niki directly for a confidential conversation:
📞 07485 986174
📧 Niki.birrell@holtautotive.co.uk