About The Role
Days of Working: Monday to Friday
Role Overview
The Cleaning Operations Manager will take day-to-day responsibility for the operational performance and quality of cleaning services across a portfolio of education sites.
You will lead a multi-level operational team, including Area Managers, Contract Managers and Site Managers, ensuring clear accountability and consistent standards across the portfolio. Working closely with schools, Trusts and colleagues, you will ensure services are delivered safely and in accordance with contractual specifications and OCS standards, balancing service quality with commercial performance.
Experience
- Experience managing cleaning, facilities management or another multi-site operation, including managing managers and geographically dispersed teams.
- A strong and supportive leader who can motivate, coach and develop managers and frontline colleagues.
- Customer focused, with the confidence to build effective relationships with senior school and Trust stakeholders.
- Highly organised, able to prioritise effectively and manage multiple sites and competing demands.
- Commercially aware, with experience managing labour and controllable costs.
- Proactive and solutions focused, taking ownership of issues through to resolution.
- Strong attention to detail, with a clear focus on quality, compliance and safeguarding.
- Able to demonstrate high levels of integrity, professionalism and confidentiality.
- Comfortable using digital systems for auditing, reporting and performance management.
Role Requirements
- Flexible and willing to adapt to customer and operational requirements.
- Able to travel regularly between sites as required.
- Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be willing to undertake the appropriate screening and DBS checks required for the role.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
Operational Performance & Quality
- Ensure services are delivered safely, consistently and in accordance with contractual specifications and OCS standards.
- Complete regular site visits, quality audits and service reviews, ensuring improvement actions are followed through to completion.
- Use performance data, customer feedback and audit results to drive continuous improvement.
- Support mobilisations, service changes and wider Education Division initiatives as required.
People & Leadership
- Lead and manage Area Managers, Contract Managers and Site Managers, ensuring clear accountability and consistent standards across the portfolio.
- Lead, motivate and develop management and frontline teams, ensuring appropriate staffing, training and performance management.
- Monitor absence, vacancies and resource requirements to maintain service continuity.
Customer Relationships
- Build strong relationships with schools, Trusts and key customer stakeholders.
- Respond proactively to issues and service requirements, ensuring actions are followed through to resolution.
Health, Safety & Safeguarding
- Ensure compliance with OCS health and safety, safeguarding and education requirements, including relevant KCSIE expectations.
- Ensure colleagues complete the required vetting, induction, safeguarding and compliance training.
Commercial & Financial Performance
- Manage labour, materials and other controllable costs within agreed budgets, balancing service quality with commercial performance.
About The Company
OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.
Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.
Why Work for OCS?
- Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.
- Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.
- Retail Perks With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.
- Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!
- Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)
We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.
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