Head of Operations in Reading

Job description

Role: Head of Operations & Maintenance

Location: Reading, England (UK)

They are a fast-growing clean energy developer with more than 15 years of renewable experience, backed by £65m in equity and over £200m in institutional debt to accelerate their expansion. With more than 300 MW already under management and a development pipeline exceeding 3 GW across the UK and Europe, they are delivering some of the market’s most significant solar and battery projects. Their end-to-end capability, from land acquisition and planning through to construction and long-term operations, combined with a rapidly scaling team and a proven track record of securing funding, consents and strategic partnerships, positions them as a leading player in driving the energy transition and delivering long-term, sustainable value.

The Head of O&M is responsible for leading the safe, reliable, and cost-effective operation and maintenance of the company’s operational solar PV portfolio. This includes maximising both the technical and financial performance of the assets by ensuring availability, energy yield, and cost-efficiency targets are consistently achieved. The role ensures compliance with all contractual, statutory, and safety obligations, while driving continuous improvement in asset value and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership

Lead site operations to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant working practices. Oversee daily plant performance, maintenance scheduling, incident response, and KPI delivery across availability, performance, and cost efficiency. Ensure all activities comply with safety rules, legislation, and internal procedures.

• Performance & Asset Optimisation

Monitor system data to identify trends, faults, and improvement opportunities. Drive root cause analysis, corrective actions, and predictive and preventative maintenance programmes to reduce downtime and enhance asset life. Regularly review key equipment performance to address systemic issues.

• Financial Performance & Reporting

Manage the financial performance of operational assets, ensuring revenue, cost, and margin targets are met. Report on key financial KPIs, work with internal teams to align technical and financial outcomes, and identify efficiency or profitability improvements. Support forecasting, budgeting, and long-term planning.

• Contractual & Commercial Management

Oversee third-party contracts, ensuring SLAs, warranties, and deliverables are achieved. Manage variations, claims, supplier reviews, and reporting obligations. Support contract review and negotiation for new assets or transitions.

• Compliance & Safety

Embed a strong safety culture and ensure full compliance with grid codes, permits, and regulatory requirements. Liaise with network operators and relevant authorities when required.

• People Leadership

Lead and develop engineering and field teams, driving a collaborative, high-performance culture. Oversee training, competency, performance management, and succession planning.

• Strategic Development

Contribute to long-term O&M strategy, innovation, digitalisation, and operational improvements. Support due diligence and lifecycle projects, and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce cost.

Qualifications & Experience

Minimum 5 years in utility-scale solar or power generation O&M. Strong leadership experience, understanding of asset financial drivers, and knowledge of HV systems, SCADA, and grid operations. Proven ability in budgeting, contract management, and technical reporting. Formal engineering qualification or equivalent experience, plus strong understanding of UK HSE regulations.

Extra information

Status

Closed

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

Reading

Type of Contract

Casual / Part Time Jobs

Profession type

Logistics jobs

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English