Manager - Operational Technology

Job Purpose

Within the organisation, Operational Technology means the business-led optimisation of operational processes, systems, information and decision-making across the asset and service lifecycle.

The Manager – Operational Technology leads enterprise-wide improvements across facilities, assets, customer services and related operations. The role converts strategy into standardised processes, trusted information, adopted systems and measurable improvements in service, productivity, lifecycle cost, resilience, compliance and customer outcomes.

The role is the functional owner for CAFM/EAM and related operational capabilities, connecting BIM, AIM, AIS, customer workflows, data governance, executive intelligence, automation and AI-enabled decision support. It leads initiatives from business case through operational adoption and benefits realisation.

Key Outcomes

• Standardised, controlled and customer-focused enterprise processes before automation.
• Successful adoption and optimisation of CAFM/EAM and related operational systems.
• Trusted, governed and lifecycle-ready asset and operational information.
• Improved asset reliability, service performance, customer experience and management decision-making.
• Verified financial, productivity, compliance and risk benefits sustained after implementation.
• A governed pipeline of high-value automation, analytics and AI-enabled improvements.
• Enterprise Transformation & Value
• Own the multi-year operational technology roadmap, investment priorities and transformation portfolio aligned to enterprise strategy.
• Develop business cases, baselines, target outcomes and benefits plans; assign benefit owners and track value through transition into business as usual.
• Lead cross-functional programmes across scope, schedule, budget, risk, dependencies, procurement, change and executive governance.
• Provide concise executive intelligence on progress, decisions, risks, performance and realised benefits.
• Operating Model, Processes & Requirements
• Design target operating models covering process ownership, roles, decision rights, service models, controls and capability needs.
• Lead enterprise requirements from discovery and prioritisation through traceability, acceptance and controlled change.
• Simplify and standardise end-to-end operational and customer workflows before automation, removing duplication, waste, hand-offs and control gaps.
• Maintain a value-ranked backlog of process, information and system improvements across functions and subsidiaries.
• Operational Systems Functional Ownership
• Act as business product owner and functional design authority for CAFM and subsequent operational platforms.
• Own functional scope, fit-gap decisions, configuration principles, acceptance criteria, user testing, release approval and operational readiness.
• Systemise asset registers, work management, maintenance, inspections, service requests, contracts, space, inventory and field operations using scalable standard processes.
• Monitor adoption, data quality, service levels, control effectiveness and post-go-live value; sponsor corrective action and continuous optimisation.
• Asset Information, Data & Intelligent Operations
• Lead the operational application of BIM and govern AIM, AIS, the common data environment and information handover across the asset lifecycle.
• Define enterprise, asset, project and exchange information requirements, ownership, standards, quality controls and acceptance gates.
• Connect trusted information across CAFM/EAM, GIS, ERP, CRM, BMS, IoT, documents and business intelligence to enable one version of performance.
• Identify, prioritise and operationalise AI, automation and analytics use cases with Digital and IT, ensuring data readiness, responsible controls, human oversight and measurable value.
• Customer & Operational Performance
• Embed customer needs, service standards and experience measures into functional and workflow design.
• Connect customer requests, cases, feedback and recovery to operational fulfilment, accountability and reporting.
• Use asset, service, cost, condition and journey data to improve reliability, lifecycle decisions, resource allocation and first-time resolution.
• Establish clear KPIs and performance routines that convert insight into accountable management action.
• People, Change & Delivery Partnerships
• Lead direct reports where assigned and matrixed business workstreams, building capability in process ownership, functional product management and value realisation.
• Build sponsor, process-owner and super-user networks; lead change impacts, communications, training, readiness, resistance management and sustained adoption.
• Manage vendors against outcomes, quality, service levels, knowledge transfer and contractual commitments.

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Facilities Management, Asset Management, Operations, Business or a closely related discipline.
• 10+ years' relevant experience, including at least 5 years leading complex business or operational transformation in an asset-intensive, real-estate, infrastructure, facilities or community-services environment.
• Recognised project or programme management certification such as PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner or equivalent, or commitment to obtain an agreed certification within a defined period.
• Evidence of direct accountability for improving facilities, asset, maintenance, customer-service or field operations, including process ownership and operational performance management.
• Proven leadership of at least one enterprise-scale transformation from business case and process redesign through frontline implementation, adoption and quantified post-go-live benefits.
• Demonstrated functional ownership, implementation or optimization of CAFM, EAM or a comparable operational platform.
• Strong experience in target operating models, requirements, workflow optimisation, governance, supplier management and executive engagement.
• Ability to identify, prioritise and operationalise AI, automation and analytics use cases, working with Digital and IT to ensure responsible implementation and measurable value; coding or model-development expertise is not required.

Preferred

• Postgraduate qualification in business, engineering, asset/facilities management or transformation.
• Change-management certification such as Prosci, APMG Change Management or equivalent.
• Relevant professional credential such as CFM/FMP, IAM Certificate/Diploma, Lean Six Sigma or ISO 19650 information-management certification.

Candidate Profile

The role requires a business-led transformational professional with strong operational domain experience and sufficient technology fluency to lead functional design, adoption and value realisation. It is not intended as a technical IT delivery, infrastructure, systems-administration or software-engineering position.

Enterprise Transformation

• Converts strategy into governed execution, operating-model change and sustained business outcomes.
• Leads complex portfolios, budgets, dependencies, risks, vendors and executive decis