Head of Operations – South East Operations Brighton

Brighton, Sussex
Recorra Limited

Job Title:Head of Operations – South East
Job Type: Full-time, permanent
Location: The Head of Operations will be based across our Brighton and Hastings offices:

Brighton: Unit 6, 30 Chartwell Road, Lancing, BN15 8TUHastings: Unit 11, Moorhurst Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 9NB

The Company:

Recorra is a leading circular economy company, providing services for recycling, data destruction and office supplies in London and the South East. We are born environmentalists, formed by Friends of the Earth in 1988 and now operating as an independent commercial organisation.

We are an ethical and fast-growing company with a team of exceptional people and are looking for someone to join us during an exciting period of change and growth. The role provides the opportunity for you to use your skills to make a difference within a friendly, dynamic and forward-thinking company. The culture is energetic, and there will be many opportunities for you to make a substantial contribution to the business.

The Role:

We’re looking for a dynamic and driven Head of Operations to take the lead on all operational activity across Recorra’s South East region. If you’re passionate about delivering exceptional service, leading high-performing teams, and driving continuous improvement, this is your opportunity to make a real impact.

You’ll oversee day-to-day operations from our Lancing and Hastings depots, ensuring our waste collection and supply chain services are safe, efficient, fully compliant, cost-effective and relentlessly customer-focused.

This is a hands-on leadership role that combines resource optimisation, stakeholder engagement and strategic planning with operational execution – perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-led environment.

Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership & Performance

• Responsible for the overall management of collection and supply chain operations at the Lancing and Hastings depots.
• Ensure all operations meet or exceed company standards in service quality, efficiency, and compliance.
• Develop and implement operational strategies to improve performance across service delivery, routing, and resource utilisation.
• Lead daily, weekly, and monthly operational reviews, identifying and resolving bottlenecks or inefficiencies.

Compliance & Health and Safety

• Ensure all operations are compliant with DVSA, transport regulations, waste regulations, and ISO standards as applicable.
• Maintain and promote a strong culture of Health & Safety, including conducting site audits, investigations, and continuous training initiatives.
• Ensure all drivers and fleet activities meet required safety and environmental standards, including driver hours, vehicle maintenance, and tachograph compliance.

Budget & Cost Control

• Take full cost centre budget responsibility for the South Coast region, including forecasting, tracking, and variance analysis.
• Identify and deliver cost-saving initiatives without compromising service quality or compliance.

Fleet and Resource Management

• Manage the productive utilisation of all fleet resources:
• Lancing: 14 x HGVs & 1 x trailer
• Hastings: 4 x HGVs & 3 x vans
• Oversee vehicle maintenance schedules, downtime planning, and replacement forecasting in collaboration with the Fleet Manager.
• Ensure optimal route planning for operational efficiency and fuel usage, using route optimisation tools and KPI tracking.

Team Management & Development

• Provide strong leadership to multi-site operational teams, ensuring clarity of roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations.
• Coach, mentor, and develop Depot and Operations Managers to build strong succession capability.
• Oversee recruitment, training, and development of operational staff across both depots.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting systems that monitor:
• Service performance (e.g. on-time collections, missed bins)
• Cost control and efficiency metrics
• Vehicle utilisation and route productivity
• Health & Safety incident rates
• Lead continuous improvement projects to enhance operational efficiency, customer experience, and internal processes (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma methodologies where applicable).

Cross-Site Coordination & Support

• Provide operational support and alignment across Recorra’s wider operations, including periodic support to the Purfleet depot.
• Promote best practice sharing between depots to standardise operational excellence across regions.
• Lead or contribute to cross-functional projects such as systems rollouts, mobilisation of new contracts, and fleet integration.

Site Attendance Requirements

• Minimum 2 days/week at Hastings Depot
• Minimum 2 days/week at Lancing Depot
• Minimum 1 day/month at Purfleet, Essex Depot
• Flexibility to attend other depots or operational sites as required

About you:

Essential

• Proven experience in a senior operations leadership role within logistics, transport, or waste management industries
• High proficiency in operational reporting, performance metrics, and system tools (e.g. route planning, CRM, fleet tracking)
• Strong knowledge of UK transport legislation and compliance
• Budget management and commercial acumen
• Demonstrated leadership in managing large teams across multiple sites
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels

Desirable

• CPC qualification
• IOSH or NEBOSH Health & Safety training
• Experience with contract mobilisation or transformation programmes
• Familiarity with environmental compliance within the waste sector
• WAMITAB

Benefits:

• Charity volunteering opportunities and social activities
• Employee Pension Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health Cash Plan
• 25 days’ annual leave
• Ride to work scheme
• Dedicated individual training budget
• Lively, friendly working culture

Please Note:

Candidates must have the legal right to live and work in the UK to be considered for this role.

Please click the APPLY button to submit your CV and cover letter for this role.