Service Manager - High-Growth Engineering & Manufacturing Business
Location: Harlow
Salary: £60,000 - £65,000 + Bonus + Car + Benefits
Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30-4:30 (flex required)
Start Date: ASAP
A fast-scaling engineering and manufacturing organisation with 25+ years' heritage is seeking an experienced
Service Manager to take full ownership of its service, contracts, and field operations functions. The business has grown 18-20% year-on-year and is tracking toward £9m+ turnover, with continued investment planned for 2025 and beyond.
This is a pivotal, hands-on leadership role that blends operational strategy with real-world delivery. You'll be a key driver in shaping internal processes, uplifting service capability, and ensuring sustainable growth across a broad operational footprint.
What's In It For You
- £60,000 - £65,000 base salary
- Bonus scheme (GBS)
- Company car
- £90 monthly lunch allowance
- 20 days holiday + 8 bank holidays
- Free onsite parking
- Pension (auto-enrolment)
- Ad hoc weekend phone support only
- Additional training opportunities
The Opportunity
As the Service Manager, you'll lead the operational heartbeat of the business, covering service delivery, projects and contracts.
You'll be responsible for:
Project & Service Delivery
- Managing ventilation installation projects (£50k-£200k) - approx. 2-3 per month.
- Overseeing high volumes of remedial works and smaller technical jobs completed internally.
- Ensuring first-time-fix rates, van stock optimisation, spare parts availability and site readiness.
- Getting hands-on at customer sites where required - supporting engineers to close out works.
- Managing day-to-day service contracts, including some out-of-hours escalation coverage.
Operational Leadership & Process
- Creating a scalable, best-in-class operational framework across service and projects.
- Implementing systems for project monitoring and post-order process ownership.
- Building SOPs, ensuring compliance and embedding continuous improvement methodologies.
- Driving efficiencies in NCR handling, issue resolution and service recovery.
- Reinforcing performance culture using KPIs, structured coaching, and clear accountability.
Financial & Commercial Oversight
- Budget management, forecasting and profitability uplift.
- Supporting commercial teams with quoting, remedials, variations, and client planning.
- Managing subcontractors - reviews, development, site inspections, motivation and performance.
People Leadership
- Building and mentoring a young, growing team (including new starters and apprentices).
- Creating a positive, low-ego, high-output environment where people thrive.
- Setting the tone on communication, engagement, ownership and problem-solving.
About You
You'll bring a balanced blend of operational gravitas and hands-on delivery capability. You'll be naturally solutions-focused, calm under pressure, and able to operate in the detail while maintaining strategic oversight.
Experience & Capability
- Proven success in service, contracts or operational leadership within engineering, manufacturing or technical project environments.
- Strong project management capability with an ability to jump into complex jobs as needed.
- Commercially astute, numerically confident and comfortable with budgets & forecasting.
- Strong IT competency (Microsoft Office & general systems awareness).
- Full UK driving licence; UK travel required.
- Working knowledge of H&S compliance and RAMS.
Your Mindset
- Humble, hungry, smart - low noise, high output.
- Resilient, pragmatic and thrives in a fast-moving environment.
- Able to quickly absorb technical information and turn insight into action.
- Natural coach who sets pace, raises standards and leads from the front.
Team & Culture
You'll report directly to the Operations Director and work alongside a young, ambitious team. The environment is grounded, delivery-focused, and built on collaboration rather than ego. The business is bringing all service, projects and operations functions under one umbrella, offering significant influence and long-term progression - including a route toward
Operations Manager.
IND25
