Area Operations Manager - Aggregates & Asphalt North

Area Operations Manager - Aggregates & Asphalt North Location: North England & Wales Salary: £75,000 - £85,000 + Bonus + Company Car/Car Allowance + Pension + Excellent Benefits Lead Operations. Drive Performance. Shape the Future. This is more than a site leadership role, this is a role with real influence. It's an opportunity to take ownership of a major Aggregates and Asphalt operation spanning quarries, depots and asphalt plants across Northern England and Wales. Leading a team of experienced operational professionals, you'll have the freedom and influence to shape performance across safety, production, profitability, people development and continuous improvement. With full responsibility for a diverse and strategically important portfolio, you'll play a pivotal role in delivering operational excellence while helping to build the future of Heidelberg Materials UK. If you're motivated by leading large-scale operations, developing high-performing teams and making a tangible impact on business results, this is the challenge you've been looking for. Your Region You will have responsibility for a diverse network of Aggregates and Asphalt operations across:

• North West England: Wigan, Tuebrook (Liverpool), Runcorn
• Mid Wales: Criggion
• Yorkshire: Horton
Key Responsibilities Leadership & People
• Lead and develop a regional operational management team across multiple sites.
• Create a high-performance culture focused on accountability, engagement and continuous improvement.
• Coach and develop future leaders while maintaining robust succession plans.
• Ensure teams have the capability, resources and support needed to deliver business objectives.
Health, Safety & Environment
• Champion a world-class safety culture where everyone goes home safe every day.
• Drive continuous improvement in health, safety and wellbeing performance.
• Ensure environmental standards are delivered and exceeded in line with company objectives.
• Maintain compliance with Heidelberg Materials Integrated Management Systems.
Operational Performance
• Deliver optimum production levels aligned with commercial demand.
• Maximise operational efficiency while controlling costs.
• Drive improvements in productivity, plant availability, energy performance and overall operational effectiveness.
• Support network optimisation initiatives across the region.
Business & Financial Management
• Deliver agreed operating profit targets and budget commitments.
• Develop and implement regional operational business plans.
• Ensure management information is accurate, timely and used to identify performance improvement opportunities.
• Evaluate and develop capital investment proposals aligned to business objectives.
• Work collaboratively with commercial and logistics teams to maximise customer service and supply performance.
• Ensure products consistently meet quality specifications.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and key external partners.
• Create a culture where operational excellence and innovation thrive.
• Drive CI programmes across all sites.
• Utilise KPI data and benchmarking information to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead change initiatives and major improvement projects across the region.
About You We're looking for an experienced operational leader with a proven track record of managing complex, multi-site industrial operations. Experience
• Significant leadership experience within aggregates, asphalt, heavy manufacturing, construction materials, mining, quarrying, cement or a comparable industrial environment.
• Experience in a senior operational management role.
• Proven experience managing multi-site operations.
• Strong commercial and financial awareness.
• Experience delivering major capital investment, business transformation or operational improvement projects.
• Demonstrated success in leading teams through change and driving performance improvements.
Qualifications
• Educated to Diploma level or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• SHE NVQ Level 5 / QCF Level 7 (or working towards).
• Full UK driving licence.
Personal Qualities
• Inspirational and visible leader.
• Strategically minded with strong operational focus.
• Strong decision-maker with excellent influencing skills.
• Passionate about safety, people development and operational excellence.
• Collaborative and commercially focused.
• Driven to challenge the status quo and deliver continuous improvement.
Why Join us? At Heidelberg Materials, we don't just offer jobs-we build careers. As a global leader in construction materials, we're committed to innovation, sustainability, and, above all, our people. We're proud to be recognised as an Employer of Choice, with accreditations including:
• Armed Forces Covenant (Gold) | Disability Confident | 5% Club (Platinum) | Mates in Mind | Clear Assured | STEM Ambassador | MPQC Member
• Competitive Package: Salary, bonus incentives, generous pension, and life assurance
• Work-Life Balance: 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays), agile/flexible working, holiday purchase, and sabbatical options, Season and travel ticket loans
• Family-Friendly Policies: Enhanced support for maternity, paternity, adoption, IVF, neonatal care, and menopause
• Inclusive Culture: Paid volunteering day and active employee communities (LGBTQ+, Women in STEM, Armed Forces, and more)
• Wellbeing & Development: Employee Assistance Programme, retail discounts, and continuous learning opportunities
  
  We're looking for an experienced operational leader with a proven track record of managing complex, multi-site industrial operations., Significant leadership experience within aggregates, asphalt, heavy manufacturing, construction materials, mining, quarrying, cement or a comparable industrial environment.
• Experience in a senior operational management role.
• Proven experience managing multi-site operations.
• Strong commercial and financial awareness.
• Experience delivering major capital investment, business transformation or operational improvement projects.
• Demonstrated success in leading teams through change and driving performance improvements., Educated to Diploma level or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• SHE NVQ Level 5 / QCF Level 7 (or working towards).
• Full UK driving licence.
Personal Qualities
• Inspirational and visible leader.
• Strategically minded with strong operational focus.
• Strong decision-maker with excellent influencing skills.
• Passionate about safety, people development and operational excellence.
• Collaborative and commercially focused.
• Driven to challenge the status quo and deliver continuous improvement.
  
  At Heidelberg Materials, we don't just offer jobs-we build careers. As a global leader in construction materials, we're committed to innovation, sustainability, and, above all, our people.
  
  Competitive Package: Salary, bonus incentives, generous pension, and life assurance
• Work-Life Balance: 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays), agile/flexible working, holiday purchase, and sabbatical options, Season and travel ticket loans
• Family-Friendly Policies: Enhanced support for maternity, paternity, adoption, IVF, neonatal care, and menopause
• Inclusive Culture: Paid volunteering day and active employee communities (LGBTQ+, Women in STEM, Armed Forces, and more)
• Wellbeing & Development: Employee Assistance Programme, retail discounts, and continuous learning opportunities