Neighbourhood Operations Manager
| Posting date: | 09 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £42,838 to £47,181 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Excellent Plus Benefits |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 01 April 2026 |
| Location: | Portsmouth (work from any site as required), PO27DP |
| Company: | Portsmouth City Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | pcc/TP/723/1262 |
Summary
We’re looking for a proactive Neighbourhood Operations Manager to lead frontline services and ensure excellent day‑to‑day delivery across our communities. This is an on‑site role, working closely with teams to maintain high standards and provide visible, hands‑on leadership. To ensure consistent service coverage, you’ll work as part of a local management team operating across our core hours (7:30am–5:00pm Mon–Thu, 7:30am–4:00pm Fri) using a simple shift‑style system. Early and standard shifts are shared among managers and supervisors, ensuring strong leadership presence throughout the working day.
The Neighbourhood Operations Manager is responsible for managing all aspects of Neighbourhood Services for Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services sites, and additional PCC sites managed under 'service level agreements'. Neighbourhood Services comprises of all cleaning and grounds maintenance tasks, estate-based functions, and investigations such as fly tips and routine checks. The management of this significant logistical operation makes this a challenging role, influenced by the large number of personnel and sites responsible for, fleet management, equipment to be used by the service as well as servicing and repairs of that equipment, and staff related matters - to meet the shared purpose of:
'Helping to keep the city (local area) safe, clean, and tidy, and provide advice / support when necessary'.
There are 5 area offices containing a combination of Green and Clean and Neighbourhood Wardens. Typical team sizes vary from:
• 2-3 Neighbourhood Operations Supervisors
• 25-40 Green and Clean operatives
• Up to 5 Neighbourhood Wardens
In addition to the area offices there is one Manager responsible for the Housing Depot. The structure is as below:
• 1 Neighbourhood Services Team Leader
• 1 Neighbourhood Operations Supervisor
• 6 Resource Controllers
• 17 Housing Depot Operatives
• 14 Public Conveniences Cleaners
• 14 Cleaners
Finally, there is an Operational Support Manager role that completes all elements of the above management roles. This is supportive to the resilience of the management team providing backfill, ad hoc tasks and project management roles.
All these management roles are referred to as the Neighbourhood Operations Managers. Those in these management roles are subject to rotation and change based on the needs of the service.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will gather data, analyse it, and use it to improve their understanding of how the service operates, including the demands residents make on the service and their satisfaction with it. Working with staff to identify areas for improvement and implement them, experimenting where required.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will liaise with Councillors and work with them to address local resident issues and concerns.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will manage:
• all levels of informal and formal absence management, including presenting at formal hearings.
• Formal action - All stages of informal and formal performance and disciplinary action will be required, including presenting at formal hearings.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will liaise with external contractors relevant to Neighbourhood Services and manage the work they carry out as well as dealing with any issues that arise while maintaining a good working relationship based on partnering principles.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will need to ensure that the ordering of stock and the maintenance of equipment is carried out, identifying new equipment following procurement processes and financial rules.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will make financial decisions based on an understanding of budget and spending appropriately to ensure the service is fully equipped.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will ensure safe working environments are created and adhered to.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will train, coach and support employees they are responsible for by spending time in the work and understanding what the work is like for the employee and removing barriers that prevents them from doing a good job. A high degree of problem solving is used to tackle estate-based issues that will require understanding and compliance of legal references. Coaching/ helping staff improve performance through positive leadership, enabling staff to keep focused and guide them to make informed decisions based on each task's merits (i.e tenants financials etc).
Neighbourhood Operations managers will be part of the area office management team and have input on the wider services provided by that area.
Skills:
You need to:
• Be an excellent communicator, who has the ability to listen and talk to a range of people from cleaning operatives to Councillors.
• Have had some experience in a management role, with experience of managing people, sickness absence, knowledge of HR Policies an advantage.
• Have an understanding of systems thinking methodology and experience of using the method and experience of using this to develop a service or staff.
• Have good IT skills and experience of using databases and spreadsheets, particularly to manipulate/analyse data.
• Be able to plan, organise and prioritise work, as you will be juggling many tasks at once.
• Be confident and comfortable to make decisions on your own without referring to line management.
• A working knowledge or understanding of Health and Safety and Waste Management legislation would be an advantage
• Be willing to travel around your allotted area and to attend out of hours meetings.
• Have some experience of managing budgets as you will be responsible and accountable for your team's budget.
• Have full UK driving licence to travel across housing areas.
• Have the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English
The Neighbourhood Operations Manager is responsible for managing all aspects of Neighbourhood Services for Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services sites, and additional PCC sites managed under 'service level agreements'. Neighbourhood Services comprises of all cleaning and grounds maintenance tasks, estate-based functions, and investigations such as fly tips and routine checks. The management of this significant logistical operation makes this a challenging role, influenced by the large number of personnel and sites responsible for, fleet management, equipment to be used by the service as well as servicing and repairs of that equipment, and staff related matters - to meet the shared purpose of:
'Helping to keep the city (local area) safe, clean, and tidy, and provide advice / support when necessary'.
There are 5 area offices containing a combination of Green and Clean and Neighbourhood Wardens. Typical team sizes vary from:
• 2-3 Neighbourhood Operations Supervisors
• 25-40 Green and Clean operatives
• Up to 5 Neighbourhood Wardens
In addition to the area offices there is one Manager responsible for the Housing Depot. The structure is as below:
• 1 Neighbourhood Services Team Leader
• 1 Neighbourhood Operations Supervisor
• 6 Resource Controllers
• 17 Housing Depot Operatives
• 14 Public Conveniences Cleaners
• 14 Cleaners
Finally, there is an Operational Support Manager role that completes all elements of the above management roles. This is supportive to the resilience of the management team providing backfill, ad hoc tasks and project management roles.
All these management roles are referred to as the Neighbourhood Operations Managers. Those in these management roles are subject to rotation and change based on the needs of the service.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will gather data, analyse it, and use it to improve their understanding of how the service operates, including the demands residents make on the service and their satisfaction with it. Working with staff to identify areas for improvement and implement them, experimenting where required.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will liaise with Councillors and work with them to address local resident issues and concerns.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will manage:
• all levels of informal and formal absence management, including presenting at formal hearings.
• Formal action - All stages of informal and formal performance and disciplinary action will be required, including presenting at formal hearings.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will liaise with external contractors relevant to Neighbourhood Services and manage the work they carry out as well as dealing with any issues that arise while maintaining a good working relationship based on partnering principles.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will need to ensure that the ordering of stock and the maintenance of equipment is carried out, identifying new equipment following procurement processes and financial rules.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will make financial decisions based on an understanding of budget and spending appropriately to ensure the service is fully equipped.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will ensure safe working environments are created and adhered to.
Neighbourhood Operations Managers will train, coach and support employees they are responsible for by spending time in the work and understanding what the work is like for the employee and removing barriers that prevents them from doing a good job. A high degree of problem solving is used to tackle estate-based issues that will require understanding and compliance of legal references. Coaching/ helping staff improve performance through positive leadership, enabling staff to keep focused and guide them to make informed decisions based on each task's merits (i.e tenants financials etc).
Neighbourhood Operations managers will be part of the area office management team and have input on the wider services provided by that area.
Skills:
You need to:
• Be an excellent communicator, who has the ability to listen and talk to a range of people from cleaning operatives to Councillors.
• Have had some experience in a management role, with experience of managing people, sickness absence, knowledge of HR Policies an advantage.
• Have an understanding of systems thinking methodology and experience of using the method and experience of using this to develop a service or staff.
• Have good IT skills and experience of using databases and spreadsheets, particularly to manipulate/analyse data.
• Be able to plan, organise and prioritise work, as you will be juggling many tasks at once.
• Be confident and comfortable to make decisions on your own without referring to line management.
• A working knowledge or understanding of Health and Safety and Waste Management legislation would be an advantage
• Be willing to travel around your allotted area and to attend out of hours meetings.
• Have some experience of managing budgets as you will be responsible and accountable for your team's budget.
• Have full UK driving licence to travel across housing areas.
• Have the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English