Location: Poling, West Sussex (BN18 9QA), with travel to customer sites across the UK
Employment Type: Full-time
Reports to: Technical Operations Manager
About the Role
We are looking for two Technical Operations Leads to join a specialist confined space
rescue team. The Technical Operations Lead is a senior technical and operational position, reporting
to the Technical Operations Manager.
The role acts as a technical expert and trusted advisor to customers and operational teams, providing specialist guidance on confined space rescue, risk reduction, and operational requirements.
This is primarily an office-based position in Poling, West Sussex, with regular travel to customer sites, mainly across the South East of England, with occasional national travel.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide expert technical advice and consultancy on confined space safety and
rescue.
- Understand customer requirements and advise on appropriate rescue
arrangements and team sizes.
- Gather information through customer discussions, photographs, documentation,
and site visits to prepare comprehensive RAMS and rescue plans.
- Write, review, and critically assess RAMS, method statements, rescue plans, and
scopes of work.
- Act as the main technical point of contact for onsite rescue technicians.
- Provide technical support during live operations and assess changes in risk as
site conditions develop.
- Conduct site visits, health & safety audits and operational assessments
- Assess onsite technicians and support their ongoing training, development and
CPD.
- Support the planning and development of operational teams.
- Build strong technical relationships with customers and provide ongoing
technical guidance.
- Attend customer meetings, site reviews and project close-out meetings when
required.
- Work collaboratively with operations, coordination, sales and management
teams.
- Help manage and develop operational personnel, including individuals from
firefighter and ex-military backgrounds.
- Participate as an onsite rescue technician in emergency situations when
required.
- Review and improve existing operational processes, procedures and standards.
- Ensure all activities meet appropriate health & safety, quality, compliance and legislative requirements.
Requirements
- Proven professional experience working in confined spaces and confined space
rescue.
- Strong practical understanding of confined space rescue operations.
- Experience preparing and/or reviewing RAMS, rescue plans and method
statements.
- Ability to assess risks and determine appropriate rescue arrangements.
- Experience conducting site assessments, audits or operational reviews.
- Strong customer-facing and communication skills.
- Ability to explain technical information clearly and confidently.
- Strong organisational and multitasking abilities.
- Proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.
- Ability to remain calm and make sound decisions under pressure.
- Experience supporting, mentoring, assessing or developing operational
personnel.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Good knowledge of Microsoft Office.
- Full, clean manual driving license.
- C&G 6160 suite qualifications – desirable.
- IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent H&S qualification – desirable.
The Ideal Candidate
We are looking for someone who combines strong technical knowledge with practical confined space rescue experience. You should understand not only the theory behind confined space rescue, but also how that knowledge is applied in real-world environments. You will be confident working with customers, challenging assumptions when necessary, identifying what they actually need, and providing practical solutions that improve safety and reduce risk.
You should also be comfortable working with highly experienced operational personnel,
including individuals from firefighter and ex-military backgrounds, and have the communication and leadership skills to get the best from these teams.
Reporting Structure
The Technical Operations Lead reports directly to the Technical Operations Manager and works closely with the wider operational, coordination, sales and management teams.
The role provides technical guidance and support to onsite confined space rescue technicians but does not sit above the Technical Operations Manager.
If you have strong confined space rescue experience and are ready to take on a senior technical role with significant responsibility, we would like to hear from you.