Assistant Operations Manager

As an Assistant Operations Manager, you will be responsible for the safe and efficient day-to-day operation of the facility, supporting project delivery, maintaining regulatory compliance, and leading teams to achieve operational excellence. You'll work closely with a range of stakeholders, helping to drive performance while ensuring nuclear safety, security, and environmental standards remain at the forefront of everything you do.

What You'll Be Doing

• Ensure operations are undertaken in accordance with the approved Safety Case, operational limits and conditions, maintaining the facility within its authorised safe operating envelope.
• Maintain effective operational control of the facility, ensuring plant status, operational priorities, work activities and interfaces are appropriately managed, communicated and controlled.
• Provide operational oversight of maintenance, project and decommissioning activities affecting the facility, ensuring work is appropriately planned, authorised and controlled and that operational risks and plant interactions are effectively managed.
• Work effectively across Operations, Projects, Engineering and Support Functions to achieve shared objectives and resolve interface issues.
• Provide operational leadership during abnormal conditions and emerging plant issues, ensuring appropriate escalation and conservative decision making.
• Develop and lead teams, building capability, supporting succession planning, and fostering a positive safety-focused culture.
• Ensure facility operations are undertaken in accordance with the approved Safety Case, operational limits and conditions, and relevant site and facility arrangements, maintaining the facility within its authorised safe operating envelope.
• Maintain a strong operational presence within the facility, setting clear standards, reinforcing expectations and providing effective challenge where activities or behaviours do not meet required nuclear safety and operational standards.

 What You'll Bring

• HND in Science/Engineering or equivalent qualifications plus experience
• Leadership experience within a highly regulated operational, engineering, industrial or nuclear environment.
• Strong knowledge of safety, compliance and governance requirements, with a commitment to operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, collaborate and build effective relationships across multiple functions.
• Sound judgement and the ability to make balanced, risk-informed decisions within a regulated environment.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach, with proven experience managing performance, risks and improvement initiatives.
• Post specific capability analysis assessment

Why Join NRS Dounreay?

• Play an integral role in a critical national programme
• Contribute to the safe and effective delivery of complex decommissioning activities
• Help uphold the highest standards of health, safety, environment, and quality
• Make a direct impact on protecting people, the environment, and site infrastructure
• Benefits such as; 13.5% employer pension contribution, 28 days annual leave + bank holiday, Company bonus scheme, Flexible working, Relocation assistance, Excellent flexible benefits & healthcare options

Interviews are expected week commencing Monday 7th of December 2026. Please note we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage early application.

If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact: careers@dounreay.nrservices.uk

Please note:  All successful candidates who do not already hold security clearance will need to provide proof of identity, eligibility to work in the UK, and employment/education history (typically covering the last 3–5 years) in line with NRS Baseline Security requirements. Some roles may also require full Security Clearance, which involves additional checks.  For details, please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) guidance.