Head of Countrystyle Workshops

Job Title: Head of Countrystyle Workshops

Location: Ridham Dock Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8SR (Ridham & Group Sites)

Salary: Competitive

Job Type: Permanent, Full time

Working Hours: Monday to Friday – 50 hours per week, flexibility required

About Us:

Countrystyle is a member of the family-owned Heathcote Holdings Group of resource management companies and as a family run business our people and customers are at the heart of our growth and drive for passion for solution focused service.

About the role:

To provide strategic leadership and operational oversight across all Countrystyle workshop facilities, ensuring fleet assets are maintained to the highest standards of safety, compliance, cost-efficiency, and operational readiness. Acting as the senior authority for all workshop operations across the group, this role drives performance, compliance, continuous improvement, and the development of a high-performing engineering culture across multiple sites.

Responsibilities:

• Set and own the strategic direction for all Countrystyle workshop operations across all sites.
• Act as the group's senior authority on fleet engineering, compliance, and workshop governance.
• Develop and implement workshop policies, standards, and operating procedures across the group.
• Report directly to the Operations Director / CEO on workshop KPIs, risk, and performance.
• Lead, inspire, and develop Workshop Managers and senior technicians across all sites.
• Build a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, safety, and engineering excellence.
• Drive standardisation of processes, systems, and reporting across all workshop sites.
• Ensure 100% Planned Event Maintenance (PEM) compliance across all sites and vehicle types.
• Ensure full adherence to DVSA requirements, Operator Licence undertakings, manufacturer standards, and company policy.
• Oversee MOT preparation and presentation performance, targeting consistently high first-time pass rates.
• Ensure no vehicle exceeds statutory inspection intervals or maintenance frequencies.
• Ensure all maintenance documentation is accurate, auditable, and completed within required timescales across all sites.
• Monitor and drive defect management processes, prioritising safety-critical defects and eliminating backlog growth.
• Conduct and oversee regular compliance audits across all workshop sites.
• Prepare the business for DVSA audits and maintain audit-ready standards at all times.
• Oversee workshop operations across all Countrystyle sites.
• Drive productivity, throughput and vehicle availability KPIs.
• Ensure effective communication between transport and workshop teams.
• Manage VOR risks, repeat defects and corrective actions.
• Maintain workshop systems and digital reporting tools.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks.
• Manage external repair providers, suppliers and specialist contractors.
• Directly line-manage Workshop Managers across all Countrystyle sites.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, one-to-ones, and development planning for direct reports.
• Manage conduct, capability, attendance, and training across the workshop function.
• Manage agency and contract labour requirements across the group.
• Champion a safety-first culture throughout all workshop teams.
• Own and manage workshop budgets across all Countrystyle sites.
• Control labour costs, overtime, and agency spend.
• Monitor and manage external repair expenditure and supplier cost performance.
• Control parts usage, stock levels, and procurement across all sites.
• Reduce avoidable repair spend through improved preventative maintenance strategies.
• Provide accurate financial forecasting and variance reporting to senior leadership.
• Ensure all workshop operations comply fully with current health and safety legislation.
• Maintain and enforce safe systems of work across all sites.
• Ensure LOLER, PUWER, and all workshop equipment inspections remain fully compliant.
• Maintain excellent housekeeping and environmental standards across all sites.
• Investigate accidents, incidents, and near misses; implement corrective actions.
• Ensure all risk assessments and method statements are current and fit for purpose.
• Liaise with HSE and other regulatory bodies as required.

About you:

Essential:

• Exceptional leadership and people management at senior level
• Multi-site operational management capability
• Strategic thinking with a hands-on operational approach
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis capability
• High attention to detail and process orientation
• Extensive experience managing multi-site HGV/LGV workshop operations
• Proven track record managing Workshop Managers and senior technicians
• Deep knowledge of fleet compliance, DVSA requirements, and O-Licence
• Demonstrated experience owning and managing workshop budgets
• Experience driving compliance, audits, and continuous improvement
• Experience managing health, safety, and environmental standards

Desirable:

• Compliance and regulatory mindset
• Strong commercial and financial acumen
• Ability to influence at board/director level
• Data-driven decision making
• Change management and continuous improvement
• Experience operating at director or senior operations management level
• Experience managing large fleet engineering budgets (£1m+)
• Experience with digital fleet management and workshop systems
• Experience managing third-party supplier and contractor relationships
• Background in a waste, logistics, or transport-sector business

Benefits:

• Car Allowance
• Life Insurance with access to GP24
• Commitment to wellbeing through Employee Assistance Programme
• Electric Car salary sacrifice scheme for eligible employees
• Cycle to work scheme
• Company Events
• GymFlex salary sacrifice

Please click the APPLY button to submit your CV for this role.

Candidates with experience or relevant job titles of; Workshop Operations Manager, Multisite Operations Manager, Head of Workshops, HGV Workshop Operations Manager, LGV Workshop Operations Manager may also be considered for this role