Civil Engineering & ConstructionFull time
5 Sept
Operations Manager – Ghana
Accra, United Kingdom
GHS 600K - GHS 850K
Full time
Job Title: Operations Manager – Ghana
Industry: Construction / Civil Engineering & Infrastructure
Location: Ghana, with extensive travel to project sites and operational facilities
Salary: GHS 600,000 – GHS 850,000 gross per annum, depending on experience
The Opportunity
Our client, a well-established construction and infrastructure organisation, is seeking an experienced Operations Manager – Ghana to provide portfolio-wide operational leadership across its projects in Ghana.
This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for coordinating the safe, profitable and timely delivery of multiple concurrent projects. The successful candidate will provide day-to-day operational control across project execution, programme delivery, resources and plant, commercial performance, quality, health and safety, and client commitments.
The role requires a highly experienced construction professional who can operate across geographically dispersed projects, identify emerging delivery risks early, drive corrective action and ensure projects achieve their programme, financial, quality and safety objectives.
Key Responsibilities
Portfolio Leadership & Operational Governance
Lead and coordinate the execution of multiple construction and infrastructure projects across Ghana.
Translate strategic objectives into clear operational priorities across the project portfolio.
Establish consistent project governance, reporting, review and escalation processes.
Lead regular portfolio and project performance reviews covering safety, programme, cost, cash flow, quality, resources and client matters.
Maintain a visible leadership presence across active project sites and operating facilities.
Provide senior management with accurate forecasts, key risks, decisions required and recommended corrective actions.
Project Mobilisation & Execution
Ensure projects are mobilised in accordance with contractual requirements, approved budgets, execution strategies and statutory obligations.
Review mobilisation plans, site establishment, construction methodologies, temporary works arrangements and initial resource deployment.
Ensure appropriate project leadership, plant, labour, systems, permits and supply arrangements are in place before major works commence.
Coordinate operational support for projects facing complex interfaces, delayed approvals, access constraints or elevated delivery risks.
Lead recovery planning for underperforming projects.
Programme & Production Management
Review baseline programmes, production targets, procurement schedules and rolling look-ahead plans.
Monitor critical paths, productivity, planned-versus-actual progress and key constraints across projects.
Challenge unrealistic sequencing or resource assumptions and ensure timely corrective action where programme slippage occurs.
Coordinate priorities where equipment, specialist teams, plant or materials are shared between projects.
Ensure project reporting is timely, consistent and supported by reliable operational data.
Financial & Commercial Performance
Drive delivery of approved revenue, margin and cash-flow targets across the project portfolio.
Review monthly cost reports, forecasts, cost-to-complete, productivity, commitments and exposure to cost overruns.
Work closely with Finance and Commercial teams to improve measurement, certification, invoicing, collections, claims and variation recovery.
Identify loss-making activities and implement appropriate operational or commercial recovery measures.
Ensure operational decisions take account of both technical requirements and commercial consequences.
Resources, Plant & Equipment
Consolidate project resource requirements and optimise deployment of personnel, equipment, vehicles and production facilities.
Coordinate allocation and transfer of resources between projects according to operational priorities.
Monitor utilisation, availability, downtime, maintenance compliance and operating costs of critical plant and equipment.
Coordinate quarry, crushing, asphalt and concrete production capacity with project requirements.
Support decisions relating to the hire, purchase, overhaul or disposal of equipment within delegated authority.
Procurement, Logistics & Materials
Ensure procurement and logistics plans align with construction programmes, approved budgets and required lead times.
Review critical-material schedules, long-lead items, import requirements and supply-chain risks.
Support the selection and performance management of strategic suppliers and service providers.
Ensure appropriate controls over material receipt, storage, consumption, wastage, fuel and inventory.
Resolve or escalate critical supply constraints and implement alternative sourcing or project resequencing where necessary.
Technical & Engineering Coordination
Ensure drawings, specifications, method statements, technical submissions and approvals support uninterrupted project execution.
Coordinate project and engineering teams to resolve design conflicts and constructability issues.
Review significant changes in methodology, scope or sequence before implementation.
Ensure technical queries and design changes are documented and assessed for programme and commercial impact.
Escalate significant technical risks requiring specialist or senior management intervention.
Quality Management
Ensure projects comply with approved Project Quality Plans, Inspection and Test Plans, method statements and material-control procedures.
Monitor quality performance, major non-conformances, test failures, recurring defects and handover readiness.
Ensure corrective actions are adequately resourced and closed promptly.
Promote right-first-time delivery to minimise rework, wastage and client dissatisfaction.
Take or recommend immediate corrective action where compliance or structural integrity is at risk.
Health, Safety, Environment & Community
Provide visible operational leadership for HSE and ensure compliance with corporate standards and applicable Ghanaian requirements.
Review significant incidents, high-risk activities, environmental non-compliances and overdue corrective actions.
Ensure adequate resources are available for occupational health, emergency response, traffic management, environmental protection and community safety.
Coordinate responses to community concerns and sensitive stakeholder issues.
Take immediate action where unsafe operating conditions exist.
Risk, Controls & Management Reporting
Maintain oversight of major operational, programme, financial, contractual, quality, HSE and stakeholder risks.
Ensure risks have clear owners, mitigation measures, deadlines and escalation thresholds.
Standardise portfolio dashboards and ensure the reliability of management information.
Conduct operational reviews of projects requiring intervention.
Monitor implementation of agreed management actions through to closure.
Client & Stakeholder Management
Act as a senior operational interface with clients, consultants, government bodies and other stakeholders on matters affecting project delivery.
Support project leadership during high-level progress meetings, negotiations, audits, disputes and recovery discussions.
Ensure commitments made to clients are realistic, documented and delivered.
Maintain constructive relationships with authorities, utilities, local administrations and communities.
Escalate matters that could materially affect contractual performance or organisational reputation.
Subcontractor Management
Ensure subcontract packages are properly defined, resourced and aligned with project programmes.
Assess mobilisation readiness and operational capability of critical subcontractors.
Monitor subcontractor productivity, quality, safety and contractual performance.
Implement improvement plans for underperforming subcontractors and recommend replacement where necessary.
Ensure completed subcontracted work is properly measured, accepted and commercially reconciled.
Project Handover & Close-Out
Ensure commissioning, handover, snagging and close-out requirements are planned from the early stages of projects.
Monitor completion of as-built drawings, test packs, warranties, manuals, quality dossiers and final accounts.
Coordinate resources to close outstanding works and defects within agreed timelines.
Ensure demobilisation, asset transfers, inventory reconciliation and site reinstatement are appropriately controlled.
Conduct operational close-out reviews and capture lessons learned.
People Leadership & Continuous Improvement
Set clear objectives and performance expectations for project and operational leadership teams.
Coach project leaders and support succession, retention and development of high-potential professionals.
Promote collaboration across projects and discourage siloed decision-making.
Standardise effective planning, reporting, production and control practices.
Build a strong culture of accountability, integrity, safety, quality and continuous improvement.
Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or a related engineering discipline.
A Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration or Construction Management would be advantageous.
Professional engineering or recognised construction-management membership is highly desirable.
Formal training in project management, contract management or financial control would be advantageous.
Minimum 15 years of relevant construction experience, including at least 7 years in senior project, operations or regional management.
Demonstrable experience managing multiple concurrent road, civil engineering, building or heavy-infrastructure projects.
Strong exposure to earthworks, roadworks, drainage, concrete structures, quarries, aggregates, asphalt and concrete production.
Proven responsibility for project budgets, cost-to-complete, programme recovery, plant deployment, subcontractors and client relationships.
Experience delivering projects in Ghana or comparable West African markets would be highly advantageous.
Skills & Competencies
Strong executive leadership and multi-project operations management capability.
Excellent programme, production, cost and resource-management skills.
Strong commercial awareness, forecasting and financial-analysis capability.
Sound knowledge of construction operations, project controls and contract administration.
Strong understanding of civil works, concrete, asphalt, aggregates, quarry operations, plant and equipment management.
Working knowledge of quality, HSE, environmental and statutory requirements applicable to major construction projects.
Good understanding of claims, variations, payment certification, cash flow and cost control.
Strong negotiation, decision-making and crisis-management capability.
Ability to interpret incomplete or conflicting information and make timely decisions.
Ability to balance safety, quality, programme, cost, cash flow and client expectations.
Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
Advanced business English and strong management-reporting capability.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant project planning, ERP or reporting systems.
High integrity, accountability and commercial discipline.
A visible, decisive and hands-on leadership style.
Willingness to travel extensively and maintain a regular presence across project locations.
What Success Looks Like
The successful candidate will deliver measurable improvements across project safety, programme performance, operating margins, cash generation, plant utilisation, quality, client satisfaction, risk management and project close-out. They will also build strong project leadership teams and create consistent operational discipline across the Ghana project portfolio.
How to Apply
If you are an accomplished construction operations leader with significant experience managing multiple complex projects and are interested in this opportunity, please apply with an up-to-date CV detailing your relevant project and operational leadership experience.
All applications will be treated in strict confidence.