Service Manager

Role Title: Service Manager - Blackwell Earthmoving

Location: Aylesbury

Salary: Competitive (+ Benefits)

Contract Type: Permanent / Full-Time

Benefits: Car allowance (£6,300 per annum); 8% pension; 2.5x life assurance; BUPA

About the Role:

At Blackwell Earthmoving Limited, part of the Hargreaves Services Group, we deliver large‑scale bulk earthworks, soil stabilisation, and land restoration with precision and expertise. As a trusted partner on nationally significant projects including HS2, Sizewell C, and the Lower Thames Crossing, we bring proven capability to complex infrastructure schemes across the UK.

We are seeking a Service Manager to lead the maintenance, servicing, compliance, and reliability of our extensive earthmoving fleet. The role exists to maximise equipment availability, minimise downtime and lifecycle cost, and ensure all plant is safe, compliant, and fit for purpose to support project delivery.

The Service Manager will oversee the team responsible for delivering this function. In doing so, the postholder will be instrumental in achieving the Company’s mission statement in accordance with our values of being Responsible, Respectful, Relentless, and Resilient.

Our mission is for Blackwell Earthmoving to be the specialist earthworks contractor of choice within UK major infrastructure - a mission we live every day as we move the earth on leading infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Plant Maintenance Strategy & Delivery

• Develop and implement a planned and preventative maintenance regime for the entire plant fleet.
• Ensure servicing schedules, inspections and statutory testing are completed on time and to standard, in line with OEM guidance and legal requirements.
• Balance reactive and preventative maintenance to maximise plant uptime and reduce unplanned failures on site.
• Oversee condition monitoring, defect management and repair prioritisation.

2. Service Management

• Manage site plant inspectors, ensuring resources are appropriately planned and deployed.
• Set clear performance standards for productivity, response times, quality of work and cost efficiency.
• Ensure plant maintenance areas, service vehicles and tooling are maintained, safe and compliant.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes, job planning, parts control, and record keeping.

3. Health, Safety & Legal Compliance

• Ensure all plant and equipment complies with relevant legislation and standards (e.g. PUWER, LOLER, DVSA, manufacturer requirements).
• Champion a strong safety culture within service and maintenance teams.
• Ensure RAMS, SSOW and risk assessments are in place and followed for all maintenance activities.
• Support audits, accident investigations and continuous improvement initiatives relating to plant safety.

4. Cost Control & Asset Lifecycle Management

• Own maintenance budgets and contribute to whole life cost analysis of plant assets.
• Control repair costs, parts spend, external service costs and warranty claims.
• Provide data and insight to support repair vs replace decisions and capital investment planning.
• Work with Plant / Commercial teams to optimise utilisation, resale value, and end of life strategies.

5. Supply Chain & OEM Relationships

• Manage relationships with OEMs, dealers, and third‑party service providers.
• Negotiate service agreements, response times, warranty arrangements, and cost structures.
• Monitor supplier performance and ensure consistency of service, quality, and compliance.
• Support commissioning and handover of new plant into the fleet.

6. Leadership & People Management

• Lead, motivate and develop service engineers, fitters, and support staff.
• Ensure training, competency and authorisations are appropriate to plant types worked on.
• Support apprenticeships, succession planning, and skills development within the service team.
• Foster a collaborative culture between Service, Operations, Projects and Plant teams.

7. Systems, Reporting & Data

• Ensure accurate maintenance records, defect logs and service histories are maintained.
• Use CMMS / fleet management systems to analyse downtime, failure trends and costs.
• Produce clear reports on availability, reliability, compliance and spend for senior management.
• Support digital improvements in plant tracking, diagnostics and maintenance planning.

8. Sustainability & Innovation

• Support the introduction of low‑emission, electric or alternative‑fuel plant.
• Ensure service teams are trained and equipped to maintain emerging technologies.
• Contribute to carbon reduction and sustainability objectives through improved maintenance efficiency and asset performance.

What We’re Looking For:

Essential Knowledge:

• Heavy plant systems: engines, hydraulics, powertrain, undercarriage, braking, electrical systems, telematics, attachments.
• UK compliance & standards: PUWER, LOLER, HAUC (where relevant), DVSA requirements, manufacturer schedules, warranty protocols, environmental regulations.
• Maintenance strategies: PPM, condition‑based maintenance, RCA, reliability‑centred maintenance.
• Workshop & field service operations: job planning, RAMS/ SSoW, tooling, safe isolation/ lock‑out.
• Parts & supply chain: OEM/ aftermarket pathways, lead times, critical spares, warranty/returns.
• Fleet/ CMMS systems: scheduling, compliance, reporting.
• Commercial basics: labour recovery, margin, cost codes, accruals, capex/ opex, repair vs replace.

Essential Skills:

• Leadership & team management across multi‑site workshops and mobile engineers.
• Operational planning and resource allocation.
• Structured problem solving and fault diagnosis.
• Clear communication with site teams, suppliers and management.
• Data & systems capability: CMMS, Excel, uptime/MTBF analysis.
• Supplier management and negotiation.
• Strong H&S application including RAMS, SSoW, incident management.
• Budget management and cost control.

Desirable Knowledge:

• Electrified/low‑emission plant and high‑voltage systems.
• Advanced diagnostics: CAN bus, oscilloscopes, telematics analytics.
• Transport & roadworthiness: Operator Licence framework, FORS, load security.
• Major project experience (rail, highways, civils).
• Sustainability: lifecycle carbon, alternative fuels, circular economy.

Desirable Skills:

• Project interface and programme integration.
• Training delivery and toolbox talks.
• Advanced IT: Power BI, API integrations.

Statutory Responsibilities:

• Ensure all personnel under your charge are put to work safely every day in compliance with Blackwell policies and procedures.
• Ensure vehicles, plant, equipment, tools and buildings under your charge are only put into service when appropriately maintained and fully compliant with statutory inspections, legal requirements and Blackwell policies and procedures.

About Us:

At Hargreaves Services plc, we support some of the UK’s most critical industries, from energy and environmental services to logistics, land regeneration, and raw material supply. With operations across the UK and internationally, our team of over 1,300 professionals works on projects that shape infrastructure, restore landscapes, and support global supply chains.

Our mission is to provide reliable, innovative, and sustainable services that deliver long‑term value for clients, stakeholders, and the environment.