Service Manager

Service Manager

Darlington

About Flannery Plant Hire

Flannery Plant Hire is a leading provider of plant hire and specialist attachments to the construction industry across the UK and Ireland. With a comprehensive fleet of innovative machinery, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service and meeting our clients' project requirements.

Role Purpose

The Service Manager is responsible for leading the maintenance and servicing function to ensure the availability, reliability, safety, and compliance of Flannery's fleet. This role oversees workshop operations, field service engineers, and maintenance planning, ensuring plant and equipment are serviced efficiently while minimising downtime and maximising fleet utilisation.

Working closely with Operations, Transport, Engineering, Procurement, and Hire Desk teams, the Service Manager will drive operational excellence, continuous improvement, and a culture of safety and accountability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day management of field service operations.

• Ensure preventative maintenance schedules are planned and completed on time.

• Maximise fleet availability through effective maintenance planning and resource allocation.

• Monitor equipment performance and implement corrective actions to reduce recurring faults.

• Coordinate breakdown response to minimise customer disruption.

• Ensure all servicing and repairs are completed to manufacturer specifications.

• Maintain accurate service and maintenance records using the company's fleet management systems.

• Monitor asset condition and recommend refurbishment or disposal where appropriate.

• Lead, coach, and develop service controllers, engineers, and technicians.

• Set performance expectations and conduct regular performance reviews.

• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

• Support recruitment, onboarding, and technical development of engineering staff.

• Champion Flannery's health and safety culture across all service operations.

• Ensure compliance with company policies, manufacturer standards, and legal regulations.

• Investigate incidents and implement corrective actions where necessary.

• Identify opportunities to reduce maintenance costs without compromising quality or safety.

• Control external supplier and subcontractor costs.

• Work collaboratively with operational teams to deliver high fleet availability.

• Support customer satisfaction through reliable equipment and responsive service delivery.

• Analyse maintenance data and KPIs to identify trends and improvement opportunities.

• Implement best practice maintenance processes and lean working methods.

• Support business improvement initiatives across engineering operations.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Significant experience managing service operations within the plant hire, construction equipment, heavy machinery, commercial vehicle, or related engineering sector.

• Strong technical knowledge of construction plant and heavy equipment.

• Proven experience leading engineering or workshop teams.

• Experience managing preventative maintenance programmes.

• Strong planning and organisational skills.

• Budget management experience.

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Proficient in fleet management and maintenance software.

• Full UK driving licence.

Personal Attributes

• Safety-focused leader

• Customer-centric mindset

• Commercially aware

• Calm under pressure

• Strong decision-maker

• Highly organised

• Collaborative

• Results-driven

• Adaptable and proactive

• Committed to continuous improvement