Wilson James have been raising standards in security, construction logistics, aviation services, and technology for over 30 years. With 5,000 employees and a presence across over 300 client sites all over the UK, we are dedicated to delivering tailored solutions and top-tier customer service. As a leading managed service provider, we prioritise safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Joining Wilson James offers the excitement of working with diverse, vibrant clients, making for a dynamic and engaging workplace.   

We are looking for an Operations Planning Lead to join us at our client site at Heathrow and Gatwick Airport.

What do you get from us:  

• The Role: Full Time, Permanent Role, working Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00.
• Pay: £50,000 annual pay.
• Company Sick Pay
• Annual leave entitlement of 22 days.
• Company Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance Scheme
• Access to an Online GP Service for you and your dependents
• Learning & Development – we actively encourage progression and offer various eLearning courses, progression, training whilst on site, apprenticeships, and in-house training courses.  
• Health and Wellbeing – access to mental health support specialists 
• Specific site benefits: Car Parking available.
• Cycle to work scheme

A typical day in the life as an Operations Planning Lead:  

We're looking for an experienced and forward-thinking Operational Planning Lead to help shape the future of operational performance at Wilson James. In this key role, you'll lead demand and capacity planning, identify future risks, and oversee operational performance—driving continuous improvement across our services, products, and employee experience, all in line with our values and commercial goals.

You'll develop practical and strategic planning tools and dashboards that empower our operational teams to deliver efficient, resilient, and sustainable services. Everything you design should lead to clear, measurable benefits and be grounded in real-world operational feasibility.

We're also seeking someone who brings fresh, innovative thinking to how we approach operational planning. You'll champion creative solutions that support our colleagues, clients, and their customers—helping them navigate their priorities and wider economic challenges.

Main Responsibilities:

• Lead demand and capacity planning to ensure resource is optimised, commercially focussed and resilient to deliver WJ values, policies, service standards and strategic priorities.
• Assess resourcing risks & opportunities and propose solutions for short-, medium- and long-term application, including ensuring operations have sufficient resilience and resource can be flexed to match demand.
• Ensure commercial objectives are prioritised and that financial implications are appreciated by all.
• Collaborate with Head of Business Improvement; and the Senior Project Finance Manager to define and develop a data hierarchy and associated performance dashboards for internal and external audiences and decision makers.
• Analyse operational performance to enable continuous improvement, coordinating pan-aviation approaches for best practice.
• Provide direction to Data and Resource Optimisation Managers; and operational managers; on Operations Planning and Improvement ‘best practice'.
• Consider options for improved approaches to Time and Attendance management.
• Contribute to pricing, commercial model optimisation and bids.
• Proactively mitigate and manage operational planning and improvement risks in line with the Aviation and Transport Risk Register.

What are we looking for?

 Essential

• Experience of resource and equipment planning
• Excellent IT, analytical, data interpretation and problem-solving skills
• An understanding of the key drivers in assessing demand and capacity with focus on resourcing
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to deliver succinct and clear actions based on analysis of data
• Able to work in a fast paced and high-pressure environment with multiple stakeholders and clients
• Commercially astute with strong numeracy skills
• An understanding of resource planning
• Maintain a high standard of personal presentation
• Able to demonstrate an ability to work as part of a team
• An understanding of the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion
• Full UK Driving Licence
• Full 5-year checkable history for airport ID requirements

Desirable

• Multi-site operational planning at scale of >1000 colleagues
• Be familiar with software used in airport demand & capacity planning and resourcing or similar.

Apply today and secure your future with Wilson James! 

Wilson James is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. A criminal conviction will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position, however each case will be assessed on an individual basis. For information about Wilson James' commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, https://wilsonjames.co.uk/sustainability