Scottish Canals are the custodians of the nation’s canal network and surrounding estates. Our vision is to invest in the canal network to generate lasting benefit for people and communities; celebrating their industrial heritage, ensuring they offer quality green and blue spaces for people and communities and contribute to Scotland’s resilience in tackling climate change.

Our success is rooted in valuing the contributions of our entire team - we care, we create, and we collaborate to continue to deliver a whole range of activities from boating, paddling, walking and wheeling to living and playing and improving what the canals have to offer to our visitors and communities. We also work collaboratively with our partners and stakeholders to contribute to a wealthier, fairer, greener and more resilient Scotland.

As an employer we offer a truly unique opportunity to be part of our team, help us realise our vision and contribute to safeguarding our heritage and ensuring our canals flourish now and in the future.

We currently have a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic strategic leader to join our Operations Directorate as a Deputy Director of Operations. This opportunity is a new role which has emerged from a restructuring of our existing leadership team to support the delivery of the Scottish Canals Corporate Plan 2023-2028.

The role is offered on a 2 year fixed term basis, and with a starting salary of £78,370 - £85,636. Working hours 35 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

Scottish Canals offer a generous annual leave entitlement of 32 days, plus 6 public holidays, along with enhanced sick pay, discounted shopping vouchers, health cash plan and a contributory pension scheme with up to 10% employer contribution.

Primary responsibilities of the role:

The postholder provides executive leadership across operational delivery, including business unit performance, customer service, maintenance, incident response, navigation safety, and service delivery, ensuring compliance with statutory obligations while contributing to the organisation’s long term strategic objectives, sustainability goals, and public value.

The role will be capable of assuming leadership of the Directorate when required.

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Deputise for the COO, providing visible leadership and assurance across all operational functions.
• Work with Operational Heads of Service to manage over £7.5m of employee and financial resource.
• Proactively manage and facilitate changes in canal operations, processes and related contracts arising from wider strategic developments and decisions.
• Ensure that daily operations are managed consistently, activity and performance levels are maintained.
• Lead transformation through efficiency and continuous improvement in operational resilience, efficiency, and safety performance across the network.
• Provide performance and wider management reporting on a regular basis to the Chief Operating Officer and wider Executive Management Team (EMT).
• A key member of the Executive Management Team

Operational Asset maintenance

• Provide senior oversight of the operation and maintenance of canal infrastructure working in partnership with the Engineering and Asset Deputy Director & their planning team to deliver via operational teams planned preventative/ defect resolution day to day maintenance of locks, embankments bridges, aqueducts, water control structures and associated assets.
• Ensure that asset management strategies are delivered locally in a risk based, evidenced, and compliant way in compliance with all regulatory and statutory legislation, guidance and best practice.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of capital investment and maintenance programmes, working closely with Engineering & Assets, Estates & Placemaking and Finance Departments.

Stakeholder & Partnership Management

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with local authorities, emergency services, regulators, canal-based businesses, third sector and water based & canal side communities.
• Represent Scottish Canals at senior stakeholder forums, contributing technical and operational insight to policy discussions.
• Be the senior project sponsor on operational capital and revenue project activities within the role of Deputy Director of Operations.
• Support community engagement activities where operational considerations are critical.
• Engaging stakeholders during future workforce restructuring processes, sharing and supporting the vision, shaping plans and ensuring change is efficiently and consistently implemented and established.

Safety, Risk & Resilience

• Champion a strong safety and risk culture across all operational teams.
• Act as a senior responsible leader for operational safety, ensuring operations meet statutory requirements (e.g. H&S, environmental, regulatory) to reduce risk exposure.
• Proactively monitor and deal with under‑performance, engaging with managers, operators and suppliers to ensure performance improvement activities are put in place to resolve systematic problems.
• Identifying gaps and updating procedures that affect safety-critical work, incident prevention, and risk controls.
• Through Planned Preventative Maintenance improving asset reliability and preventative maintenance to reduce safety incidents and operational failures, complying with the appropriate Scottish Canals Policy and Procedures.
• Lead the operational team during major incidents, breaches, extreme weather or emergency events, acting as a senior decision‑maker within incident management structures.

Financial & Performance Management

• Support the COO in managing operational budgets, ensuring best value and financial control.
• Monitor and report on operational performance, KPIs and risk, providing clear assurance to the Executive Management Team and Board.
• Drive efficiencies and innovation in service delivery while maintaining high standards of safety and reliability.

Leadership & People

• Lead and develop senior operational managers, promoting and creating a high performing, inclusive leadership culture.
• Promote professional development and succession planning across the Operational units.
• Act as a role model for Scottish Canals’ values, behaviours and ethical standards.

RACI Snapshot (high level)

• Accountable (A): Leadership of Senior Managers and performance output; Performance reporting; Contract oversight; Governance papers; Compliance.
• Responsible ®: BAU schedule; Implementation of strategic changes; Stakeholder relationships; Under‑performance remediation; Meeting facilitation, Project sponsorship
• Consulted ©: Finance, Comms, Projects on service changes and network impacts; Operators/EMT, SMT on programme alignment.
• Informed (I): CEO, COO, EMT, SMT, Boards on performance, risks, and decisions.

Skills and Experience:

The ideal candidate will be educated to degree level or possess equivalent professional experience. They will have a minimum of five years’ experience in a senior leadership role within operations, infrastructure, utilities, transport, or other asset‑intensive environments. Proficiency in Microsoft Office is essential, and experience or qualifications in lean methodologies are highly desirable.

They will demonstrate proven expertise in implementing Lean Six Sigma principles and driving continuous improvement, alongside exceptional leadership and mentoring capabilities that support the development of high‑performing, collaborative teams. Strong stakeholder management and relationship‑building skills are essential, as is proficiency in project management methodologies and tools.

The candidate should bring an innovative and creative mindset, showing urgency in identifying problems and developing imaginative solutions without adding unnecessary bureaucracy. They must be able to adapt their problem‑solving approaches in response to changing circumstances and be open to constructive challenge while also providing it to others. Strong critical thinking, sound decision‑making skills, and confident communication—both written and verbal—are all key, particularly when influencing, negotiating, and leading teams or functions through change. A high level of numeracy is also required, with the ability to think commercially, assess business proposals, and creatively evaluate income and expenditure options.

Candidates should bring knowledge of NDPBs, and have significant experience in sectors such as waterways, flood risk, civil infrastructure, or estate management, along with a strong understanding of Local and Combined Authority processes and governance. An understanding of service‑level agreement development is also important.

The candidate must have a proven track record of confidently managing senior managers and/or multiple stakeholder groups, as well as experience working within governance structures similar to those in transport, local government, environmental development, or tourism. Evidence of successful partnership working is required, together with previous experience in contract management and handling highly confidential, sensitive, and contentious information.

It as anticipated interviews will be held W/C 6th April 2026.

Scottish Canals reserve the right to close this vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.