This is a Permanent, Full Time vacancy that will close in {x} days at {xx:xx} BST.
The Vacancy
The role: An exciting opportunity has arisen at OPA, as we seek to appoint a new Operations Manager, to be based at our OFD (Oil Fuel Depot) at Thanckes, Torpoint, Cornwall.
This is a hands-on supervisory role ensuring the safe delivery, efficient receipt, storage, and issue of POL (Petroleum Oil and Lubricant) bulk products for HM Navy, RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) and other OPA customers, ensuring at all times activities are compliant with COMAH Regulations, with an exceptionally strong focus on ensuring no harm to people or the environment.
Whilst working as part of the Operations team, this role is directly responsible to the site Depot Manager to support and carry out all aspects of operational tasks. As well as providing general supervision and direction for berthing, and general shipping operations, with particular emphasis to jetty/ shipping operations, and close liaison with third parties for the deployment of fenders, line handling and ancillary jetty services.
This pivotal operational role also deputises along with the Depot Engineer for the Depot Manager, and the successful post holder must be prepared to take on any necessary responsibilities and make appropriate decisions.
Your interpersonal skills, and ability to build and maintain relationships with all our stakeholders, both internal and external, will need to be second to none.
Some occasional travel with overnight stays to other sites may be required, there a full (preferably clean) driving licence is essential.
Responsibilities:
Operate and maintain an agreed Estate Maintenance Plan, ensure with the Depot Engineer that all PPM and defects are completed in the time scale allowed.
Through the Depot Team, responsible for maintaining and reporting of fuel stocks, ensuring that the figures are within the 0.2% tolerance for MOD product, operation of the ATG and BFIS systems. This includes manual tank dipping, measurement of water content, recording fuel levels before, during and after issues, receipts and returns. The Operations Manager will routinely audit and check stock levels.
Manage and supervise the sampling of storage tanks and vessels when required, sending samples for analysis as necessary. Product samples to be retained and managed, as needed.
Operate and supervise the operation of vehicles within the Depot. Ensuring that only qualified and certified staff operate such vehicles and that vehicles are regularly maintained and that such maintenance is recorded.
Fully familiar with ship to shore checklist
Supervise contractors on site, where appropriate. Conduct and record Site Inductions for Contractors and Visitors.
Ensure that Contractors are also working to any Control of Work requirements.
When Deputising for the Depot Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management, maintenance and operations of the OFD and is to implement and ensure compliance with the systems and procedures that control marine safety as required by the PMSC and DSA02-DMR - Defence Maritime Regulations for Health, Safety and Environmental Protection. The Depot Manager is nominally the Harbour Master for the OFD.
Understand and comply with the requirement Port Facility Security plan procedures and responsibilities.
Carry out and comply with Operating Procedures, Safety Critical Tasks and Checklists, SSoW to include, COSHH & (Legionella, Noise) Risk Assessments.
Ensure that the Depot maintains good standards of housekeeping, tidiness, and safety standards.
Supervise, and where necessary be part of, confined space operations, ensuring that personnel involved in such activities are trained and assessed as competent to carry out such tasks and that they have been deemed medically fit for such duties.
Be part of a Rostered “On-Call” Team.
Oil Spill techniques.
Waste management / paperwork (returns) and audits
Willing to undertake Short Notice overtime.
Maintain cleanliness / operational efficiency / safe working practices, and manage all fuel movements.
Full details of the responsibilities can be found in the job description for this role, which is available to download at the bottom of this page.
The candidate: A relevant degree will be desirable, with at least 3 years senior management experience, ideally with a proven track record in the petroleum storage industry in an Engineering or Operations management role.
Experience of, or an understanding of the requirements of top tier COMAH installation and the safety culture which must prevail in such establishments is essential.
Required Knowledge/Skills:
Excellent operations leadership and management skills.
Strong / Excellent communication skills.
Knowledge of hazardous area process plant environment, desirable.
Ideally hold a relevant health and safety management qualification, or able to demonstrate an excellent safety management record.
Knowledge of legislation relating Process Safety, COMAH, MOC and CDM and their applications.
Good financial understanding.
Competent with all Microsoft Office applications is essential.
Stage 1 Interviews: 7 July 2026 (By Teams)
Stage 2 Interviews: 16 July 2026 (Face to face)
The Organisation
The Oil & Pipelines Agency is a Public Corporation formed by the Oil and Pipelines Act 1985.
Our current primary purpose is to manage, operate and maintain 6 Naval OFD’s (Oil Fuel Depots) and 1 Petroleum Storage Depot in the UK, as well as overseas, on behalf of the MOD. We currently have around 200 employees in the UK.
The Benefits
30 days Holiday [Plus Bank Holidays]
4 x annual salary life assurance [after probation] & Group Income Protection Policy
Generous Pension Scheme
Group Healthcare Scheme (permanent staff only)
The Values
Innovation
We are creative and fearless in our work.
Accountability
We take ownership of our work and lead from the front.
Teamwork
We collaborate widely and build supportive environments.
The Values
PROTECT
PROTECT PEOPLE & THE ENVIRONMENT FROM HARM
RESPONSIBILITY
WE HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE & ACCEPT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AT ALL LEVELS
INTEGRITY
INTEGRITY, HONESTY AND AN OPEN CULTURE ENGENDERS TRUST
DIGNITY
BE CONSIDERATE AND RESPECTFUL TO OTHERS
EXCEED
WE STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN ALL WE DO
Our Mission
To deliver and enable optimal energy outcomes, in order to enable resilience, operational capability and advantage for UK Defence.
Our Vision
To be the enduring partner of choice for UK Defence operational energy delivery.
Documents
The Oil & Pipelines Agency humanresources@opa.gov.uk Head Office: St George’s House, Weevil Lane, Gosport PO12 1AP
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Privacy Policy
The Oil and Pipeline AgencyPrivacy Statement
This notice explains how The Oil and Pipelines Agency (OPA) obtains, uses and protects the personal information that it holds about applicants during the recruitment process. Contact details for Data Protection Officer are set out at the end of this notice.
OPA complies with Data Protection legislation.
The OPA is the "Data Controller" for the purposes of the Data Protection legislation. As the “Data Controller” we ensure we comply with the Data Protection legislation and only processes your personal data accordingly. We do not use a Data Processor, other than Cifas, although OPA could be considered a Data Processor where an application is submitted by an Agency on behalf of a candidate.
As defined by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) The Oil and Pipeline Agency is the Data Controller and ultimately responsible for ensuring the data you provide is kept secure, processed correctly and that you understand your legal rights in relation to the data you provide.
What information do we collect from you?
We collect information that is specifically provided by you as part of an application process. We will collect the following (but not limited to):
Name, address, email, telephone number
CV (if applicable)
Equal opportunities monitoring information (defined as special categories data) - this information is purely for statistical analysis and monitoring purposes
Answers to application questions
Any other information you wish to provide in support of your application
What is personal information?
Personal information broadly means information that identifies, or which could identify (with other information that we hold or are likely to hold), a living individual. This includes any information provided to us by, or on behalf of, you.
What types of personal information might we hold about you?
We collect and process the information about you that you provide by filling in forms either electronically or through our online recruitment portal. We may also have information about you through correspondence with us, either directly with you or with an Agency handling your application with us, by telephone, email or otherwise. We may hold and process any or all of the following personal information about you:
Personal details such as your name, gender, age, date of birth, contact details (e.g. your address and postcode, email, telephone and mobile numbers), and identifiers such as your National Insurance number;
Employment details such as previous career history, termination details, job titles, training and qualification;
Information to confirm you eligibility to legally work within the UK;
Information about ethnic origin or other such data collected as part of our Equal Opportunities monitoring, which are not mandatory to provide.
Why do we hold this information?
We hold this information because we need it to process your application for roles within OPA. Without your personal information we cannot consider your application.
We may use unique identifier information, such as your National Insurance number, passport number, or email address for the purposes of sending communications to you and verifying your identity.
Using your information in accordance with Data Protection Laws
Data Protection Laws require us to meet certain conditions before we are allowed to use your personal information in the way described in this privacy notice.
We rely on a condition known as 'legitimate interests' in order to use this information in the way described in this privacy notice. We have legitimate interests in collecting and processing your personal information as we need this to process your application for roles in OPA.
We will keep the amount of personal information collected and the extent of any processing to the minimum.
We will only process ‘sensitive’ or ‘special categories' of personal information under the Data Protection Laws (e.g. information about your health) where you have explicitly consented to this by providing us with such information (such as Equal Opportunities Monitoring) or where there is an alternative legal basis for processing this information under the Data Protection Laws.
What do we do with the information?
We may use your personal information for a number of purposes relating to the processing of your application:
To consider your application and whether to select you for interview.
For internal record keeping of the recruitment process.
Complying with our legal obligations, any relevant industry or professional rules and regulations or any applicable voluntary codes.
Cifas membership - Insider threat database
The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by going to: www.cifas.org.uk/fpn or emailing HumanResources@opa.gov.uk and requesting a copy of the full fair processing notice.
What do we do with the information?
We may use your personal information for a number of purposes relating to the processing of your application:
To consider your application and whether to select you for interview.
For internal record keeping of the recruitment process.
Complying with our legal obligations, any relevant industry or professional rules and regulations or any applicable voluntary codes.
How long do we keep your information for?
We will hold your personal information on our systems for a maximum of 12 months following the completion of the application process, unless you are the successful candidate.
You will receive an automated email towards the end of the 12 month period, informing you that your personal information will be delete from our systems. You will have an opportunity to refresh you application, if you wish us to hold your information for any potential future vacancies. However, this can only be refreshed for a further year, at which point the automated email will be sent again.
Who do we share the information with?
Where appropriate for the purposes of processing your application we may share your information with:
The OPA management that are involved in the recruitment process for a specific role.
We may share feedback through an Agency, if your application was submitted by a 3rd Party on your behalf.
A Recruitment Agency may also be controllers under the Data Protection Laws, and they should have informed you of their Privacy Notices.
Where we store your personal data
The data that we collect from you will be stored in the UK.
Your rights in relation to your personal information
The accuracy of the information that we hold about you is important to us. If any of the information that we hold is inaccurate or out of date, please let us know using the contact details set out at the end of this notice.
You have a number of rights under the Data Protection Laws in relation to the way we process your personal data, namely:
To access your data;
To have your data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete;
To certain circumstances, to have your data deleted or removed;
In certain circumstances, to restrict the processing of your data;
A right of data portability, namely to obtain and reuse your data for your own purposes across different services;
To object to direct marketing (although we do not carry out direct marketing);
Not to be subject to automated decision making (including profiling), where it produces a legal effect or a similarly significant effect on you (we only use automated decision making in regard to your eligibility to legally work in the UK); and
To claim compensation for damages caused by a breach of the Data Protection Laws.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact the Human Resources Director (Data Protection Officer) using the contact details below.
We will aim to respond to any request received from you within one month from your request.
Please note that we may be unable to delete or remove your data whilst we still need this to process your application or to maintain the recruitment records in the event we are challenged on whether a fair process was utilised – see the section 'How long do we keep information for?' above.
Any complaints?
If you are not happy with the way in which your personal information is held or processed, please contact us using the details below. You also have the right to complain about data protection matters to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
The ICO is the UK's independent body set up to uphold information rights. You can find out more about the ICO at:
We keep our privacy notice under regular review, and may change it at any time. We will tell you about any significant changes.
Contact us
If you have any queries about this privacy notice, or wish to exercise any of the rights above, or if you have any other questions about OPA’s recruitment process, please contact:
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