Operations Manager

At Qlayers, we’re transforming the way large industrial assets, such as ships and storage tanks, are coated. Our 10Q and 10QX robots coat crude oil tanks, ship hulls and offshore structures for customers in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Our Operations team brings those robots to work. We run rental projects with our own crews, operator support, demonstrations and customer trainings, from a Dutch refinery to an offshore vessel in Malaysia or a tank farm in Kazakhstan. With a growing fleet and new product lines coming, the number of projects is set to grow fast.

As Operations Manager, you own the delivery of every field project, from the handover by Sales to aftercare. You lead the Operations team, its planning and its budget, and you are the escalation point for crews and customers. You report to the COO.

This is a hands-on leadership role. You build the processes that make projects run predictably but at the same time, you are close to the field, you know the machines, and you step in when the unexpected happens, remotely or on site.

• Delft
• Full-time
• Q1 2027
• Bachelor or Master degree in mechanical engineering, maritime technology or a related technical field.
• Please note that preference will be given to candidates already residing in the Netherlands to ensure a smoother onboarding process. At this time, we are not able to provide relocation support.

WHAT YOU’LL OWN

Project Delivery & Customer Escalation

• Own the execution of all field projects: rentals with crew, operator support, demonstrations and customer trainings.
• Set up clear responsibilities, escalation routes and remote support, so issues are solved at the right level, and act as the final escalation point when needed. Lead root-cause analyses, status reports and way-forward meetings to adjust procedures when a project runs into trouble.
• Be the technical point of contact for customers and partners during preparation, execution and aftercare.
• Make sure every project starts with a defined scope, resource plan, method statement, risk assessment and schedule, and is documented through daily progress reports and handover documents.

Planning, Fleet & Logistics

• Run the weekly resource planning of crews, freelancers and robots across projects, demos and trainings.
• Decide go or no-go on new projects and demos based on crew and fleet capacity.
• Keep track of the condition, maintenance history, retrofit status and open actions of every robot, and make sure preventive maintenance is done before deployment, aligned with Production and Engineering on retrofits, FATs and spare parts. Oversee procurement of coatings, consumables and field equipment for projects.
• Oversee mobilisation, shipping and customs together with our Logistics Officer.

Operations Team & Training

• Lead and develop the Operations team, including the day-to-day field and project coordinators.
• Hire, onboard and coach field service engineers, project engineers and operators.
• Approve hours, overtime, expenses and leave, and run probation and performance reviews.
• Own the operator training programme for our own team and for customers.
• Build a strong safety culture in the field and in our hall, including toolbox meetings and travel rules.

Cost & Financial Accountability

• Own the Operations budget and the financial result of field projects.
• Prepare operational quotations for rental, field support and spare parts, and agree contract terms with Sales and management.
• Release invoices to Finance based on progress reports and POs.
• Review project results with Finance every month and act on deviations.
• Deliver the Operations capacity, FTE and budget plan for the annual plan.

Processes, Sales & Product Feedback

• Run the Sales to Operations handover, give Sales clear feasibility and capacity input, and guide customers through site preparation so that materials, access and conditions are ready when the crew arrives. Own the SOPs, templates, manuals and quality procedures for Operations within our ISO 9001 system.
• Turn (recurring) field lessons learned into improvement requests for Engineering and assist in deployment testing until resolved.
• Manage paint tests in our spray booth and the relationship with paint manufacturers.

WHAT YOU BRING

• At least 8 years of experience in field operations or project execution in industrial services, of which at least 3 years leading teams.
• Experience running international projects in demanding environments such as refineries, tank terminals, shipyards or offshore.
• Solid knowledge of protective and marine coatings and their application; an AMPP or FROSIO certification is a plus.
• The technical understanding to troubleshoot electromechanical equipment together with a crew on the other side of the world.
• Experience with budgets, quotations and contracts, and the drive to keep projects profitable.
• Familiarity with HSE requirements in oil & gas, such as VCA, permit-to-work and ATEX zones.
• Fluent English and willingness to travel to customer sites worldwide; Dutch is a plus.

You are someone who

• Prevents most evening calls through good preparation, and stays calm and decisive when one still comes in.
• Leads by example and earns trust both in the field and in the office.
• Takes ownership of results and isn’t afraid to make decisions.
• Builds a team with procedures that can run without you being involved in every decision.
• Is as comfortable with a customer’s site manager as with a field technician.
• Can bring structure and procedures to a fast-growing environment without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Thrives in a high-tech scale-up where the products are complex and no two projects are the same.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Salary range EUR 5,500 – €7,000 gross per month for a 40-hour work week. The exact amount depends on the seniority of the candidate.
• 8% holiday allowance
• 25 vacation days
• Flexible working hours
• Healthy lunch
• Pension plan
• Tight-knit team
• Growth opportunities
• Self-development opportunities
• Flat hierarchy while still maintaining professional management.