Garage Manager - Plant and Light Vehicle
About us
Allelys is a family-owned heavy lift, heavy haulage, specialist transport and installation project provider. We are trusted to plan and deliver some of the UK’s most complex projects for customers across a wide range of sectors. That trust hasn’t been built overnight, it’s been earned, and every day each employee has the opportunity to contribute to that reputation.
Whether we’re on site, in the yard or in the office, the way we work, the decisions we make and the way we treat people all shape how customers and colleagues experience Allelys.
Our company commitment is Excellence Delivered and this means applying precision and care to every task, delivering consistently on our responsibilities and taking accountability for our actions.
We continue to invest in our people, processes and equipment so that we can keep developing our capabilities and build a sustainable business for the future.
The Role
The Garage Manager leads the day-to-day running of Allelys’ workshop and fleet maintenance operations, ensuring the specialist plant equipment, van and pick-up vehicle fleet is maintained, compliant and available to meet operational demand.
The role manages a team of mechanics and technicians, oversees planned and reactive maintenance schedules, and works closely with the Head of Fleet and Transport Operations team to keep the Plant and Light Vehicle fleet safe, legal and ready for support heavy haulage operations across the Allelys Group.
Responsibilities
- Plan, coordinate and manage daily workshop/garage activities, including the effective resourcing and scheduling of manpower and allocating work to mechanics, fitters and apprentices
- Plan and oversee preventative maintenance, MOT/annual test preparation, and DVSA compliance for the fleet
- Work with internal teams and colleagues to resolve issues in a prompt and timely manner to reduce impact of delays occurring
- Ensure all repairs, inspections and services are recorded accurately in line with O-licence and DVSA requirements
- Manage workshop health & safety, ensuring safe systems of work and PPE compliance
- Control workshop stock, parts ordering and supplier relationships to minimise vehicle downtime
- Recruit, train, mentor, appraise and performance manage garage staff, including apprentices and trainees to meet the requirements of their job roles
- Identify training requirements and development opportunities for staff under the manager’s control
- Liaise with Transport Operations to prioritise vehicle availability against the operational schedule
- Monitor and report on maintenance costs, workshop KPIs and vehicle downtime
- Ensure compliance with LOLER, PUWER and other relevant engineering/workshop regulations
- Support incident investigations relating to vehicle defects or workshop accidents
Personal attributes
- Strong hands-on leadership style with the ability to motivate a technical team
- Highly organised, with the ability to manage competing priorities under time pressure
- Safety-conscious with a rigorous, compliance-first mindset
- Clear communicator, comfortable liaising across operations, engineering and drivers
- Resilient in approach with a ‘can-do’ attitude to problem solving whilst remaining calm and decisive under pressure when resolving breakdowns or urgent defects
- Committed to developing team members and building technical capability
Skills and qualifications
- Level 3 (or equivalent) qualification in HGV/heavy vehicle maintenance or equivalent trade background
- Proven experience managing a commercial vehicle workshop or fleet maintenance team
- Sound working knowledge of DVSA, O-licence and LOLER/PUWER requirements
- Experience with plant equipment and light vehicle maintenance is essential
- Full UK driving licence
- Forklift or Plant licences desirable
- Competent user of maintenance/fleet management systems and Microsoft Office
- Willing to undertake training towards achievement of:
- IOSH Managing Safely (within 6 months of commencement of role)
- CMI Team Leader Level 3 Apprenticeship
