Validation Operations Support Coordinator

Description:

Role Title: Validation Operations Support Coordinator (listed as Program Manager / Operations Manager)
Contract Duration: 6-month contract (possibility of extension based on performance/business needs, but no guarantees)
Location & Work Setup: Hybrid / On-site.
Primary Depot: West London (Acton / North Acton)
Secondary Depot: East London
Corporate Office: Central London
Expectation: Minimum 2-3 days/week at the depot for vendor relationship building and ops alignment.
Travel Expectation: ~30% regional travel across Europe (primarily UK and Germany).
Role Overview & Purpose
The Validation Operations Support Coordinator acts as a direct extension of the Regional Validation Manager. Client expands its autonomous vehicle (AV) footprint across Europe (e.g., London, Munich), Validation Operations ensures new software, firmware, vehicle models, and city expansions are rigorously validated-primarily requiring human drivers behind the wheel-before full commercial rollout.

This role bridges high-level administrative, analytical, and programmatic execution with real-world, on-the-ground depot operations.
Key Responsibilities
Shift / Mission Prioritization: Plan, assign, and manually set up vehicle mission schedules (e.g., balancing mileage collection shifts vs. mapping vs. showcase missions).
Operational Reporting & Metrics: Track daily production targets, analyze shift completion data, and deliver clear operational reports explaining performance variances.
Escalation & Problem Solving: Deep-dive into operational blockers or escalations arising at depots or during driver shifts.
Vendor Relationship Management: Work directly with 3rd-party vendor partners who manage the physical drivers and shift executions.
Stakeholder Alignment: Translate complex operational realities to non-operational internal stakeholders (Engineering, Product Management, Policy, PR, Executive Leadership).
Automation & Tooling (Preferred): Leverage internal AI tools (e.g., Jestkey) and existing systems to automate reporting workflows.
Ideal Candidate Profile
Must-Haves
Experience Level: ~5 to 7 years of operational / coordinator experience (Sweet spot: ~5 years).
Operational Mindset: Hands-on experience in fast-paced operational environments (e.g., logistics, dispatch, distribution, field operations). Must be willing to "roll up their sleeves" for manual/routine tasks.
Adaptability & Comfort with Ambiguity: Ability to thrive in a fast-changing, gray environment where daily priorities pivot based on business needs.
Data-Driven & Analytical: Comfortable working with numbers, identifying trends, and building clear reports.
Communication Skills: Capable of talking operational details at the depot level as well as presenting recommendations to leadership.
Flexibility on Work Location & Travel: Willingness to travel ~30% across European depots (1-week stints) and spend 2-3 days/week physically at London depots.
What This Role Is NOT
Not a Hardcore Fleet Mechanic / Maintenance Role: A dedicated technical team manages vehicle repairs, tire changes, and hardware maintenance.
Not a Rigid, Pure Program Manager: Candidates strictly tied to rigid methodologies (PMP/Agile milestone tracking, Asana/Jira-only focus) without operational flexibility will struggle.Randstad Technologies is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy