Head of Operations
Salary: £75-85,000k DOE
Location: Coventry
Direct Reports: Team Leaders and associated support staff
Reports to: MD – Citizen Services
Role Summary
The Head of Operations will lead end-to-end operational functions within a predominantly Public Sector and Central Government services contract environment, ensuring efficient, compliant and resilient processes that support excellent client service, risk management and business growth.
Providing strategic and operational leadership across four processing teams of approximately 40 agents, the role will translate organisational priorities into operational plans, optimise workflows and deliver accurate, customer-focused outcomes. It will manage team leaders, coordinate cross-team working and build a positive, accountable and high-performing culture by driving operational performance, continuous improvement, stakeholder engagement, resource management, and supporting the achievement of strategic objectives.
Main duties
- Lead day-to-day service delivery across multiple processing teams, managing team leaders and ensuring consistent, high-quality performance.
- Translate organisational priorities into clear operational plans, measurable outcomes and efficient end-to-end workflows.
- Develop and implement operational strategies, plans, and performance objectives.
- Ensure services are delivered to agreed quality, contractual, financial, and compliance standards
- Monitor KPIs and SLAs, using management information to support workforce planning, forecasting, resource allocation and workload balancing.
- Maintain effective operational governance, controls, compliance, quality assurance, risk mitigation and resilience, including audit and regulatory activity.
- Drive continuous improvement through innovation, efficiencies, LEAN methods, process mapping, workflow redesign, automation and digitisation.
- Coordinate cross-team and cross-functional working with Finance, HR, IT, Compliance, senior leadership and client stakeholders.
- Coach and develop team leaders and staff, build capability and accountability, and foster a positive, customer-centric culture.
- Provide clear operational insight to senior stakeholders and lead teams through technology adoption and wider operational transformation.
- Any other duties appropriate to the role
Requirements
Essential (these will be used to decide whether to shortlist)
Experience
- 5-10+ years’ experience in a leadership role in operations within a BPO or contact-centre environment.
- Proven experience leading multi-team operational functions and building high-performing teams.
- Experience in regulated environments, including operational risk, compliance, controls, audits and regulatory interactions
Skills
- Strong understanding of UK Government contracting in a BPO or contact-centre environment.
- Strategic operational leadership, governance, prioritisation and sound decision-making in fast-moving environments.
- Expertise in LEAN methods, process mapping, workforce optimisation and end-to-end process redesign.
- Ability to define KPIs, interpret operational and risk data, produce dashboards, and manage capacity, forecasting and resource allocation.
- Excellent stakeholder communication, influencing, coaching, conflict-resolution and change-management capability.
- Confidence with AI-enabled administration, workflow and case-management systems, automation and digitisation.
Preferable
Education
- Degree or equivalent amount of experience
- Lean Six Sigma professional qualification
Why Join IRARA?
We offer an opportunity to be part of a global support network, which aims to positively impact the lives of others. We have a culture and working environment that is friendly and fast paced, supporting personal growth within the organisation.
We really value our people and offer a friendly, collaborative and purpose-driven environment.
Benefits include
- Hybrid working model
- 25 days annual leave + Bank holidays + the ability to buy up to an extra 5 days a year
- Online perk scheme
How do I apply?
To apply please send your CV and covering letter to careers@irara.org, subject line: Head of Operations
Please do not hesitate to reach out to careers@irara.org, if you have any questions or would like to discuss the opportunity in more detail.
We welcome applications from individuals with transferable skills and diverse backgrounds. We are building a diverse and inclusive workforce, which involves hiring the best people for our roles. In order to do this we’re committed to ensuring that all candidates have fair opportunities. If we can make any adjustments to ensure that the process is accessible please let us know. We are proud to support care leavers, armed forces veterans, those at risk of homelessness and are Disability Confident. Please mention it in your application if any of these apply to you. We will treat all information confidentially.
You must be eligible to work in the Uk and able to pass a security check, including a DBS.
The closing date for applications is 8am on Monday 16th November.