Head of Operations Job Description: Complete Role Profile

The Head of Operations provides strategic leadership for operational functions and is accountable for delivering efficient, compliant and scalable services. Senior leaders with substantial operational experience who can balance strategic planning with hands-on delivery and continuous improvement should apply.

Head of Operations Job Profile

The Head of Operations leads the design, implementation and optimisation of core operational processes to meet organisational objectives. This senior role translates strategy into operational plans, ensures robust governance and drives performance across multiple teams or sites.

The purpose of the role is to secure reliable service delivery, manage operational risk, control costs and enable growth through improved productivity and effective resource allocation. The postholder will be expected to influence stakeholders, build capability and sustain measurable improvements in operational outcomes.

Head of Operations Job Description

The Head of Operations is responsible for setting operational priorities, defining performance indicators and implementing governance frameworks that ensure consistent delivery against targets. The role requires close collaboration with executive leadership to align operational plans with strategic objectives and to support business planning, budgeting and forecasting.

Day-to-day responsibilities include overseeing service delivery, capacity planning, quality assurance and risk management, while leading continuous improvement and transformation initiatives. The role will manage senior operational managers, establish clear accountabilities and foster a culture of operational discipline and customer focus.

Head of Operations: Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the operational strategy to support organisational objectives and growth plans
• Lead, coach and develop senior operations managers and cross-functional teams to deliver high performance
• Define, monitor and report key performance indicators to drive continuous improvement and accountability
• Oversee operational planning including capacity, resource allocation and workload forecasting
• Manage operational budgets and cost control measures to achieve financial targets
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and contractual obligations and maintain robust governance arrangements
• Design and deliver process improvement programmes to increase efficiency and reduce waste
• Manage supplier and third-party relationships to ensure service quality and value for money
• Lead change initiatives and transformation projects to modernise operations and improve outcomes
• Establish and maintain business continuity and risk management plans for operational resilience
• Drive data-led decision making by ensuring timely, accurate operational reporting and metrics
• Ensure consistent customer service standards and take action to resolve escalated operational issues
• Collaborate with other functions such as finance, HR and commercial teams to align operational priorities
• Promote a culture of health and safety, quality assurance and continuous professional development

Head of Operations: Requirements and Qualifications

• Degree in business, operations management, engineering or related discipline, or equivalent experience
• Extensive senior operations experience with a track record of delivering operational improvement and growth
• Proven experience of setting and managing budgets and delivering cost efficiencies
• Strong leadership skills with experience of managing multi-site or multi-disciplinary teams
• Demonstrable experience of process improvement methodologies and delivery of transformation programmes
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret operational metrics and drive performance
• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements relevant to operational functions
• Experience of supplier and contract management at a senior level
• Strong stakeholder management and interpersonal communication skills at executive level
• Proven ability to manage risk and maintain business continuity plans
• Project management capability with experience of delivering complex change initiatives
• High level of commercial awareness and decision making under pressure
• Commitment to developing teams and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement