Business Operations Manager

Why this job matters

We need to ensure that our processes allow us to become a lean and simple organisation. This role is absolutely fundamental in ensuring we achieve this ambition by both seeking operational efficiencies and by ensuring that governance procedures support, rather than slow down, our ability to deliver for our customers.

The Business & Commercial Operations Lead for Network Services  will be responsible for ensuring that all elements of the Networks Services scorecard are achieved. Working in partnership with the Unit MDs, Workforce Planning Teams, Finance Teams and HR, the post holder will ensure that all forecasts are appropriately underpinned, and delivered against – driving responsibility to hit the forecasts into every member of Network Services and the unit they support. 

Activites will broadly cover leading a team of Resourcing & Recovery Specialists, capturing forecast spend & headcount position across the Unit, managing the recovery process, capturing & enabling Learning and Development requirements,  monitoring and control of T&S, allowances, overseeing the rectruitment process, and ad hoc requests that are common in an ever changing and evolving environment.  Ensuring data is accurate & consistent across all Units, and that data is available through timely reporting is vital.

What you’ll be doing

• Management of the Business Unit (BU) Medium Term Plan (MTP).  Covering  Total Labout Resource (TLR) / Total Labour Cost (TLC) resource elements; taking account of volume movements, cost transformation and ensuring those forecasts are met.  Management of TLR profile of all resource types. 
• Lead the implementation & management of datasets critical to the running of the BU; management of operational processes, including day-to-day resource management and bi-annual forecasting.
• Creates and drives interventions to deliver; recruitment, retention, skills, surplus management etc. across all teams and geographies within the BU.
• Communicating and influencing daily at MD &  Director level both within Network Services and externally into Procurement, Finance and HR.
• Leads and drives improvements across the BU and partners with HR, Finance and Operational teams to deliver and track business outcomes and transformation change plans.
• Influencing and communicating vital messaging across leadership teams and all layers of the organisation.
• Support the Learning & Development Partner to manage the training plans and work with senior management team to identify and progress long term strategy of the Unit
• Manages the Unit Scorecard & supports the objective setting process on an annual basis.  Leads tracking & reporting of the scorecard for the BU
• Leads coordination efforts and liaises with the Risk Lead to manage risk and opportunities to Unit MD escalation.

The skills you’ll need

• Accurate labour forecasting, tracking, reporting and control.
• Expert management and presentation of detailed data.
• Ability to coordinate activities and manage in a fast changing environment, working to tight timescales
• Ability to think beyond existing solutions, to challenge assumptions and make decisions
• Business/Financial acumen to recommend changes that are in the best interest of the unit.
• Articulate subject matter expert with the ability to influence decision-makers within and beyond the business unit
• Ability to build enduring relationships of trust and influence at Director level.
• Ability to deliver a step change through influencing people at all levels of an organisation
• Leadership skills and ability to lead direct and indirect teams.
• Stakeholder management skills – comfortable with influencing key stakeholders up to CEO level.
• Strong track record of managing  Business operations
• Ability to demonstrate specific opportunities to transform and simplify a business and recovery approach within teams
• Creating and delivering reports which are well used, timely and appropriate including strong data analysis experience
• Risk  management – you need to call out risks and be able deliver good and bad news

Our leadership standards

Looking in:
Leading inclusively and Safely
I inspire and build trust through self-awareness, honesty and integrity.
Owning outcomes
I take the right decisions that benefit the broader organisation.

Looking out:
Delivering for the customer
I execute brilliantly on clear priorities that add value to our customers and the wider business.
Commercially savvy
I demonstrate strong commercial focus, bringing an external perspective to decision-making.

Looking to the future:
Growth mindset
I experiment and identify opportunities for growth for both myself and the organisation.
Building for the future
I build diverse future-ready teams where all individuals can be at their best.