Head of Operations - Specialist Customer Support Services in Glasgow

Head of Operations - Specialist Customer Support Services

• United Kingdom
• Greater London, United Kingdom

We are looking for an experienced and inspiring Head of Operations to lead our Specialist Customer Support Services (SCS) function. This is a significant leadership role, accountable for delivering excellent service, strong operational performance and good customer outcomes for members who require specialist support. This role reports into the Director of Support.

Leading a large, multi-site operation across both Virgin Money and Nationwide, you’ll set the strategic direction for the function while ensuring services remain efficient, well controlled and compliant. You’ll oversee the delivery of support for customers experiencing vulnerability, as well as those requiring bereavement, power of attorney and other specialist services, always maintaining a strong focus on fair customer outcomes.

As a key member of the Support leadership team, you’ll translate Nationwide’s strategy into clear operational priorities and lead the ongoing transformation and integration of the function. Working collaboratively with senior leaders, internal partners, suppliers, regulators and industry bodies, you’ll help shape services, influence decision-making and ensure the effective management of change.

You’ll have end-to-end accountability for operational performance, customer journeys, capacity planning, budgets, risk and control management, audit activity, complaints and regulatory obligations. Through visible and inclusive leadership, you’ll empower colleagues across multiple locations to deliver exceptional service while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and customer focus.

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly experienced operational leader with strong commercial judgement, a track record of leading large-scale operations, sound risk management skills and the ability to influence at senior levels. You’ll play a pivotal role in helping Nationwide deliver better outcomes for customers, colleagues and society.

We are happy to consider flexible working approaches to help you perform at your best.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job, you’ll spend at least two days per week, or if part-time, you’ll spend 40% of your working time, based at our Swindon, Bournemouth, Northampton or Glasgow office. If you’re based at our Glasgow office, this will apply from 1 April 2027 and ahead of that there will be a need to regularly connect with colleagues for collaboration events.

Uncompromisingly Customer, whatever our role

The extras you’ll get

• 30 days holiday, pro rata
• Private medical insurance
• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement
• Access to an annual performance-related bonus
• Training and development to help you progress your career
• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death
• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness
• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society

We forge our own path at Nationwide. As a mutual, we’re owned by our members – those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

We are purpose‑driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What you’ll be doing

You will lead the development and delivery of the function’s strategy, setting clear priorities and leading teams across multiple locations to deliver excellent service and fair customer outcomes. Using customer, market, regulatory and operational insight, you’ll drive improvements to customer journeys and ensure policies and processes align with regulatory requirements and industry best practice.

You’ll be accountable for operational performance, capacity planning, budgets, risk and control management, complaints, audits and regulatory activity, ensuring the operation remains efficient, resilient and well governed.

Working closely with colleagues across Nationwide and external partners, you’ll build strong relationships, influence decision‑making and drive improvements in service, quality and cost. Through visible and inclusive leadership, you’ll create a high‑performing culture that champions accountability, development and continuous improvement.

About you

We are looking for:

• Significant senior leadership experience within a complex customer support or financial services operation
• Deep understanding of specialist customer support, regulatory requirements, operational risk and customer outcomes
• Proven track record of leading multi‑site teams, building high‑performing cultures and improving customer and colleague outcomes
• Strong commercial and financial management experience, including budget setting and accountability, capacity planning and cost management
• Experience delivering operational transformation, service improvement and organisational change
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage senior leaders, boards and external stakeholders
• A degree, relevant professional qualification, or equivalent senior leadership experience

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind
• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand
• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development
• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

Please note that should you be successful in securing this role, the job title on our internal systems will be Head of Operations.

Job Info

• Job Identification 5313
• Apply Before 11/02/2026, 11:55 PM
• Locations 1st Floor Kings Park Rd, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN3 6NW, GB Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 6EP, GB 177 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, G2 7ER, GB Nationwide House, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN38 1NW, GB

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