Head of Commercial & Operations (UK) - SaaS / Fintech / Payroll-as-a-Service

Head of Commercial & Operations (UK) - SaaS / Fintech / Payroll-as-a-Service

Full-Time 80000 - 100000 € / year (est.) Home office (partial)
RR

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead operational transformation and elevate customer experience in a dynamic SaaS environment.
  • Company: Ambitious multinational business focused on payroll technology and service excellence.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus potential, and significant leadership influence.
  • Other info: Opportunity for hands-on leadership and career-defining growth.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of a growing business and make a lasting impact.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in senior operations and commercial roles within SaaS or fintech.

The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.

Ready to build, transform and scale a business brimming with untapped potential? This is not a role for someone looking to maintain the status quo. It is a role for someone who sees opportunity where others see complexity; someone who thrives on transformation; and wants to leave a visible, measurable mark on a business trusted by global organisations to deliver in highly regulated, deadline-critical environments.

It suits a leader who is comfortable working through operational complexity, diagnosing issues firsthand, stepping into imperfect situations, bringing structure to ambiguity, and building high-performing teams and systems from the ground up, turning inconsistent delivery into clear, repeatable ways of working. We are a scaling payroll technology business operating at the intersection of technology, service, and compliance. Our platform is strong, our market is growing, and our ambition is clear.

Now we need a senior leader to take ownership of our UK operation and elevate it into a high-performing, commercially driven, and operationally excellent unit. With strong momentum and clear potential, this is an opportunity to step in, take control, and shape the next phase of growth - embedding discipline, raising standards, and building a platform for sustainable operational and commercial success.

If you’re currently operating in a senior operations, commercial, or general management role within a SaaS or service-led business, and you own delivery, people and performance, and real business outcomes - we’d love to hear from you.

The Role at a Glance

  • Location: London / Hybrid
  • Salary: Competitive Salary Package + Bonus + Leadership Opportunity
  • Company: Multinational business with established international operations supporting complex, high-volume payroll environments

Your Skills:

Highly experienced, senior operations and commercial leader who has led complex service businesses through transformation and scale.

The Opportunity

You will take full responsibility for the UK operation, leading a team of around 35 and overseeing a multi-million-pound revenue stream. The business has solid foundations but requires sharper execution, stronger systems, and consistently high customer service standards. Your mandate is clear: transform performance, embed accountability, and build a scalable engine for growth.

Within twelve months the expectation is to stabilise operations, embed discipline and accountability, and materially lift delivery consistency so the business is positioned to scale and driven by process, data, and strong leadership. This is a rare opportunity to step into a genuine “fix, build, scale” role where your impact will be both immediate and lasting.

What You’ll Be Doing

At the heart of the role is hands-on operational transformation. You will work directly with teams to diagnose issues in payroll and service delivery, redesigning processes to materially improve accuracy, consistency, and efficiency. Alongside this, you will elevate the customer experience, shifting the business from reactive service delivery to a proactive, high-quality client offering that builds trust and long-term relationships.

A critical part of your remit will be building a true performance culture. You will introduce clear KPIs, implement weekly accountability rhythms, and ensure that underperformance is addressed quickly and decisively. The goal is to replace ambiguity and “busyness” with clarity, ownership, and measurable outcomes.

You will also take a hands-on approach to leadership, spending time inside the operation in the early months reshaping and strengthening the team where needed, developing key individuals, and ensuring the structure both supports day-to-day execution and is fit for scale.

Once operational confidence is established, you will begin to establish a more structured commercial capability, supporting pipeline generation, enabling growth, and ensuring the business is set up to capitalise on market opportunity.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role is not subjective. It is measurable, visible, and business-critical. Within your first year, operational performance will be significantly improved, with higher accuracy, greater efficiency, and a more streamlined cost base. Customer satisfaction will rise to consistently strong levels, reflecting a more reliable and proactive service.

The team will operate within a clear framework of accountability, with performance tracked, managed, and improved in real time. The business will no longer rely on reactive fixes and short-term interventions but will instead run on efficient systems, repeatable processes, clear ownership and strong leadership disciplined execution. Alongside this, the foundations of a commercial engine will be in place, generating consistent pipeline and supporting future growth.

About You

You are an experienced operational and commercial leader who has already delivered meaningful transformation in a SaaS, fintech, or service-led environment. You are comfortable leading teams of scale and have a track record of improving performance by reducing cost, increasing quality, and implementing better systems.

You are not purely strategic: you are hands-on, execution-focused, and comfortable being close to the detail when needed. You know how to operate in environments that are evolving quickly, where not everything is fully built, and where leadership requires both clarity and resilience.

You are confident in making difficult decisions, addressing underperformance, and holding people to high standards, while still building a culture that people want to be part of. Above all, you take ownership. You do not wait for direction - you create it, and you act decisively.

Why Join?

This role offers a level of ownership, influence and impact that is increasingly rare. You will have the opportunity to shape how the UK business operates, influence its future direction, and build something that stands as a clear example of transformation done well. You will be working in a business that is ambitious, growing, and evolving, where strong leadership is recognised and results are valued.

For the right person, this is not just another role, but a defining chapter in your career – a rare opportunity to take real ownership and have a lasting operational and commercial impact.

Head of Commercial & Operations (UK) - SaaS / Fintech / Payroll-as-a-Service employer: RR

Join a dynamic and ambitious multinational SaaS business where your leadership will directly influence operational excellence and commercial success. With a strong focus on transformation, you will thrive in a culture that values decisive action, accountability, and high performance, while enjoying competitive compensation and significant growth opportunities. This role not only offers the chance to make a measurable impact but also to be part of a supportive team dedicated to delivering exceptional service in a rapidly evolving industry.

RR

Contact Detail:

RR Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Commercial & Operations (UK) - SaaS / Fintech / Payroll-as-a-Service

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry folks on LinkedIn or at events. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their challenges and think about how your skills can help them transform and scale. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but the one they need!

Tip Number 3

Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how you’ve tackled operational complexities in the past and how you can bring structure to ambiguity. Make it clear that you thrive on transformation and are ready to take ownership.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our brand.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Commercial & Operations (UK) - SaaS / Fintech / Payroll-as-a-Service

Operational Transformation
Team Leadership
Performance Management
KPI Implementation
Process Redesign
Customer Experience Enhancement
Change Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Your Transformational Side:When writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience in transforming operations. We want to see how you've tackled complexity and turned it into opportunity, so share specific examples that demonstrate your hands-on approach.

Be Decisive and Clear:In your written application, clarity is key. Use straightforward language to convey your achievements and leadership style. We appreciate candidates who can communicate their vision and the measurable impact they've made in previous roles.

Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! We love it when candidates tailor their submissions to our specific needs. Make sure to align your skills and experiences with the requirements outlined in the job description, especially around operational excellence and team building.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at RR

Understand the Business Landscape

Before your interview, dive deep into the company's operations, especially in the SaaS and fintech sectors. Familiarise yourself with their current challenges and opportunities, particularly in payroll services. This will help you speak confidently about how you can drive transformation and scale.

Showcase Your Hands-On Leadership Style

Prepare examples that highlight your hands-on approach to leadership. Discuss specific instances where you've diagnosed operational issues and implemented effective solutions. This role demands a leader who is not afraid to get involved, so demonstrate your ability to lead from the front.

Emphasise Performance Culture

Be ready to talk about how you've built a performance-driven culture in previous roles. Share your experience with setting KPIs, accountability rhythms, and how you've tackled underperformance decisively. This will resonate well with the expectations of transforming the UK operation.

Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in complex situations. Think of scenarios where you've turned ambiguity into clarity and how you've built high-performing teams. Practising these responses will help you articulate your thought process and decision-making skills effectively.