At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead daily operations, improve processes, and ensure effective team coordination.
- Company: Dynamic organisation focused on operational excellence and continuous improvement.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible hours, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with a focus on teamwork and collaboration.
- Why this job: Be at the heart of operations, driving real change and making an impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in operations and strong problem-solving skills required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
Hours: 35 hr per week
Closing Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2026
About the Role
We are looking for a Senior Operations Lead to drive the day-to-day running and continuous improvement of our function. This is a high-impact, operational role focused on bringing structure, coordination and momentum to how the team operates. You will work closely with leadership and delivery teams to ensure priorities are clear, work is effectively coordinated, and key activities are executed with consistency and pace. You will play a central role in embedding strong operational rhythms, improving ways of working, and supporting delivery across the function, using data and insight to inform decisions where needed. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys being at the centre of operations—connecting teams, driving progress, and making things happen.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Operational Leadership & Coordination
- Own and drive the operational cadence of the function, ensuring priorities are clear, aligned and delivered effectively.
- Act as a central point of coordination across teams, bringing structure and visibility to key activities.
- Ensure work is tracked, progressed, and delivered with clear ownership and accountability.
- Identify gaps, blockers and risks, and take action to keep things moving.
- Operational Rhythm, Governance & Delivery
- Lead the preparation and facilitation of weekly, monthly and quarterly operational forums.
- Create high-quality materials, track actions, and ensure clear outcomes and follow-through.
- Maintain key artefacts such as RAID logs, RACIs, and process documentation.
- Support governance, controls, and audit readiness activities.
- Process Improvement & Ways of Working
- Identify inefficiencies and lead improvements to processes, tools and ways of working.
- Bring consistency and clarity to how work is managed and delivered across the function.
- Embed scalable, repeatable operational practices.
- Lead or coordinate improvement initiatives to enhance effectiveness and efficiency.
- Stakeholder Engagement & Facilitation
- Facilitate workshops, meetings and operational discussions to drive clarity and decision-making.
- Work with stakeholders to structure problems, align priorities and agree actions.
- Build strong relationships across teams and functions.
- Deliver clear, concise communications to a range of audiences.
- Operational Insight & Reporting
- Maintain and evolve reporting and dashboards that support operational decision-making.
- Review and interpret performance, capacity, and delivery trends.
- Ensure data is accurate, consistent and aligned to business needs.
- Use insight to highlight issues, inform decisions, and support planning.
- Financial & Workforce Operations
- Support budget tracking, forecasting and cost oversight.
- Assist with resource planning, utilisation tracking and workforce reporting.
- Coordinate recruitment and onboarding activities as part of operational workflows.
What We’re Looking For
- Experience & Capability
- Experience in operations, business management, or delivery support roles.
- Proven ability to coordinate work across teams and manage multiple priorities.
- Experience improving processes or implementing ways of working.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to bring clarity to complex situations.
- Stakeholder & Facilitation Skills
- Confident facilitating meetings, workshops and operational forums.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
- Able to build effective working relationships across teams.
- Tools & Data
- Comfortable using Excel and reporting tools to support operational activities.
- Able to interpret data and translate it into practical actions.
- Experience with dashboards (e.g. Power BI) is beneficial but not essential.
- Ways of Working
- Highly organised, structured and detail-oriented.
- Proactive, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
- Focused on delivery, outcomes and continuous improvement.
- Comfortable working in fast-paced, evolving environments.
Why Join Us?
- Play a key role in shaping how the function operates.
- Work closely with leadership in a high-visibility role.
- Be at the centre of activity, driving coordination and delivery.
- Opportunity to make a tangible impact on efficiency and performance.
Ideal Candidate Profile
You are someone who:
- Enjoys being at the centre of operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly and effectively.
- Brings structure, organisation and momentum to complex environments.
- Is confident coordinating people, priorities and delivery.
- Uses data to support decisions, but is primarily focused on execution and outcomes.
- Takes ownership and drives work through to completion.
Senior Operations Lead employer: Skipton Building Society
As a Senior Operations Lead, you will thrive in a dynamic and supportive work culture that prioritises collaboration and continuous improvement. Our company offers robust employee growth opportunities, including professional development and training, ensuring you can advance your career while making a meaningful impact on operational efficiency. Located in a vibrant area, we provide a stimulating environment where your contributions are valued, and you can play a pivotal role in shaping our operational success.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Operations Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its operations. Understand their challenges and think about how you can bring structure and efficiency to their processes.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your problem-solving skills during interviews. Share specific examples of how you've improved processes or coordinated teams to achieve results—this is what they want to hear!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed, and we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Operations Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Operational Savvy:When writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience in operations and how you've successfully coordinated work across teams. We want to see examples of how you've brought structure and clarity to complex situations.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to communicate your skills and experiences, especially around process improvement and stakeholder engagement. We appreciate a well-organised application that reflects your attention to detail.
Use Data to Your Advantage:If you have experience with data analysis or reporting tools, don’t forget to mention it! We love candidates who can interpret data and use it to inform decisions. Share specific examples of how you've used data to drive operational improvements.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Skipton Building Society
✨Know Your Operations Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the operations of the company you're applying to. Understand their processes, tools, and any recent changes they've made. This will not only help you answer questions more effectively but also show your genuine interest in how they operate.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that ask you to describe how you've handled specific operational challenges in the past. Prepare examples that highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to coordinate across teams. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Engagement Skills
Be ready to discuss how you've built relationships with stakeholders in previous roles. Share specific examples of how you've facilitated meetings or workshops to drive clarity and decision-making. This will demonstrate your ability to engage and influence at all levels.
✨Bring Data to the Table
Since the role involves using data for decision-making, be prepared to talk about your experience with reporting tools and dashboards. Highlight any specific instances where your insights led to improved operational outcomes. This will show that you're not just about processes, but also about results.
