At a Glance
- Tasks: Help businesses improve efficiency and implement practical solutions for better performance.
- Company: Join a leading consultancy with a focus on operational excellence.
- Benefits: Enjoy 28 days' leave, private medical insurance, and a generous pension scheme.
- Other info: Hybrid work model with occasional UK travel and excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while building valuable relationships in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in operational consultancy or business improvement within regulated environments.
The predicted salary is between 51188 - 62563 £ per year.
At a glance:
- Location: Manchester, Newcastle, Solihull or Nottingham
- Workplace Type: Hybrid with some UK travel
- Employment Type: 6 month Contract
- Seniority: Mid-Senior Level
About The Role
We're looking for an experienced Operations Consultant to join our Operations Consultancy team on a six-month fixed term contract. In this role, you'll work closely with Partner Practices, Practice Managers and Advisers to help improve the way their businesses operate. You'll support practices to review their processes, discover ways to work more efficiently and implement practical solutions that improve both business performance and client outcomes.
As a trusted consultant, you'll use your operational experience, mentoring skills, and knowledge of standard procedures to help businesses improve efficiency. You will also help them make the most effective use of their resources. You'll also deliver workshops, performance labs and consultancy support, helping practices develop sustainable ways of working that support future growth. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact across our Partnership while building relationships and contributing value.
What You'll Be Doing
- Working with Practice Managers, Advisers and Partner Practices to find opportunities to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Providing consultancy support focused on business processing and ways of working that help practices grow and scale.
- Reviewing business processes, management information and operational data to identify areas for improvement and recommend practical solutions.
- Supporting practices to make the best use of systems, resources and internal processes.
- Delivering workshops, Performance Labs, webinars and one-to-one consultancy support.
- Coaching and influencing Partners to adopt new approaches to process and ways of working.
- Working closely with colleagues across the business to ensure a joined-up approach to supporting Partner Practices.
- Ensuring client outcomes remain central to all recommendations, while maintaining regulatory and compliance standards.
- Building strong, trusted relationships that encourage engagement and support lasting change.
About You
You'll be an experienced operational consultant, business improvement specialist or practice management professional with experience gained within a regulated environment. You'll be comfortable building relationships with a broad range of people and confident challenging constructively when needed. You'll enjoy helping businesses improve performance through better processes, smarter ways of working and practical, commercially focused solutions. You'll be a strong communicator who can adapt your style to different audiences, whether you're facilitating a workshop, delivering a presentation or providing one-to-one coaching and support.
- Experience working within a regulated financial services environment.
- Strong understanding of business processes and operational improvement.
- Experience identifying inefficiencies and implementing operational improvements.
- Ability to analyse data, trends and performance information to support decision-making.
- Experience delivering workshops, training sessions or consultancy support.
- A coaching, consultancy or continuous improvement qualification.
- Previous experience as a Practice Manager, Operations Manager, Operations Consultant or Business Improvement Consultant.
- Knowledge of adviser support, business processing or client servicing functions.
- Experience of Lean, Continuous Improvement or operational effectiveness programmes.
Special Requirements
Due to the nature of this role the successful person will need to be willing and able to travel within the UK on an occasional basis.
What's in it for you?
Whatever stage of life you're in, our benefits are designed to provide the support, flexibility, and peace of mind you need to thrive both at work and beyond. In addition to our discretionary annual bonus scheme, which reflects both individual and company performance, you'll benefit from a market-leading benefits package tailored to support your wellbeing, financial security, and family life.
- 28 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days.
- Private Medical Insurance – company-funded cover for you and your immediate family.
- Generous Pension Scheme – a non-contributory employer contribution of 10%, increasing with length of service up to 15%, plus the opportunity to increase this through salary sacrifice.
- Enhanced Parental Leave – up to 26 weeks' full pay to support growing families.
- Protection Benefits – company-funded critical illness cover, income protection, and life assurance.
- EV salary sacrifice scheme through Tusker.
Reasonable Adjustments
We're an equal opportunities employer and want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive for all, if you require reasonable adjustment(s) at any stage please let us know by emailing us at careers@sjp.co.uk. Research tells us that applicants (especially those from underrepresented groups) can be put off from applying for a role if they do not meet all the criteria or have been on an extended career break. If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you tick every box.
As a business regulated by the FCA we would advise you to familiarise yourself with the conduct regulations and in particular consumer duty obligations prior to an interview with SJP.
Operations Consultant Business Processing - 6 Month FTC employer: St. James's Place
St. James’s Place is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work culture that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. Located in Cirencester, this hybrid role as a Data Privacy Manager not only provides competitive benefits such as parental leave and health insurance but also fosters an environment where employees can thrive through collaboration and engagement with diverse stakeholders in the regulated financial services sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Consultant Business Processing - 6 Month FTC
✨Tap into Consulting Networks
Get active in local management consulting networks and organisations. Attend meetups, workshops, or webinars specific to consulting where you can connect with professionals who may know of temporary roles opening up at places like St. James's Place. Don’t underestimate word-of-mouth – it’s massive in our field!
✨Show Off Your Skills in Real-Time
As a temporary hire, you need to demonstrate your value quickly. Consider creating a mini-case study or analysis relevant to the industry and share it on platforms like LinkedIn or even during networking events. This can be an impressive way to showcase your analytical skills and problem-solving prowess – just what consulting firms are looking for!
✨Check for Temporary Roles on Niche Job Boards
Look for temporary roles on specialised job boards for consulting gigs rather than just generic platforms. Websites like Consultancy.uk or even the Careers pages of major firms could have short-term projects or roles that are perfect for you to jump in at St. James's Place.
✨Leverage University and Alumni Resources
If you’re fresh out of uni or connected with a local institution, take advantage of their career services and alumni networks. Many universities have exclusive connections to consulting firms seeking temporary help. Plus, it’s a great way to meet other aspiring consultants who might share leads about opportunities at St. James's Place.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Consultant Business Processing - 6 Month FTC
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Analytical Skills:In management consulting, employers love to see your problem-solving abilities right from the get-go. Be sure to highlight any relevant analytical projects you've worked on, particularly those that show how you tackled complex problems. If you’ve done any case studies or analysis during your studies, throw those in your CV!
Tailor Your Experience for the Role:Since this is a temporary position, your application should reflect your adaptability and relevant experience quite clearly. Focus on showcasing experiences that demonstrate your ability to hit the ground running, like previous projects, internships, or freelance gigs in consulting or project management.
Craft a Targeted Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to sparkle! Use it to explain why you're interested in this temporary role at St. James's Place and how your skills suit the specific project needs. Remember to mention how you can provide immediate value based on your past experiences.
Include Certifications or Relevant Training:If you've got any certifications like PMP, Six Sigma, or even coursework that’s super relevant, make sure to list those in your application. Management consulting can be competitive, and these extra qualifications can help you stand out in the recruitment process.
How to prepare for a job interview at St. James's Place
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In management consulting, case study interviews are a big deal. Expect to tackle real-world business problems on the spot. We should practise structuring our thoughts, developing hypotheses, and presenting our solutions clearly, as this is what firms like St. James's Place will want to see.
✨Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills
You’ll need to demonstrate strong analytical skills and logical reasoning. Brush up on frameworks like SWOT or Porter's Five Forces, as these can come in handy. Think of instances from your experience where you tackled a complex issue—this could set you apart when speaking to St. James's Place.
✨Highlight Your Adaptability
Since this is a temporary role, it's crucial we showcase our ability to hit the ground running. Have examples ready that illustrate how we've adapted quickly in past positions or projects. This shows that we can contribute effectively from day one at St. James's Place.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Cultural Fit
Temporary roles often come with a focus on team dynamics. Prepare to discuss how we align with the values and culture at St. James's Place. We want to highlight our teamwork experiences and how we can mesh with their consulting teams, making it clear that we're not just looking to fill a spot but to add value.