Head of Operations MI, Performance & Budget Assurance

Location: We\’re open to the successful candidate being based from either our Cardiff, Manchester, Southampton or London office. All Starling Bank colleagues spend a minimum of 10 days per month in the office with flexibility to work the rest from home.
Reporting to: Director of Operations Shared Services
Closing date: Friday 15th August, 10am
About Starling Bank
At Starling, we are on a mission to provide people with a fairer, smarter, and more human alternative to traditional banks. We are building a leading digital bank, driven by fast technology, fair service, and honest values. Our vision is to create a banking industry that serves everyone, which we accomplish by developing best-in-class proprietary technology, offering an exceptional customer experience, and establishing a strong, sustainable business.
Our five core values – Listen, Keep It Simple, Do The Right Thing, Own It, and Aim for Greatness – are at the heart of everything we do, guiding our strategy and shaping our culture. We\’re a branchless, largely paperless bank, committed to responsible banking, sustainability, and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.
The Opportunity
This is a brand new position reporting into our Director of Operations Shared Services. The Head of Operations MI, Performance and Budget Assurance is responsible for leading the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Management Information (MI) systems, performance reporting across all operational functions and tracking, reporting and assurance of all Operations budgets. This role will ensure that robust data and insights are available to drive strategic decision-making, inform operational efficiency opportunities and enhance overall business performance. A key aspect of this role will be the ownership and monitoring the end-to-end Operational Service Level Agreement (SLA) framework.
Key Accountabilities or Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define and execute the strategic roadmap for Operations MI and performance reporting, aligning with overall business objectives
• Champion the adoption of advanced analytics and data visualisation tools to provide actionable insights
• Collaborate with senior leadership to identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that accurately reflect operational health and progress

MI System Development & Management

• Oversee the design, development, and maintenance of comprehensive MI dashboards, reports, and data models
• Generate impactful operational performance MI and insights to drive continuous improvement initiatives
• Identify cross-cutting trends in performance data, providing a holistic view of operational health
• Ensure data accuracy, integrity, and consistency across all operational data sources
• Identify and implement new technologies and methodologies to enhance MI capabilities
• Manage relationships with engineering and data teams to ensure data infrastructure supports MI requirements
• Performance Analysis & Reporting
• Lead the analysis of operational performance data to identify trends, root causes of issues, and areas for improvement
• Develop and deliver regular performance reports to various stakeholders, including executive leadership, operational managers, and team leads
• Provide insightful commentary and recommendations based on performance data to support strategic and tactical decision-making
• Conduct deep-dive analyses on specific operational challenges or opportunities
• Develop and deliver specialised performance reporting for agile \”POD\” (team) structures, supporting their effectiveness and transparency

Budget Management & Analysis

• Develop and maintain a robust Budget Management Dashboard, providing real-time visibility into budget allocation, expenditure, and variance
• Proactively identify budgetary hotspots, threats, and opportunities within departmental budgets
• Collaborate with budget holders to ensure budget adherence and the realisation of identified opportunities

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of MI analysts and performance specialists
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, professional growth, and high performance within the team
• Manage workload allocation, performance reviews, and career development plans for team members

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Partner with operational leaders to understand their information needs and translate them into effective MI solutions
• Collaborate with finance, risk, and other departments to ensure alignment of performance reporting and data interpretation
• Present findings and recommendations to diverse audiences, clearly communicating complex data in an understandable format

Continuous Improvement

• Stay abreast of industry best practices in MI, data analytics, and performance management
• Drive initiatives to automate reporting processes and improve efficiency in data delivery
• Proactively identify opportunities for process optimisation and performance enhancement based on data insights

Requirements
Experience

• Proven experience (typically 8+ years) in a senior MI, data analytics, or performance management role within an operations environment
• Demonstrable experience in leading and managing a team of data professionals
• Extensive experience with MI reporting tools, data visualization platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Qlik Sense), and data warehousing concepts
• Strong background in data modeling, SQL, and database management
• Experience with operational process improvement methodologies

Skills

• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills with a keen eye for detail
• Strong leadership and people management capabilities
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex data to non-technical stakeholders
• Advanced proficiency in data analysis tools and techniques
• Ability to work strategically and operationally, managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• High level of commercial acumen and understanding of business drivers

Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Leadership & Influence
• Analytical Acumen
• Communication & Presentation
• Problem Solving
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management
• Results Orientation
• Team Development

Benefits
Why Join Starling?

• Make an Impact: Work on projects that directly shape the future of banking and improve the financial lives of our customers. Starling is technology-led, and you\’ll have the freedom to accomplish your goals in innovative ways
• Culture of Excellence: Be part of a collaborative, empowered, and forward-thinking team. We encourage experimentation, ownership, and a relentless focus on \”doing the right thing.\”
• Growth and Development: We are committed to your professional growth, offering opportunities to learn new technologies, take on new challenges, and own interesting things from day one
• A Bank That Cares: We\’re a Living Wage employer, committed to flexible working, and dedicated to creating a fair, open, and safe working environment with compassion and inclusion at its core
• Comprehensive Benefits: We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Company-enhanced salary sacrifice pension scheme (7% employer contribution)
• Private Medical Insurance with Vitality including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and Peloton
• 25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)
• An extra day\’s holiday for your birthday
• Life Insurance at 4x your salary
• 16 hours of paid volunteering time a year
• Ability to buy or sell annual leave
• Generous family-friendly policies
• Annual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off
• Incentivised refer a friend scheme
• Perkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perks
• Access to initiatives like Cycle to Work, Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasingOur Commitment to Equality

Starling Bank is an equal opportunity employer, and we\’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Starling Bank are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. When you provide us with this information, you are doing so at your own consent, with full knowledge that we will process this personal data in accordance with our Privacy Notice. By submitting your application, you agree that Starling Bank will collect your personal data for recruiting and related purposes. Our Privacy Notice explains what personal information we will process, where we will process your personal information, its purposes for processing your personal information, and the rights you can exercise over our use of your personal information. #J-18808-Ljbffr