Transformation Lead (6 months FTC) in Manchester

Location: Cardiff, Manchester & Southampton

Reporting to: Transformation Director

Closing date: Wednesday, 28th January at 10am.

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.

Hybrid working: All Starling colleagues spend a minimum of 10 days per month in the office with flexibility to work the rest from home.

The Opportunity: We are seeking a Senior Transformation Lead to play a critical role in strengthening how our operations are run, engage our people and continuously improve. This is a hands-on senior role on a 6 month fixed term contract combining direct delivery with helping shape and establish new operational rhythms, continuous improvement processes and driving efficiency/customer experience improvement. A key requirement is to coach and mentor the Operational teams so they can confidently lead and sustain their own improvement work in the future.

• Operational Leadership & Performance Frameworks: Design, implement and embed end-to-end operational rhythms across operations, including:

• Daily management and visual performance routines
• Drive continuous improvement
• Lead and coach teams to implement a Gemba style process review to drive improvement
• Clear escalation, establish reason for action & decision-making
• Establish processes that quickly get teams and processes to understand optimal future state
• Link operational activity into newly established quarterly planning processes

• Hands-on Transformation & Delivery: Personally lead high-impact hands on operational team transformation and performance improvement initiatives. Translate strategic priorities into executable plans, measurable outcomes and sustained change. Apply Lean, Agile and/or systems thinking approaches pragmatically to remove friction, waste and constraint. Ensure improvements are embedded into operating rhythms, controls and Operational BAU.

• Capability & Leadership Development: Support the coaching of Operational teams in effective continuous improvement thinking and how to get more engagement from their teams in their operational rhythms. Build internal capability to sustain performance management and continuous improvement beyond the contract. Role-model data-led decision making, disciplined execution and continuous improvement behaviour.

Requirements:

• Essential Skills: Significant experience leading enterprise or operational transformation in complex organisations. Proven track record of designing and embedding operational management systems and rhythms. Strong experience operating across Operational teams at all different levels. Hands-on delivery mindset with the ability to move between strategy and execution seamlessly. Deep understanding of performance management and operational excellence. Strong analytical capability with the confidence to challenge through insight.

• Desirable: Experience in financial services, banking or regulated environments. Experience in digital, platform-based or technology-enabled operations. Background in Lean management systems, Agile transformation or similar. Experience stabilising and scaling operational performance during periods of growth or change.

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) leasing.

Our Commitment to Equality