Head of Business Operations in City of London

About WBD Group

WBD Group is a specialist structural engineering consultancy, operating across 3 core specialities. Delivering innovative, practical solutions for complex and high-profile buildings across the UK and internationally, with particular expertise in tall buildings and high-risk structures. Alongside our engineering work, we're developing our own digital tools and software to help shape the future of the industry, and we have planned expansion into new sectors and global markets including New York — offering the chance to work on meaningful projects while growing your career in a dynamic, supportive environment.

About The Role

WBD Group is looking for a Head of Business Operations to help shape the next phase of our growth. This is not a conventional operational management role. We need someone who enjoys creating order from complexity: designing scalable systems, spotting opportunities for improvement, and making sure change actually sticks once it’s introduced. Working directly alongside the leadership team, you’ll improve how the business runs today while helping design how it runs tomorrow. As we expand internationally and take on new ventures, you’ll build the operational foundations that let us grow without adding unnecessary complexity.

The role suits someone equally comfortable thinking strategically and delivering hands-on. One day you might be redesigning how work flows through the business; the next, implementing a new system, improving reporting, or coordinating a remote team through a change. You’ll have genuine autonomy to identify problems, propose solutions and lead initiatives through to adoption and you’ll be trusted to challenge existing ways of working while bringing people with you and developing your own team.

Why Join WBD Group?

WBD Group is at an exciting point in its growth, with ambitious plans for international expansion, new ventures and continued diversification. This role is a rare opportunity to shape how a growing business operates, rather than simply inherit systems already in place. You’ll have real influence, significant autonomy, and the chance to build the operational foundations for our next phase of growth.

About You

You get genuine satisfaction from making organisations work better. You notice inefficiencies that others overlook, think in systems rather than tasks, and are as comfortable in a leadership discussion as you are solving a problem on the ground. You combine strategic thinking with exceptional execution. You know how to turn ideas into reality, create momentum and ensure improvements become embedded rather than fading after the initial push.

You thrive in a fast-moving environment where priorities evolve, decisions need to be made, and progress matters. You’re comfortable working with ambiguity, making informed decisions without having every answer, and refining solutions through real-world implementation rather than waiting for perfection. Above all, you’re energised by building businesses, creating scalable ways of working, and leaving organisations significantly better than you found them.

Key Characteristics

• Strategic: Able to see the bigger picture while understanding the operational detail required to achieve it.
• Highly Organised: Naturally creates structure, clarity and accountability across people, projects and processes.
• Commercially Minded: Understands the commercial impact behind operational decisions and always focuses on business outcomes.
• Bias for Action: Moves quickly, makes informed decisions and values momentum over unnecessary perfection.
• Execution Focused: Doesn’t stop at ideas; follows through until improvements are fully embedded.
• Pragmatic: Comfortable making decisions with incomplete information and continuously improving solutions through experience.
• Change Leader: Builds genuine buy-in, influences stakeholders and brings people through change successfully.
• Systems Thinker: Sees how individual processes connect and builds scalable operational frameworks rather than isolated fixes.
• Collaborative: Builds strong relationships across teams while constructively challenging existing ways of working.
• Adaptable: Comfortable switching between strategic planning and hands-on delivery in a growing business.
• Self-Starting: Takes ownership, identifies opportunities independently and requires minimal direction.
• Continuous Improver: Always looking for better, smarter and more efficient ways of working.

Strategic Operations

• Identify operational inefficiencies and opportunities across the business, and develop practical, commercially-minded solutions.
• Design scalable systems, processes and ways of working that support sustainable growth.
• Develop reporting, KPI and performance frameworks that give the business meaningful insight.
• Contribute to strategic planning and support new ventures, acquisitions and international expansion.

Business Operations

• Oversee day-to-day operational performance across the business.
• Coordinate a predominantly remote workforce, ensuring accountability, communication and collaboration.
• Own internal operational systems, governance and workflows.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and wider people operations.
• Work closely with our outsourced Finance team to maintain effective controls and commercial visibility.

Delivery, Change & Continuous Improvement

• Translate strategic priorities into clear delivery plans, and lead operational projects from planning through to completion.
• Drive organisational change using an agile, iterative approach — balancing pace with quality and refining solutions based on real feedback.
• Build engagement and buy-in across teams, and remove the barriers stopping people from delivering effectively.
• Measure the success of improvements made and identify what to tackle next.

Systems & Technology

• Evaluate, implement and optimise business systems and operational technology.
• Increase automation and remove unnecessary manual processes.
• Build operational infrastructure capable of scaling across multiple businesses.

Growth & Expansion

• Help establish operational frameworks for new business ventures.
• Support international expansion activity.
• Build repeatable operating models that can scale across multiple businesses.

Your Essential Experience

• Significant experience in Operations, Business Operations, Operational Excellence or a similar leadership role.
• Experience helping scale a growing SME, consultancy or high-growth business.
• A track record of designing and implementing scalable operational systems and processes, not just maintaining them.
• Experience leading cross-functional improvement programmes and embedding organisational change.
• Strong project and programme management capability.
• Experience managing remote or hybrid teams.
• Comfortable working alongside Finance, HR and senior leadership.
• Strong commercial awareness, and excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Highly Desirable

• Consultancy or professional services experience.
• An engineering, construction or technical consultancy background.
• Experience supporting international expansion.
• Experience implementing CRM, ERP or other operational platforms.
• Knowledge of AI, automation and digital transformation.
• Experience working across multiple businesses, start-ups or scale-ups.

Role Details

• Salary: market-leading, reviewed annually.
• Location: hybrid: 3 days office-based (Fleet Street Office), offering a balance of collaboration and flexibility.
• Reports to: TBC

Benefits

• 34 days' holiday in total, including bank holidays — plus an extra day for every three years of service, with unused leave carried over.
• Hybrid working: 3 days office-based.
• Global remote working: work from anywhere for up to 2 weeks a year, wherever you choose.
• Pension: auto-enrolment into our company scheme (managed by Nest), with a 3% employer contribution.
• Membership fees covered for a relevant professional institution.
• CPD allowance for courses, conferences and training aligned with the business's needs.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Meaningful projects: contribute to landmark tall and high-risk buildings that shape the built environment.
• Global opportunities: help us expand into international markets.
• A social calendar of regular outings, team events, and a culture that celebrates success together.