Operational Lead in London

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Purpose & Contribution Summary

This is a fast-paced, ever-changing environment with multiple priorities and targets, and the role is pivotal to Operations. You will lead and inspire a team, ensuring colleagues are engaged, motivated, and equipped to outperform key KPIs while promoting a culture of continuous improvement. The Operational Lead will lead by example, demonstrating the highest standards of integrity at all times. They will drive operational excellence by ensuring the team has the tools, resources, and support needed to perform effectively and consistently exceed client expectations, including service level agreement timelines, quality standards, and cost targets.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team responsible for multiple areas of operational delivery, ensuring team members have the skills, support, and motivation required to deliver a best-in-class service.
• Use capacity planning tools to maintain optimal productivity levels, balancing workload, availability, quality, and service delivery requirements.
• Work with the Performance and Planning team to prepare weekly and monthly forecast delivery commitments, taking ownership of ensuring planned outputs are achieved.
• Where a client deliverable is at risk, take timely corrective action, including redistributing resources, to support delivery against agreed priorities.
• Monitor daily resource allocation and workflow to ensure project deadlines are met and changing priorities are managed effectively.
• Manage core people processes, including recruitment, holiday planning, absence monitoring, performance management, reward and recognition, employee development, and the timely management of performance concerns.
• Provide day-to-day supervision and performance management for the team, using performance reporting and operational metrics to ensure productivity and quality targets are achieved.
• Ensure key employee metrics are understood, embedded, and used effectively to support informed decision-making and continuous performance improvement.
• Use operational dashboards and real-time KPI reporting, including Bradford Factor monitoring and SMART goal setting, to manage performance and support employee accountability.
• Train, coach, mentor, and support team members to build capability, improve performance, and encourage ongoing development.
• Represent the team, department, or organisation in internal and external client meetings, as required.
• Proactively escalate client issues to the Customer Project Contact and Head of Department, ensuring solutions are prioritised and progressed in the most effective manner.
• Provide daily, weekly, and monthly performance updates to the Processing Program Lead, covering volumes, productivity, availability, and quality.
• Ensure core processes operate consistently and effectively, including compliance with client and Phlexglobal Standard Operating Procedures and associated Quality Management System documentation.
• Ensure relevant project documentation and supporting materials are in place, maintained, accurate, and fully implemented for assigned projects.
• Represent the department in client-specific audits where required, including acting as the local subject matter expert where appropriate.
• Take ownership of lean process improvement initiatives, or work with client champions where appropriate, using company tools to support effective delivery and measurable improvement.
• Undertake additional reasonable duties aligned with the role, skills, and business needs, as required.

Experience and Educational Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience leading and motivating a multi-skilled team is desirable but not essential.
• Knowledge of GCP and a strong understanding of the purpose of, and regulatory requirements for, TMFs.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritise effectively.
• Ability to manage and motivate a team while delivering key organisational objectives.
• Ability to build, manage, and drive performance in a target-driven environment.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with colleagues and customers to achieve positive outcomes.
• Ability to follow through on commitments and ensure the team does the same, consistently exceeding expectations.
• Drive and tenacity to deliver excellence for customers, working collaboratively to remove barriers and overcome challenges.
• Solution-focused, with a clear understanding of team, department, and organisational goals and a willingness to go the extra mile to deliver them.
• Degree-level education is desirable; relevant industry experience will also be considered.
• Ability to build authentic relationships.
• Strong coaching skills, with a genuine desire to empower individuals to realise their full potential.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.