Manager - Operational Readiness

About your role

You will help ensure people, processes, controls, tools and technology are ready to implement change successfully. You will assess operational impacts, coordinate readiness activity and support adoption so that approved changes are embedded and sustained.

• Lead operational enablement for new initiatives, regulatory changes and process improvements, acting as the primary Operations contact from solution design through implementation and post-go-live stabilisation.
• Assess impacts across customers, people, processes, systems, controls, capacity and service delivery, translating these into clear readiness, adoption and implementation plans.
• Partner with Operations, Product, Change, Technology, Risk, Compliance and Propositions to shape practical solutions and ensure operational requirements are reflected in end-to-end design and delivery decisions.
• Own operational readiness assessments and go-live recommendations, confirming that procedures, controls, training, skills, staffing, access, support arrangements and evidence are in place, and escalating material gaps or risks.
• Develop and deliver the operational learning and capability agenda, including new-starter, process, system, change and refresher training, cross-skilling plans and maintenance of skills matrices.
• Own the quality and governance of operational knowledge, ensuring procedures, checklists, process guides, training materials and knowledge libraries are accurate, accessible, version-controlled and aligned to approved processes.
• Define and maintain end-to-end process taxonomy and process flows in enterprise tool or the relevant enterprise tool, covering ownership, activities, systems, controls, hand-offs and exception routes.
• Use operational data, recurring queries, errors, quality trends and stakeholder feedback to identify capability, process and control gaps, implement targeted improvements and evidence whether the changes are delivering the intended outcomes.
• Support analysis of risk events, control assessments, audits and remediation activity by providing process, readiness, training and skills evidence, facilitating walkthroughs and tracking agreed actions to closure.
• Represent Operations in service-exception and client-onboarding forums, providing recommendations or approval based on operational capability, capacity, controls, readiness and associated risks.
• Work with AI and Technology teams to develop reliable self-service tools, AI-enabled support and knowledge solutions that help operational teams resolve common process questions efficiently.
• Provide clear, data-led reporting to operational and change leadership on readiness, adoption, capability, risks, dependencies, decisions and outcomes, and drive lessons learned and continuous improvement of enablement practices.

About you

• Significant experience in operational enablement, readiness, service transition, business change or transformation within a large, complex and multi-geography organisation.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end operations, with the ability to assess impacts across customers, people, processes, systems, controls, capacity and service delivery and translate them into structured enablement and readiness plans.
• Proven experience of leading operational implementation, adoption, learning and capability activity, including procedures, training, communications, knowledge materials, cross-skilling and post-go-live support.
• Sound knowledge of operational risk, controls, customer impacts and go-live requirements, with the judgement to identify gaps, challenge constructively, recommend appropriate action and escalate material issues.
• Strong stakeholder-management and influencing skills, with the ability to work across Operations, Product, Change, Technology, Risk and Compliance and present clear options and recommendations to senior leaders.
• Excellent planning, organisation and delivery skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, dependencies and deadlines while maintaining clear ownership and accountability for outcomes.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative problem-solving skills, using operational data, feedback and evidence to support decisions, measure adoption and drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce concise, high-quality governance updates, readiness evidence and decision papers.
• A proactive, tenacious and collaborative leadership style, with the ability to work independently, lead through ambiguity and operate effectively across virtual and cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of Workplace Investing and PI&A products and UK financial products is desirable.
• Bachelor's degree in Commerce, Business Administration or a related field; a relevant qualification in change management, learning, project management, Agile or process excellence is advantageous.