Operations Manager

We are looking for an experienced Operations Manager to lead and manage large-scale operations across assigned programs. The role will have end-to-end responsibility for delivery, people, quality, productivity, capacity, client commitments and operational excellence.

The Operations Manager will work closely with Program Management, Quality, Training, Workforce Management, HR, Technology and other support functions to ensure smooth execution of operations and achievement of business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operations & Delivery Management

• Own end-to-end operational delivery for assigned programs.
• Ensure delivery against agreed volume, quality, productivity, SLA and business targets.
• Monitor operational performance through dashboards, MIS and management reviews.
• Identify risks, bottlenecks and dependencies and drive timely resolution.
• Ensure adherence to defined processes, policies and client requirements.

2. People & Team Management

• Lead and develop a multi-layered operations team comprising Managers, Leads, QC and production resources.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations and accountability.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and identify improvement opportunities.
• Develop high-potential employees and create a strong succession pipeline.
• Drive employee engagement, retention and team motivation.
• Address performance, attendance and behavioral issues through appropriate interventions.

3. Capacity & Workforce Management

• Plan capacity based on current and projected business requirements.
• Manage the learning curve during new program launches and ensure effective transition to steady-state operations.
• Optimize resource allocation across teams and workflows.

4. Productivity & Performance Management

• Monitor operational productivity and identify performance gaps at team and individual levels.
• Conduct regular performance analysis and bottom-quartile reviews.
• Develop targeted interventions including coaching, mentoring, re-training and performance improvement plans.
• Use operational data to identify process and workflow inefficiencies.
• Conduct time-and-motion or process studies where required to identify productivity improvement opportunities.
• Identify and replicate best practices from high-performing teams.

5. Quality Management

• Work with Quality teams to maintain required quality standards.
• Review quality trends and ensure timely corrective and preventive actions.
• Drive RCA for recurring quality issues.
• Ensure productivity and efficiency initiatives do not compromise quality.
• Promote a culture of First Time Right and continuous quality improvement.
  

6. Client & Stakeholder Management

• Participate in operational reviews.
• Understand changing client requirements and translate them into operational execution plans.
• Proactively manage escalations and ensure timely closure.
• Build strong relationships and maintain confidence through transparent and consistent communication.

7. Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve processes, productivity, quality and operational efficiency.
• Drive standardization and adoption of best practices across teams.
• Work with Technology and Process Excellence teams to identify automation opportunities.
• Use data and root-cause analysis to eliminate recurring operational issues.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives with measurable business impact.

8. Governance & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to organizational policies, information-security requirements and client-specific processes.
• Maintain appropriate operational documentation and governance mechanisms.
• Ensure audit readiness and timely closure of audit observations.
• Drive compliance across production, quality and support functions.

Key Performance Areas

• Delivery / SLA adherence
• Quality and First Time Right
• Productivity and utilization
• Capacity planning and resource efficiency
• Ramp-up and stabilization effectiveness
• Employee engagement and retention
• Cost and operational efficiency
• Client satisfaction
• Escalation management
• Continuous improvement
• Compliance and governance

Experience & Qualifications

• 8 - 12+ years of experience in operations, delivery management or a similar leadership role.
  
• Experience managing large-scale teams and multi-layered operations.
  
• Experience in AI/ML data operations, data annotation, geospatial, content operations, data processing or technology-enabled services would be preferred.
• Strong experience in people management, client management and operational delivery.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management capabilities.
• Strong proficiency in Excel, MIS and operational reporting; exposure to BI/dashboarding tools is an advantage.