Senior Operations Lead - Triage (Interim Head of Department) - #2106253

Your New Role

Hays are delighted to be supporting a highly respected regulatory organisation with the recruitment of a Senior Operations Lead to join their leadership team on a fixed-term basis through to March 2027.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced operational leader to join a service undergoing significant transformation and growth. You will provide senior leadership across a specialist operational function, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality outcomes, effective people management, and strong operational performance during a period of change.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will play a critical role in maintaining service delivery, developing management capability, embedding new processes, and driving continuous improvement initiatives across the function.
The position offers hybrid working, with approximately 20% of the working week based in the Sheffield office. Due to the requirement for regular office attendance and stakeholder engagement, applicants should be based within a reasonable commuting distance of Sheffield.

Key vacancy information

Fixed-Term Contract until March 2027Salary: £63,500 Location: Sheffield (Hybrid Working) Hours: Full-Time Contract: Fixed-Term Contract until March 2027 Start Date: Immediate Start Available


Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across a specialist regulatory service area.
• Support the delivery of organisational transformation and service improvement programmes.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of operational managers, ensuring consistent leadership standards and accountability.
• Drive service performance through effective workforce planning, performance management and operational oversight.
• Ensure complex operational decisions are made in line with legislative, policy and governance requirements.
• Analyse performance data, service trends and management information to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Manage operational risks and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, providing expert advice and guidance.
• Produce high-quality reports and insights for senior leadership teams.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative and high-performing culture.

What You'll Need to Succeed

To be considered for this opportunity, you must be able to demonstrate recent and relevant experience operating at a senior level within a regulatory, investigations, enforcement, compliance, professional standards or similar environment.
You will also possess:

• Significant experience leading operational teams and people managers.
• A strong track record of improving service delivery and organisational performance.
• Experience managing complex employee relations, performance and capability matters.
• Proven ability to lead teams through organisational change whilst maintaining operational effectiveness.
• Strong analytical skills and experience using operational data to drive decision-making.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Experience implementing new ways of working and embedding continuous improvement.
• Strong communication and leadership capabilities.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusive leadership.

What You'll Get in Return

• Salary of £63,500.
• Fixed-term contract through to March 2027.
• Hybrid working arrangement.
• Sheffield city centre location with excellent transport links.
• Opportunity to play a key role within a large-scale transformation programme.
• Exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making.
• Immediate start available.

What You Need to Do NowIf you have recent experience leading operational teams within a regulatory, compliance, investigations or similar environment and are available to start at short notice, we'd be keen to hear from you.
Apply now or contact Hays Recruitment for a confidential discussion.Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk