Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Head of Operations Excellence to drive operational strategy, governance, workforce optimization, and productivity transformation across a large-scale technology and digital delivery organization.
This leadership role is responsible for defining and executing operating models, managing financial governance, optimizing resource utilization, and implementing data-driven processes that enhance delivery performance, operational efficiency, and organizational scalability. The successful candidate will work closely with senior technology and business leaders to build a high-performing, efficient, and future-ready delivery organization.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Planning & Financial Management
- Lead annual and quarterly planning cycles covering budgets, headcount planning, resource allocation, and cost optimization.
- Drive financial governance across technology portfolios to ensure alignment with business priorities and delivery objectives.
- Monitor portfolio performance, investment utilization, and delivery outcomes through robust reporting and governance.
Workforce Planning & Productivity
- Develop frameworks to measure and improve engineering and delivery productivity.
- Optimize workforce capacity, utilization, and delivery efficiency across internal, offshore, and vendor teams.
- Establish workforce planning strategies that support business growth while maintaining operational efficiency.
Operating Model & Delivery Excellence
- Define, implement, and continuously enhance operating models, governance frameworks, and delivery standards.
- Standardize ways of working across multiple teams to improve consistency, quality, and execution.
- Champion Agile, DevSecOps, and modern software delivery practices to improve speed, quality, and collaboration.
Automation & Operational Transformation
- Drive the adoption of automation, AI, and digital solutions to improve operational efficiency and reduce manual processes.
- Develop executive dashboards, productivity metrics, and performance reporting to enable data-driven decision-making.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational excellence and scalable delivery capabilities.
Governance & Executive Stakeholder Management
- Establish effective governance structures to monitor delivery performance, operational risks, and strategic initiatives.
- Present regular updates on financial performance, productivity, delivery health, and transformation progress to senior leadership.
- Partner with Technology, Finance, HR, PMO, Procurement, and business stakeholders to drive strategic initiatives and organizational improvements.
Requirements
Experience
- 12–18+ years of experience within Banking, Financial Services, FinTech, or large enterprise technology organizations.
- Proven experience in Operations Excellence, COO Office, Technology Strategy, Transformation, PMO, or Program Governance leadership roles.
- Strong track record managing budgets, headcount planning, financial governance, and resource optimization.
- Experience leading large-scale technology, digital, or enterprise transformation initiatives.
- Demonstrated success designing operating models, governance frameworks, and workforce optimization strategies.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate strategy into execution.
- Deep understanding of Agile delivery models, DevOps practices, technology operating models, and software delivery lifecycles.
- Experience developing productivity frameworks, operational KPIs, executive dashboards, and management reporting.
- Knowledge of automation, AI-enabled operations, analytics, and digital productivity tools.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
- Outstanding stakeholder management skills with experience influencing senior executives across business and technology functions.
Leadership Attributes
- Strategic, commercially minded, and highly execution-focused.
- Data-driven with a continuous improvement mindset.
- Able to lead transformation within complex, matrixed organizations.
- Strong executive presence with excellent communication and influencing skills.
- Passionate about building scalable, high-performing technology organizations through operational excellence and innovation.
