Head: Operations
Positions in Gauteng and Cape Town
Oversee and provide leadership to the operations team to ensure efficiency and productivity to achieve growth. The role also contributes to the strategic direction, initiatives and alignment of the Business Unit Balance Scorecard Card and the organisational strategy.
Strategic / Decision-making
• Collaborate with colleagues and the COO to decide on and implement the strategic and operational direction of the functional area. (Developing and executing on a strategy for the team.) Along with the other managers and IT, help to determine the priority and roadmap for development.
• Participates in the development and preparation of short-term and long-range plans and budgets based upon broad organization goals and objectives.
• Directs internal operations to achieve budgeted results and other financial criteria.
• Develops and establishes operating policies consistent with business’s broad policies and objectives and ensures their adequate execution. Appraises and evaluates the results of overall operations regularly and systematically, and reports these results to the COO.
Operations management and process improvement
• Overall accountability for back office administration teams within the Operations environment.
• The continued management, analysis, and improvement of the functional area processes and performance.
• Constant focus on improving operational processes and efficiencies in response to internal and external change.
• Devise, execute and maintain the appropriate operational processes across all business units and departments.
• Initiating and implementing process changes within the area managed.
• Take continuous steps to define, implement and enforce operational best practices, standards and protocols that will lead to uniformity across all departments.
• Ensure operations are run cost effectively whilst meeting all client service delivery requirements. (Ensure optimal operational processes and controls.)
• Drive service and quality orientated culture throughout teams.
• Make day to day judgement calls on operational matters.
• Ensures that all activities and operations are performed in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations governing the industry and business operations. (Compliance and Risk Management: ensuring, along with central compliance and risk function, best practice compliance, compliance with all applicable legislation, monitoring and reporting.)
• Collaborate with other teams.
• Ensure adherence to and improvements on performance against Service Level Agreements and deal with escalations to resolution.
• Develop and maintain optimal relationships with stakeholders who influence the efficiency of the business, externally or internally.
Leadership
• Lead the team in terms of strategic direction and ways to achieve the set goals
• Play leadership role in wider operational area and rest of business
• Direct management of a team of middle and senior managers
• Empower managers and staff
• Responsible for ensuring adequate management development and to provide for capable management succession for those functions/business units falling under his/her responsibility. (Empower employees for growth to provide sustainable operations with appropriately skilled replacement candidates.)
Qualification & experience

• Relevant business / commerce degree.
• A minimum of five years’ experience in the financial services sector.
• Proven leadership and managerial capabilities.
• Minimum of 4 – 5 Years’ experience within an Operational Management position
• Strong business acumen, including domain-specific knowledge in the financial services sector.
• Advanced management skills in organising, planning, and executing business strategy.
• Proven ability to build and effectively manage high-performing, self-managing teams that work well in a complex environment.
• MBA qualification or CA designation will be an advantage.

Experience in Employee Benefits essential.