Technical Operations Manager

As Lead Operations Manager, you’ll be designing and delivering intelligent, data-informed processes that serve learners, centres, and regulators with precision and agility. If you're a great leader, obsessed with data, good at working across multiple systems, thrive on solving complex problems, and bring a high level of technical acumen, this is your opportunity to lead with impact.

We’re building a Centre Operations function that delivers operational excellence and sets the benchmark for efficiency, innovation and stakeholder service. This is therefore more than just an operations role – it’s a chance to further shape our Centre Operations function through data-driven leadership.

We’re looking for someone with a broad mix of sound technical and data capability. What we mean by this is that alongside leadership and management skills, you must be good with data management and analysis, proficient with excel, power query etc and be able to pick up new systems quickly.

Based in our Wakefield hub, you’ll lead a range of Operations Managers, Delivery Managers, Coordinators, Administrators, and/or Technical Leads. You will develop a culture rooted in continuous improvement, intelligent automation, and analytical precision. By leveraging data to inform decisions and streamline workflows, you'll ensure our services remain not only fully compliant but in quality and operational delivery.

 The practical bits:

• This is a full-time, office-based role in Wakefield (Office Hub is located at WF1 2UF).
• Our Centre Operations team core hours are Monday to Friday 08:00 – 18:00.
• Your contracted hours will alternate 08:00-16:00 on a week 1 and 10:00-18:00 on a week 2.
• As this is a Senior Manager position, we expect flexibility to meet business needs.
• Occasional travel may be required for internal and external meetings.
• We are currently unable to offer hybrid or remote working for this position.

Bonus perk: Our Wakefield office is dog-friendly - so don’t be surprised if your spreadsheet review is interrupted by a nudge asking for attention or your next meeting includes a wagging tail or two. We firmly believe in pawsitive vibes at work! Sadly while we don’t offer hybrid or home working for this role at the moment, you will get the joy of real desks, actual humans to talk to, and the occasional dog politely asking for a treat. Worth it? We think so.

As we’re an Awarding Organisation we have a number of high-stakes qualifications including T Levels and our workload peaks during the late Spring / early Summer. Our teams are expected to provide additional flexibility during this time, working longer hours and sometimes on weekends to meet the needs of the business.

This appointment will be made on merit.

We believe that diversity and inclusion strengthen and enriches us, and that it is the responsibility of everyone at City & Guilds to drive this value. As ethnic minority groups and disabled people are currently under-represented, we particularly encourage and welcome applications from these communities.