Senior Operations Manager (18 Month FTC)

Licensed sponsor London Contract Posted 8 hours ago

Application Deadline: 29 October 2026

Department: Business Growth

Location: London

Compensation: £60,000 - £65,000 / year

Description

Purpose of role

Help turn ambitious programme plans into effective delivery across London and the UK. As Senior Manager Operations you will lead the operational framework for Grow London Global and our new UK wide scaleup programme, bringing together governance, reporting, systems and regional partner coordination.

Working closely with the Director Trade & Growth and programme Heads you will keep delivery on track, provide a clear view of performance and ensure colleagues have the processes and information they need to succeed. You will build productive relationships with regional delivery partners, helping them to meet their commitments and resolve operational challenges.

You will lead and develop a highly motivated executive team, taking responsibility for their line management, performance and workload. Working with Growth Managers you will coordinate executive support for company recruitment ensuring businesses experience a smooth journey from initial enquiry through to completion.

You will also help bring the programmes impact to life, identifying early company wins and translating them into compelling, evidence-based case studies with account management, impact and marketing colleagues.

This is an opportunity to shape how two ambitious programmes operate, build a connect team and introduce practical improvements that give colleagues more time to help businesses grow.

Key Tasks

Governance and programme planning

Lead day-to-day programme governance across both programmes, ensuring responsibilities, decision making routes and escalation processes are clear.
Maintain integrated delivery plans, working with programme leads and regional partners to track milestones, dependencies and commitments.
Coordinate governance meetings, prepare relevant papers and ensure decisions and actions are recorded and followed through.
Maintain programme risk and issue registers, working with colleagues to agree mitigations and escalate matters requiring senior decisions.
Coordinate changes to delivery plan through agreed approval processes, documenting implications for resources, timelines and programme commitments.
Work with finance, legal and programme management colleagues to translate funding and contractual requirements into practical delivery processes.
Maintaining current programme documentation and guidance so that colleagues and partners can access the information they need.

Performance reporting and impact

Coordinate timely accurate reporting across both programmes providing a clear view of recruitment, company engagement, delivery, expenditure and outcomes.
Maintain reporting schedules and coordinate contributions from internal teams and regional partners to meet funder and organisational deadlines.
Work with insight and impact colleagues to ensure reporting follows agreed definitions, evidence requirements and methodologies.
Own Salesforce requirements for both programmes developing useful dashboards with relevant colleagues, highlighting progress against targets, emerging gaps and areas requiring action.
Review data for completeness and consistency, resolving discrepancies with colleagues responsible before reports are submitted.
Coordinate monitoring information required by funders and evaluation partners, following agreed data-sharing arrangements.
Establish a regular process with Growth Managers and regional partners to identify early company wins, including customer relationships, pilots, investment milestones and progress towards international expansion.
Translate early wins into compelling evidence-based case studies, working with account managers, impact and marketing colleagues to demonstrate the contribution of both programmes.
Coordinate supporting evidence and company permissions, ensuring case studies distinguish emerging opportunities from confirmed outcomes.
Provide the Director Trade & Growth with a concise monthly overview of performance, key risks and decisions required.

Regional partner coordination

Act as a key operational contact for regional delivery partners, building strong relationships and maintaining regular communication.
Work with Programme Heads to monitor partner milestones and commitments, identify operational barriers and agree actions.
Coordinate the administration of delivery partner SLA’s with finance and legal colleagues, maintaining records of obligations and agreed changes.
Support partners through expense reimbursement processes, ensuring claims have the required evidence and approvals.
Bring partners together to share practical learning and improve ways of working across regions.
Ensure partner queries and issue reach appropriate colleagues and are resolved promptly.

Recruitment pipeline and company administration

Lead the executive team’s coordination of recruitment pipelines across both programmes, supporting the recruitment strategy and targets set by the Head of Scaleup programmes and Senior Growth Managers.
Establish clear processes for enquiries, referrals, applications and follow-up ensuring prospective companies receive timely communications.
Give account management leads a reliable view of pipeline progress, conversion rates and applications requiring attention.
Oversee the administration of eligibility checks and supporting evidence, referring selection decision and exceptions to the appropriate programme heads.
Coordinate company onboarding and handover to account managers, ensuring records, programme agreements and key dates are complete.
Maintain clear administrative processes throughout participation including changes in company status, programme completion and follow-up.

Systems and service improvement

Develop consistent operational processes across both programmes, retaining separate requirements where funding or delivery commitments differ.
Work with Tech & Data teams to ensure systems support recruitment, account management, reporting and partner coordination.
Establish clear responsibilities for data entry and quality checks, helping teams maintain accurate and useful records.
Develop practical guidance and templates so that colleagues and partners can work confidently and consistently.
Identify opportunities to simplify administration and reduce repeated work, giving client-facing colleagues more time to support businesses.
Ensure data protection, compliance and reporting requirements are met across both programmes.

People and resource management

Lead, motivate and line manage the executive team across both programmes, setting clear objective and helping colleagues develop their skills and confidence.
Own workload allocation, agreeing priorities with Growth Managers and programme Heads so that support is coordinated and used effectively.
Build a connected tam that shares knowledge and maintains consistent standards across locations.
Maintain organised evidence and records to support funder reviews, audits and evaluation.
Undertake other projects as appropriate to the role as required.

You’ll have/bring

Skills and experience

You have a strong track record in programme operations, including governance, delivery planning and risk management
You can produce clear reporting, capture credible case studies and meeting funding, evidence and audit requirements.
You have experience leading and developing a team, balancing workloads and coordinating external delivery partners.
You can manage recruitment and onboarding processes and improve systems and ways of working.
You are confident using Salesforce and project management tools, including ‘Monday’ with sound financial awareness and an understanding of responsible data management.
You communicate clearly, build productive relationships and turn complex requirements into practical action.

Competencies

You bring structure and clarity to complex work without creating unnecessary administration.
You take ownership, follow through on commitments and help others keep delivery moving.
You combine attention to detail with an understanding of wider programme priorities.
You build trust across teams and partner organisations, addressing issues constructively.
You lead with clarity, supporting colleagues to develop and take responsibility.
You use data and evidence to identify problems early and recommend practical solutions.
You recognise stories behind the data and can explain how programme support contributes to business progress.
You stay clam when priorities change and make sound judgements about what needs attention.
You are motivated by making it easier for teams to deliver excellent support to business.

You’ll Get

🌴 30 Days Annual Leave: Generous paid time off to rest, recharge, and enjoy life outside of work.
💰 Competitive Salary: We value your contributions and ensure you are rewarded accordingly.
📚 Learning & Development Opportunities: Continuous growth is at the heart of our culture, with ample opportunities for professional development.
🤝 Strong Culture of Belonging: We foster an inclusive environment where every team member feels valued and supported.
🌐 Various Networks for Staff: Connect with like-minded colleagues through our numerous staff networks.
🏦 Competitive Pension Scheme: Secure your future with our robust pension plan.
🔗 Networking Opportunities: Expand your professional network within your chosen field.
🌍 Geopolitical Insights: Gain unique perspectives on global economic and political trends.
🏠 Hybrid Working Arrangement: Enjoy the flexibility of working both remotely and in-office.
✈️ WorkFlex: Take advantage of opportunities to work abroad and experience different cultures.

London's diversity is its biggest asset. At London & Partners, we aim to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity of the city that we promote. We encourage applications from people of any age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or assignment, faith or disability. We also appreciate that many people require flexibility in their working patterns and encourage you to talk to us at interview about any flexibility you may need, be it full-time, job-share, or part-time.

We encourage applications from all sections of the community.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised date. This is to ensure our teams can manage application levels while maintaining a positive candidate experience. Once a vacancy has closed, we are unable to consider further applications, so please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.