Operations Director – Specialist Finance – Manchester

Our client is a well-funded and highly-rated specialist lender and provider of flexible, tailored finance solutions – these include bridging, development and buy-to-let finance. With its reputation for professionalism, integrity and innovation, it has created the role of Operations Director to provide the necessary operational integrity and scale to effectively seize the significant current and future growth opportunities.

The Operations Director should be passionate about building high-performing teams, driving continuous improvement, and scaling operational excellence while staying true to the company’s values and maintaining an outstanding employee experience.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Operations Director will oversee end-to-end operational performance across the lending lifecycle. You will ensure that operational capability, controls and customer outcomes mature in line with business growth and funding requirements, while consistently delivering exceptional service and meeting all compliance requirements.

As a key member of the Executive team, you will play a pivotal role in enhancing speed-to-loan, strengthening operational resilience and elevating overall customer experience.

The Key Responsibilities will include:

• Operational Strategy and Leadership
• Property Lending Lifecycle Management
• Risk, Compliance and Operational Resilience
• People Leadership and Culture
• Technology, Transformation and Continuous Improvement
• Stakeholder and Partner Management

Skills and Experience:

• Senior operational leadership experience within property finance, bridging, development finance or secured lending – this could also be asset finance, motor finance or invoice finance.
• Proven experience scaling operations withing a fast-growing lender.
• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making and analytical skills.
• Exceptional communication and people skills with the ability to collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Strong grasp of operational risk, compliance and control in a financial services environment.
• Commercially minded, data-driven and highly organised.
• A proven history of delivering operational excellence.
• Lean, Six Sigma, PRINCE2 an advantage.