Head of Operations & Professional Services

Job Title: Head of Operations & Professional Services

Location: Fully Remote role

Salary: £50,000 - £55,000 + Benefits + Bonus

Evolve Recruitment are seeking an experienced Head of Operations to join a growing organisation within the Education sector. Reporting to the Managing Director, our client is seeking a confident, experienced, client facing Operations and PS Manager who will be responsible for the Professional Services (Training) team and the core operations team, including renewals, contracts, cancellations, internal projects. There will also be close links to the other key departments. The post requires strong multi-tasking, organisational, interpersonal and leadership skills. Strong demonstrable evidence of motivating and planning skills as well as the ability to forge strong relationships with all stakeholders.Whilst this role contains an element of people management, the successful candidate will be required to contribute to the workload of the team, and step in to support with training where required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Results driven and responsible for delivering against financial and operational goals
• Conduct resource planning analysis to forecast and schedule appropriate staffing levels to manage the projected activities of the Professional Services team to meet service level objectives and PS targets
• Manage and Measure operational performance in an efficient and timely manner
• Develop an operating budget for the department and monitor to ensure that financial targets are met
• Assist where necessary to support pre sales activity in major account acquisition and account management
• Work with the development team to ensure that latest features, products and projects are rolled out to customers effectively and to timelines
• Ensure resourcing is in line with the needs of all stakeholders and plan day-to-day availability in line with operational needs and financial forecasts
• Monitor, report and analyse attrition data, whist forming and implementing retention plans to meet company targets
• Maintain and develop organisational culture, values and reputation with all staff, customers, suppliers, and partners.

• Engage with and motivate the operations and PS team to provide a consistent and exceptional customer experience to all clients

• Run monthly meetings with direct reports to swap ideas, exchange best practices and plan for future initiatives and improvements

• Conduct annual appraisals for all direct reports

• Identify KPI’s for the various teams and report on their progress

• Build and lead an effective and cohesive team.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key customers

• Be the point of escalation for customer cancellations and renewal queries before engaging with the Managing Director

• Work with the Managing Director and marketing to define and deliver a renewals strategy, plan and process, to increase the companies retention rate.

Skills & Experience:

• Excellence in communication skills, ensuring interaction and relationships with stakeholders is transparent and consistent
• The nature of the business requires a flexible attitude and proactiveness to meet the needs of a fast-paced environment.
• Extensive experience within PS/Training Team, ideally gained within a vertical software solutions market
• Thrive in a results driven background and be comfortable with financial and performance measurement
• Strong financial awareness/orientation would be a big benefit coupled with excellent forecast and budgeting skills
• Experience of producing monthly/quarterly reports for management/board
• Have a basic understanding of or be prepared to learn the measurements and metrics used to drive a successful company
• Some travel will be required and therefore applicants must possess a full driving licence and be prepared to stay away from home on occasion

Desirable

• Experience in customer installed software both on-premise and hosted
• Experience of Project / Programme Management
• Good technical understanding of IT systems, including databases and networks.

Personal Qualities & Skills required

• Persistent and resilient under pressure, with a good sense of humour
• Proven experience in negotiation and influencing skills
• Ability to develop innovative ideas and solutions and confidence to "Challenge the Norm"
• Use organisational agility skills to develop working relationships with clients, colleagues and third parties to best deliver against the corporate goal
• Self-motivated with a 'can do’ attitude and determination to 'close the deal’ and keen to learn and share knowledge
• Good team player, yet willing to take personal responsibility for resolution of issues
• Logical and analytical, with a methodical approach to problem-solving
• Quality-focused and customer-focused with the ability to prioritise and good attention to detail
• Evidence of the ability to take decisions and execute action plans in a controlled and organised way
• Have proven experience of managing multiple conflicting priorities to meet strategic deadlines in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
• Have exceptional communication skills delivering clearly and confidently, both in person and in writing, including presentation skills
• Work with honesty and integrity
• Have the energy, drive and perseverance to complete all goals and targets.

You are required to be eligible to work in the UK full time without restriction. If you feel you have the relevant skills and experience required for this role, then please apply to Evolve Recruitment, Kingston upon Thames for more information.Due to the high volume of applications we receive it is not always possible to respond to unsuccessful applicants. Therefore, if we have not responded to your application within five days please assume that on this occasion your application has not been successful.