Head of Operations and Technology (SMF24)
City of London
Permanent
Up to £140,000
cer Financial are working alongside an international bank, who are based in the City of London. They are seeking a Head of Operations who also has technical experience and holds SMF24, to work with them on a permanent basis.
The role:
- Lead strategic planning and delivery of operations, systems, outsourcing, and business continuity
- Develop and implement transformation programmes aligned with business needs
- Design and execute change strategies and implementation plans
- Manage third-party vendors to improve systems, processes, and reporting (e.g. dashboards)
- Drive operational efficiency and continuous improvement across the business
- Represent Operations at executive level and support decision-making with specialist insight
- Translate strategic objectives into actionable business plans with measurable outcomes
- Ensure delivery of business change projects in line with executive direction
- Allocate and manage resources (budget, headcount) effectively within approved limits
- Contribute to business strategy through operational assessment and improvement initiatives
- Oversee departmental budgets, approvals, and capital expenditure decisions
- Analyse and optimise processes, systems, and overall operational effectiveness
- Monitor performance against plans, identify gaps, and implement corrective actions
- Benchmark productivity and introduce measures to enhance performance
- Build and manage relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
- Maintain an efficient operating model and drive digital transformation
- Act as Data Protection Officer (DPO) and ensure regulatory compliance
- Participate in internal and external committees (e.g. ExCo, ALCO, Risk)
- Ensure effective risk management across operations
- Set strategic direction and performance expectations for teams
- Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing teams and direct reports
- Oversee capacity and project planning to meet resource requirements
- Monitor service quality and adherence to governance standards
- Identify training needs and support ongoing team development
- Maintain succession planning for leadership roles
- Handle escalations, grievances, and performance management processes
- Commit to ongoing personal development and effectiveness
The candidate will have:
- Must have banking operations experience - payments, settlements, operational resilience.
- Must have IT leadership experience: Tech/system upgrades, infrastructure, etc.
- Must have held SMF24.
- Strong FCA/PRA regulatory and compliance expertise
- Solid understanding of banking operations in highly regulated environments