Senior Operations Manager

The Operations division reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer. The Division comprises of 2 teams:
+ Premium and Data Control Team (PDC)
Partnering with key stakeholders within Ops and teams outside of Operations to ensure all UKEF business transactions are accurately recorded and maintained on UKEF’s corporate System, Advanced Commercial Banking system (ACBS)
+ DL Operations Team
Ultimate responsibility for the Direct Lending portfolio, on a post signing basis, including correct booking of new facilities, accurate processing of drawdown requests, and covenant monitoring), The team is responsible for accurately recording and maintaining details of UK Export Finance’s (UKEF) business transactions and international debt agreements on one of the department’s key corporate systems (Advanced Commercial Banking System (ACBS), “a comprehensive commercial lending and trading system of integrated functional modules that support the lending process from deal building through servicing and trading.”).
As the Senior Operational Delivery manager, you will have oversight responsibility for the accurate and timely recording and maintenance of corporate data on ACBS. This role will primarily be the lead for Medium/Long term products and Claims and Recoveries. You will be required to represent the team on Project Boards and stakeholder meetings.
Key focus will be on managing the streamlined processing of daily tasks, reviewing the processes the team undertakes and ensuring adequate risks and controls are in place. You will be required to lead the team to ensure that all incoming work is dealt with in line with the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and Service Level Agreements (SLA).
Provide management, oversight, and support for any investigation of problems (referring to the ACBS System Administrators as required) and the re-entry or amendment to data entries within the corporate system.
This role will also require helping to promote a change mindset within the team and gain traction against continuous improvement initiatives
You will also be responsible for leading the analysis of reporting and other data validation checks.
Main Activities
+ Partner with the other SEO to ensure the successful day to day running of the whole team. Assist with setting and managing priorities, providing advice and guidance and deputising for the Deputy Operations Manager if required.
+ Manage the products you lead, working with key stakeholders both within the team and across the Department to create optimal workflows and managing risk.
+ Ensure all PDC reporting requirements for the products you lead are accurate, timely and delivered. Providing periodic reviews to ensure they remain effective and training new staff across the department as required.
+ Allocate resources and workloads, taking account of priorities to ensure work is dealt with effectively and efficiently, managing increased business volumes and project work.
+ Liaise with Fidelity and other stakeholders to ensure advice is taken on how best to input into the system whilst ensuring reporting requirements are considered.
+ Conduct PDC Approver duties as required. Provide advice and guidance to PDC Approver HEOs as required.
+ Support all new/revised product projects and attend Project Boards to ensure PDC capabilities are considered.
+ Deliver and drive process improvement to make workflows more efficient, while also considering the wider picture.
+ Develop and encourage the team to take responsibility for their own development whilst helping them achieve their full potential. For those you manage this will include setting objectives, managing performance and appraisals, providing accountability and on-going feedback.
+ Build positive and collaborative team relationships.
This list is not exhaustive, and you may be required to carry out additional duties according to business needs., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Changing and Improving
+ Leadership
+ Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
+ Technical Question - Describe a time when you held a colleague accountable for their actions or performance. You can mention how you approached the situation, what the result was, and how you remained empathetic.
+ Presentation - on a topic decided by UKEF and will be provided to successful candidates.
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
+ Technical Question - Describe a time when you held a colleague accountable for their actions or performance. You can mention how you approached the situation, what the result was, and how you remained empathetic., o Describe a time when you held a colleague accountable for their actions or performance. You can mention how you approached the situation, what the result was, and how you remained empathetic.
As part of the application process, you will be invited to complete the below ability test, each test must be passed in order for you to proceed with you’re application.
1. Numerical Test (this must be completed and passed by 23:55 on Thursday 31 October 2024)
For candidates who successfully pass the ability test, they will then progress to complete a full application form.
For the initial sift your application will be evaluated against:
1. Qualifications (this will be used as a pre-sift)
o GCSE / O Levels or equivalent work experience.
2. Experience - Application and Statement of Suitability
3. Technical Question (250 words)
o Describe a time when you held a colleague accountable for their actions or performance. You can mention how you approached the situation, what the result was, and how you remained empathetic.
In the event of a large number of applications, we will carry out a pre-sift on the following:
1. Technical Question (250 words)
1. Describe a time when you held a colleague accountable for their actions or performance. You can mention how you approached the situation, what the result was, and how you remained empathetic.
If you are successful following the sift stage, you will be invited to an initial interview; this will include the following assessment:
1. Behaviours - a formal panel interview where you will be interviewed across all four behaviours
1. Seeing the big picture
2. Changing and Improving
3. Leadership
4. Communicating and Influencing
2. Technical
1. Presentation - on a topic decided by UKEF and will be provided to successful candidates.
Details of interview panel members will be e-mailed to all successful candidates who are invited for interview.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

+ GCSE / O Levels or equivalent work experience. [A], + Knowledge of people management, change management and Continuous Improvement process. [A]
+ Understanding people drivers and how to get the best out of people to maximise team performance. [A, I], + Proven ability to lead, develop, and coach team members effectively. [A, I]
+ A flexible approach to incorporating changing priorities. [A, I]
+ Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. [A, I, P]
+ Able to tailor communication style to suit different audiences. [A, I, P]
+ Strong leadership and interpersonal skills. [A]
+ Excellent attention to detail. [A, I, P]
+ Highly proficient in problem-solving and critical thinking. [A, I]
+ Able to analyse, review and provide recommendations on data received from multiple sources. [A, I], + Experience of identifying and process improvement in an operational environment. [A,I]
+ Experience in managing, analysing and validating data. [A,I], + Intermediate Excel skills.
+ Strong investigation and problem-solving skills., + Awareness of the UK Export Finance suite of insurance and finance products.
+ Project Management, This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.
We are assessing candidates using Success Profiles (see Appendix 1) and across the whole process we will assess your Experience, Ability, Technical, and Behaviours as highlighted below.
The application must be completed by 23.55 on the day of the closing date for it to be accepted.
All applications will be sifted against our essential criteria outlined in the personal specification. In addition to this, applicants will also be asked to complete an on-line ability test, this must also be completed prior to the deadline for your application.
+ Qualification
o GCSE / O Levels or equivalent work experience (this will be used as a pre-sift)
+ On-line ability test
o Numerical Test (this must be completed and passed by 23:55 on Thursday 31 October 2024)

Alongside your salary of £46,085, UK Export Finance contributes £13,350 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ Learning and development tailored to your role
+ An environment with flexible working options
+ A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
+ A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%