Director of Operations

Age UK; Lancaster; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Age UK Lancashire is seeking an exceptional Director of Operations to join the Senior Leadership Team and lead a diverse portfolio of services across Lancashire. You will oversee a sizeable team of managers, shaping strategy, improving outcomes for over 20,000 older people each year and ensuring sustainability and high-quality service delivery.

This role demands strategic thinking, operational excellence, and strong commercial acumen, with a track record of leading complex services and

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in charity/health/social care or similar complex environment.
• Proven track record leading large operational services and delivering strategic objectives.
• Experience managing contracts, outcomes and performance frameworks.
• Experience growing organisations through bids, tenders, commissioning or funding opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership of our Operations Directorate.
• Lead service delivery, quality improvement and operational performance.
• Drive growth through service development, commissioning and partnership opportunities.
• Build relationships with commissioners, funders, local authorities and NHS partners.
• Lead organisational performance through data, insight and digital improvement.
• Ensure governance, safeguarding and risk management.
• Develop and inspire operational leaders and managers across the charity.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Contract management

Bid & funding

Financial awareness

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decisions

Team development

NHS/Partner engagement

Job description

Location: Lancashire base TBC in one of our offices (Lancaster, Padiham, Ormskirk, St Annes, Chorley) Flexible/hybrid working options available

Hours: 28-35hrs (flexible)

Job Ref: DIROP01

Closing Date: Monday 16 th November 2026 12 noon

First Stage Interviews: Thursday 26 th November (online)

Assessment Day: Monday 1 December 2026 (face-to-face) - shortlisted candidates must be available for the full day (applicants may wish to free these dates in advance to ensure availability)

Help shape the future of services for older people across Lancashire

At Age UK Lancashire, our vision is simple: "Until everyone is living their best later life." Every year we support more than 20,000 older people across Lancashire through advice, practical support, wellbeing services, social connections and community-based interventions.

Following the retirement of a long-serving and highly respected colleague, we are seeking an exceptional Director of Operations to join our Senior Leadership Team and help lead the next chapter of our organisation.

You’ll lead a diverse portfolio of services and a sizeable team of managers and colleagues, helping to shape organisational strategy and deliver impact for more than 20,000 older people each year.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for someone who combines strategic thinking, operational excellence, commercial awareness and a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for older people. We’re looking for a proven leader who has successfully led complex services, delivered sustainable growth, managed large-scale contracts and developed high-performing teams.

Our people tell us we’re a great place to work. In our most recent colleague survey, 99% of our staff said they would recommend Age UK Lancashire as an employer.

We are ambitious about the future and proud of our values-led culture. You’ll join an organisation with a strong reputation, a clear sense of purpose and a commitment to continuous improvement, helping us ensure we remain effective, sustainable and responsive to the needs of older people across Lancashire.

The role

Reporting directly to the CEO, you’ll lead our operational services across the organisation, ensuring they remain high-quality, responsive to the changing needs of older people across Lancashire, and financially sustainable.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Strategic leadership of our Operations Directorate
• Leading service delivery, quality improvement and operational performance
• Driving growth through service development, commissioning and partnership opportunities
• Building relationships with commissioners, funders, local authorities and NHS partners
• Leading organisational performance through data, insight and digital improvement
• Ensuring effective governance, safeguarding and risk management
• Developing and inspiring operational leaders and managers across the charity

Who we're looking for

This is not an entry-level director role. We are seeking an established leader with substantial experience of leading complex services, people and organisational performance within a charity, health, social care, community or similarly complex environment.

We are specifically seeking candidates who can demonstrate substantial senior leadership experience gained within a charity, health, social care, community or similarly complex environment.

You'll bring

• A track record of leading large operational services and delivering strategic objectives
• Experience managing contracts, outcomes and performance frameworks
• Experience contributing to organisational growth through bids, tenders, commissioning or funding opportunities
• Strong financial and commercial awareness
• Experience building productive relationships with commissioners, funders and statutory partners
• The ability to use performance data to drive decision-making and improvement
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Experience working with NHS organisations, local authorities, Integrated Care Systems or within the voluntary sector would be particularly valuable.

Recruitment process

Following shortlisting, selected candidates will be invited to:

Stage 1: Interview online via Teams Date: Thursday 26 th November 2026

Stage 2: Assessment Day (face to face) Date: Tuesday 1 December 2026
Location: Lancashire Football Association, Thurston Football Ground, Leyland, PR25 2LF

The assessment day will be held face-to-face and will involve a range of activities designed to assess leadership style, strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, financial and commercial judgement, cultural fit and operational expertise.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete an Insights Discovery profile in advance of 1 st stage interviews.

Candidates invited to this stage should ensure they are available for the entire day.

Ready to make a difference?

If you're an experienced operational leader who combines strategic vision with the ability to deliver results through people, partnerships and innovation, and you're excited by the opportunity to shape the future of services for older people across Lancashire, we'd love to hear from you.

Join us in helping ensure that everyone across Lancashire can live their best later life.

Equality & Diversity-Age UK Lancashire are committed to ensuring that all job applicants and members of staff are treated equally, without discrimination because of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age. Please complete the attached form to allow us to monitor our applicant and staff diversity.