Global Operations Director

Houst; London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading property management company in London is seeking a Global Operations Director to lead end-to-end operations across multiple functions and markets. This pivotal role focuses on shaping operational strategy, driving efficiency through data and systems, and ensuring top-notch service for hosts and guests. The ideal candidate has extensive experience in high-growth environments, strong leadership skills, and a passion for customer experience.

Benefits

25 days holiday

Hybrid working model

Extra day off for your birthday

Employee discounts

Pawternity leave

Pension scheme

MacBook for business use

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in operations, preferably in tech-enabled environments.
• Proven leadership track record in globally distributed teams.
• Obsessed with performance metrics to drive improvements.
• Advanced analytical ability with large data sets.

Responsibilities

• Lead global operations strategy across various functions.
• Drive efficiencies through data-driven processes.
• Manage senior executive team and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Operational expertise in high-growth environments

Leadership skills

Data-driven decision making

Analytical abilities

Customer experience focus

Financial acumen

Tools

Excel

SQL

Job description

We're hiring a hands-on and strategic Global Operations Director to lead our end-to-end operations across multiple functions, markets, and time zones. Sitting on the Senior Leadership Team, you'll shape and deliver our operational strategy while getting hands-on with execution.

In this high-impact role, you will drive efficiencies through data and systems, and ensure our hosts and guests receive a consistently outstanding experience. This is a high-impact role for someone who can zoom out to scale and structure, but isn't afraid to dive in when things get messy.

Be Hands-On & Practical

• Dive into the day-to-day when necessary, supporting escalations, refining workflows, or reviewing service delivery at a granular level.
• Jump in alongside your team to test ideas, solve problems, and accelerate execution where needed.
• Lead by example: you're not just managing performance, you're actively contributing to it.
• Manage contractors and external teams, including cleaning, maintenance, and other service providers, ensuring they deliver consistently high standards.
• Work directly with suppliers, such as laundry and other operational partners, to maintain seamless service delivery and strong relationships.
  
  

Set Strategy & Drive Execution

• Define and lead Houst's global operations strategy across Guest Experience, Property Maintenance, Supply Chain, and Channel Management.
• Build operational infrastructure to support both mature markets and new launches.
• Develop a long-term roadmap for delivering scalable, tech-enabled service at a low cost-to-serve.
  
  

Deliver Operational Excellence

• Create efficient, data-driven processes that improve speed, reduce cost, and elevate service quality.
• Design and implement global SOPs that ensure consistency while allowing for local adaptation.
• Monitor and act on operational metrics in real time, adjusting tactics when needed to hit targets.
  
  

Lead a High-Performing Global Team

• Directly manage three senior function leads and oversee a geographically distributed team of 70+ across several time zones.
• Inspire and grow leaders, set clear KPIs, and foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Lead workforce planning, org design, and hiring for Ops as we scale.
  
  

Champion the Customer

• Partner with Product and Guest Experience teams to increase NPS, reduce escalations, and ensure consistent 5-star service.
• Use guest and host feedback to identify weak points and guide meaningful improvements across the customer journey.
  
  

Own Marketplace Performance

• Oversee optimisation of listings across Airbnb, Booking.com, and other key platforms.
• Lead dynamic pricing, availability management, and platform health to maximise occupancy and revenue.
• Monitor performance dashboards and drive action on real-time data insights.
  
  

Control Costs & Improve Financial Performance

• Manage operational P&Ls and multi-currency budgets.
• Identify ways to improve unit economics by streamlining processes, renegotiating supplier contracts, and cutting waste.
• Build financial discipline into everyday operations without sacrificing service quality.
  
  

Collaborate Cross-Functionally

• Work closely with our Growth, Commercial, Product, Finance, and People teams to align operational plans with company-wide OKRs.
• Partner with the SLT, contributing to broader business strategy and scaling decisions.
  
  

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in operations, preferably in high-growth, tech-enabled environments (e.g. marketplaces, hospitality, logistics, or property tech)
• Proven leadership track record, including building and scaling high-performing, globally distributed teams
• Obsessed with performance, you love using KPIs, dashboards, and metrics to measure success and continuously improve
• Advanced analytical ability, you can make sense of large data sets, build models in Excel/Sheets, and ideally know your way around SQL
• Operational success, you've built SOPs, optimised workflows, and implemented systems that stand the test of scale
• Deep customer empathy, you understand what makes a great customer experience and how to operationalise it
• Commercial & financial acumen, strong grasp of cost control, margin optimisation, and supply-side economics
• Global mindset, experience operating across markets, with an appreciation for cultural nuances and local ops
  
  

Benefits

• 25 days holiday
• Hybrid working (3 days in our London office, 2 days WFH)
• An extra day off for your birthday - because who wants to work on their birthday?
• Employee discounts - at heaps of restaurants, shops, gym memberships, cinema tickets and more
• Pawternity - We encourage proud parents of new pets to work from home to help their new member settle in
• Pension - We provide a pension scheme for all permanent employees
• MacBook - for business use