Head of Strategic Operations (Technology)

SAGA PLC; Folkestone; Híbrido; GBP 120.000 - 170.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

25 days holiday

5 extra days

Pension matched up to 10%

Bonus up to 15%

Car allowance £4,800/yr

Private medical insurance after 1 year

Life assurance 4x salary

Saga Academy learning platform

Descripción de la vacante

Saga PLC is seeking a Head of Strategic Operations to define long-term technology direction, challenge supplier roadmaps, and align Technology Operations with Saga’s business goals. You will lead with evidence-based decisions, collaborate across teams, and maintain a horizon view 24–48 months ahead.

The role is hybrid, requiring ad-hoc office attendance in London and Folkestone, and will report to the Technology Operations Director. Experience with MSPs is advantageous.

Formación

• Senior technology leadership experience in complex multi-supplier environments.
• Proven ability to shape long-term technology direction and strategy.
• Experience challenging supplier strategies and influencing roadmaps.

Responsabilidades

• Develop and maintain a forward-looking 24–48 month technology horizon for Technology Operations.
• Identify emerging risks, opportunities, and market shifts impacting Saga.
• Challen ge supplier roadmaps to align with enterprise technology direction.
• Ensure technology initiatives reflect enterprise programs and governance.
• Maintain relationships across groups and strategic suppliers.
• Provide leadership continuity as deputy to the Technology Operations Director.

Conocimientos

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Enterprise architecture

Governance facilitation

Executive communication

Multi-supplier leadership

Herramientas

ITIL

Descripción del empleo

As our Head of Strategic Operations, you'll look beyond the here and now to define our long‑term technology direction, exploring emerging trends, challenging supplier roadmaps and identifying opportunities to strengthen our capabilities. Reporting to our Technology Operations Director, you'll work across teams, business units and strategic suppliers; you'll influence at a senior level, champion evidence‑based decision‑making and ensure Technology Operations is aligned with Saga's wider business ambitions. You'll help us balance innovation with resilience, manage long‑term technology risks and dependencies, and ensure our technology strategy supports a seamless, relevant and valuable experience for our customers. If you're passionate about technology strategy, future‑focused thinking and making a meaningful difference, this is an opportunity to shape Saga's evolving technology landscape. We work in a hybrid way at Saga both at home and in the office. When you do come into the office, it'll be with a real purpose in mind. You will be required to attend our London and Folkestone office on an ad‑hoc basis, in line with business needs. Role Responsibility As our of Strategic Operations you will be responsible for developing and maintaining a forward‑looking (24-48 month) technology horizon view for Technology Operations, identifying emerging risks, opportunities and market shifts that may impact Saga's strategic position. Experience working with a technology MSP would be of advantage. Other accountabilities will include:

• Identification of remedial actions including budget provision to mitigate risks whilst also identifying required change activity.
• Continually scanning the external technology landscape and translating insights into structured options and strategic recommendations for the Technology Operations leadership team.
• Challenging and shaping supplier roadmaps to ensure long‑term alignment with Saga's enterprise technology direction and to avoid dependency, stagnation or unmanaged lock‑in.
• Ensuring broader enterprise technology initiatives are understood and appropriately reflected within the retained Technology Operations strategy.
• Identifying long‑term technical debt, platform dependency and strategic capability gaps, and recommending structured mitigation or investment options
• Ensuring Technology is onboarded and aligned to ITIL service design principles including capacity, performance and availability.
• Understand overall business strategy to create a Technology Operations strategy which underpins strategic goals.
• Converting strategic direction into clear influence across the retained organisation, ensuring future‑facing thinking is embedded in governance forums and decision‑making processes.
• Acting as deputy to the Technology Operations Director, providing leadership continuity and representing Technology Operations in strategic and cross‑functional forums when required.
• Ensuring Technology Operations is aligned with wider enterprise technology programmes and transformation initiatives, operating beyond functional boundaries where required.
• Supporting the development of long‑range technology positioning papers, investment cases and strategic narratives that inform executive decision‑making.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships across Group functions, business units and strategic suppliers to ensure Saga remains externally informed and internally aligned.
• Promoting a culture of disciplined innovation, structured optionality and evidence‑based strategic thinking across Technology Operations.
• Ensuring that strategic initiatives and emerging technology opportunities are assessed through a balanced lens of value, feasibility, risk and organisational readiness.
• Providing clear insight and reporting on long‑term technology trends and their potential operational, financial and regulatory implications.

As our new Head of Strategic Operations, you will have significant experience operating at a senior level in technology leadership. You'll be able to demonstrate a track record of shaping long‑term technology direction in complex, multi‑supplier environments.

Experience working with a technology MSP would be an advantage. Other experience required includes:

• Experience challenging supplier strategies and influencing roadmap outcomes.
• Strong understanding of enterprise architecture principles and operational service models (without owning architectural governance).
• Experience operating within regulated or large‑scale enterprise environments.
• Proven ability to operate as deputy or senior strategic advisor to executive leadership.
• Strong facilitation of strategic discussions and governance forums.
• Clear articulation of complex technical concepts to executive audiences.
• Ability to operate across organisational boundaries without formal authority.

Over the past 75 years we have become the UK's specialist provider of products and services to people aged over 50 in the UK. We're the most trusted brand amongst UK consumers in this demographic, recognised for high‑quality products and exceptional standards of service. Our product portfolio includes cruises, holidays, insurance, personal finance products and our Saga Magazine.

Our focus on delivering exceptional products and service empowers our colleagues to create moments that are personal and special for our customers and for each other and our values underpin our approach and help guide us to deliver our purpose. We're committed to making sure that colleagues can be their best, be themselves and make a difference - more than anywhere else. We have done this by creating a truly inclusive culture, where all colleagues can bring their full and authentic selves to work and be treated with dignity and respect in an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. Thanks to our people, Saga was awarded with a Gold for Best Customer Centric Culture in 2025. This is testament to the great culture we've built together. This award belongs to all our colleagues who collectively make Saga a fantastic place to work.

At Saga, we recognise that our people make us special. We believe our colleagues deserve rewards for the excellence they demonstrate every single day, that's why we have put together an amazing benefits package for all colleagues.

BENEFITS AVAILABLE FOR THIS ROLE:

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Option to purchase additional leave - 5 extra days
• Pension scheme matched up to 10%
• Company performance related annual bonus - Up to 15%
• Car allowance £4,800 per annum
• Private medical insurance after 1 years' service
• Life assurance policy on joining us, 4 x salary
• Wellbeing programme
• Colleague discounts including family discounts on cruises, holidays and insurance
• Range of reductions and offers from leading retailers, travel groups and entertainment companies
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Grandparents leave
• Income protection
• Access to Saga Academy, our bespoke learning platform