Head of Strategic Operations (Technology)

Saga; Folkestone; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Pension matched 10%

Annual bonus up to 15%

Car allowance

Private medical insurance

Saga Academy access

Staff discounts

Parental leave

Income protection

Job summary

Saga is seeking a Head of Strategic Operations (Technology) to shape long-term technology strategy, partnering across groups and with strategic suppliers to strengthen capabilities. Reporting to the Technology Operations Director, you will drive evidence-based decisions, balance innovation with resilience, and ensure technology initiatives align with Saga’s strategic ambitions.

We operate a hybrid model with ad-hoc office attendance in London and Folkestone, shaping Saga’s evolving technology

Qualifications

• Extensive senior technology leadership experience.
• Proven ability to shape long-term technology direction.
• Experience with multi-vendor supplier ecosystems and governance.

Responsibilities

• Define a long-term technology horizon (24–48 months) for Operations.
• Influence supplier roadmaps to align with Saga's tech strategy.
• Lead cross-functional roles and manage strategic partnerships.
• Chairs governance forums and ensures evidence-based decisions.
• Oversee integration with enterprise technology programmes.
• Present clear technology positioning papers to executives.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Technology strategy

Stakeholder management

Governance

Enterprise architecture

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Folkestone Hybrid

Head of Strategic Operations (Technology)

Job Reference saga/TP/56250/3592

Contract Type:

Full Time

Location:

Folkestone Hybrid| London Hybrid

Closing Date:

02/11/2026

Job Category:

Group Technology

Community:

Business Unit:

Package Description

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
• 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

Job Introduction

Head of Strategic Operations (Technology)

Permanent

London/Folkestone Hybrid

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.

Main Responsibilities

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.

The Ideal Candidate

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.

Saga Values: Make it Happen, Do the Right Thing, Customer First, Excellence Every Day, Our People Make Us Special

About The Company

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 andour 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 dignityand 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.

We are champions of age inclusivity and signatories of the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, we are proud of our multigenerational teams we have in place. We’re also a committed Disability Confident employer and ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible. Your application will have fair consideration, and you’ll receive personal communication throughout your applicant journey when you apply to join Saga.

Saga does not accept agency CVs unless specifically engaged on the role by the Talent Acquisition Team. Please do not forward CVs to our recruiters, employees or any other company location. Saga will not be responsible for any fees related to CVs received in this unsolicited manner.