Operational Excellence Manager

Armstrong Watson LLP; Carlisle; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary Sacrifice Pension (4x)

Life Cover & Income Protection

Annual Leave Purchase Scheme

Smart Working Policy

Health Shield Cash Plan

Employee Assistance Programme

CPD support & professional membership

Job summary

Armstrong Watson is seeking an experienced Operational Excellence Manager to partner with the Chief Operating Officer and drive strategic priorities across the firm. This role will involve delivering major initiatives, governance, and cross‑functional improvements at scale.

You will coordinate with service line leaders, risk/compliance, and management teams to ensure progress against targets, including integrations of acquired businesses and sector leadership programmes.

Qualifications

• Previous experience within professional services, operations management, business improvement, project delivery or transformation environments.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities, with experience of investigating complex business and operational issues.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare reports, recommendations and executive‑level briefing papers.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to work with senior leaders, partners, directors and managers across the business.
• Experience of driving accountability, tracking actions and ensuring delivery against agreed objectives.
• The ability to influence and coordinate activity across multiple teams and functions.
• A proactive and commercially aware approach to identifying opportunities for operational improvement.
• Experience of working within governance, compliance, risk management or regulatory environments would be advantageous.
• Strong IT skills, including experience of analysing data and producing management information and reporting.
• A high level of attention to detail, discretion and professionalism.
• The ability to work independently whilst building effective collaborative relationships across the firm.
• A full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Supporting the delivery of major strategic and operational initiatives across the firm.
• Developing implementation plans and supporting governance structures for key projects.
• Monitoring progress against agreed objectives and identifying risks, issues and barriers to delivery.
• Coordinating activity across service lines and support functions to ensure successful project outcomes.
• Undertaking detailed investigations, analysis and research to support COO and Board decision-making.
• Producing briefing papers, management information, executive reports and recommendations.
• Maintaining action trackers, delivery plans and monitoring progress against agreed actions.
• Leading fact-finding investigations into significant client complaints and preparing reports, recommendations and draft responses for COO review.
• Supporting the integration of acquired businesses through the development and monitoring of integration plans and workstreams.
• Coordinating and supporting the delivery of the firm's sector leadership programme and strategic initiatives.
• Working alongside Risk and Compliance teams to support governance activities, regulatory reviews and improvement actions.
• Supporting continuous improvement programmes that enhance operational effectiveness, efficiency and service delivery.

Skills

Project management

Operations improvement

Stakeholder management

Data analysis

Governance & compliance

Communication

Driving accountability

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Job description

Operational Excellence Manager

Department: Group Admin

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Carlisle

Description

About Us

Build something exceptional, with us...

Our ambition is clear and openly bold.

Armstrong Watson is on a journey to more than double our turnover by 2030, through disciplined organic growth, the attraction of outstanding talent, and the selective acquisition of like‑minded firms.

But growth alone is not the goal.

Reputation is.

And reputation is earned, not inherited.

Our strategic intent is simple to say and hard to deliver.

To become the most respected adviser to privately owned businesses in the North and the UK.

The firm business owners talk about.

The firm lawyers and bankers recommend without hesitation.

To achieve this, we are building the best Accounting and Financial Advisory firm to deal with, not just in the North, but across the UK. Exceptional service, deep expertise, trusted relationships, and absolute reliability define everything we do. These are not slogans; they are standards we hold ourselves to every day.

At our core, we exist for one reason, to help our clients achieve prosperity, a secure future, and peace of mind.

This strategy sets the direction.

Our people, our values‑led culture, and our standards will deliver it.

We are looking for people who want more than the next job. People who care deeply about:

• Standards and professionalism
• Doing work they are proud to put their name to
• Building long‑term client relationships
• Being part of a firm with real momentum and intent

If you want to grow with a business that is ambitious, values‑driven, and serious about excellence, Armstrong Watson offers opportunity and expectation in equal measure.

What you will find here:

• A firm with clear direction and momentum
• Clients who value advice and relationships
• Colleagues who care about doing things properly
• A culture built on Passion, Trust, Humanity and Honesty
• Genuine opportunity to shape your career as the firm grows

This is our moment, and our vision is clear, to build something genuinely remarkable.

The Role

We are now recruiting for an experienced Operational Excellence Manager to work closely with the Chief Operating Officer and support the delivery of strategic priorities, operational improvement initiatives and firm-wide projects across Armstrong Watson.

This is a highly visible role that will provide direct support to the COO, ensuring key projects, operational reviews, governance activities, acquisition integrations and business improvement programmes maintain momentum and achieve agreed outcomes.

Working closely with service line leaders, sector heads, partners, directors and managers across the firm, the successful candidate will gain exposure to a broad range of operational, governance and strategic matters, contributing to the continued growth and success of Armstrong Watson.

The main elements of this role will include:

• Supporting the delivery of major strategic and operational initiatives across the firm
• Developing implementation plans and supporting governance structures for key projects
• Monitoring progress against agreed objectives and identifying risks, issues and barriers to delivery
• Coordinating activity across service lines and support functions to ensure successful project outcomes
• Undertaking detailed investigations, analysis and research to support COO and Board decision-making
• Producing briefing papers, management information, executive reports and recommendations
• Maintaining action trackers, delivery plans and monitoring progress against agreed actions
• Leading fact-finding investigations into significant client complaints and preparing reports, recommendations and draft responses for COO review
• Supporting the integration of acquired businesses through the development and monitoring of integration plans and workstreams
• Coordinating and supporting the delivery of the firm's sector leadership programme and strategic initiatives
• Working alongside Risk and Compliance teams to support governance activities, regulatory reviews and improvement actions
• Supporting continuous improvement programmes that enhance operational effectiveness, efficiency and service delivery

Please note that we will not be accepting candidates from agency suppliers in connection with this vacancy.

The Candidate

In order to fulfil the responsibilities of the position, we would like candidates to be / have:

• Previous experience within professional services, operations management, business improvement, project delivery or transformation environments
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities, with experience of investigating complex business and operational issues
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare reports, recommendations and executive‑level briefing papers
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to work with senior leaders, partners, directors and managers across the business
• Experience of driving accountability, tracking actions and ensuring delivery against agreed objectives
• The ability to influence and coordinate activity across multiple teams and functions
• A proactive and commercially aware approach to identifying opportunities for operational improvement
• Experience of working within governance, compliance, risk management or regulatory environments would be advantageous
• Strong IT skills, including experience of analysing data and producing management information and reporting
• A high level of attention to detail, discretion and professionalism
• The ability to work independently whilst building effective collaborative relationships across the firm
• A full UK driving licence

The Benefits

In return for your hard work helping us shape our future growth and development; we will provide a competitive salary and a positive benefits package which includes:

• Salary Sacrifice Employer Contribution Pension Scheme including Life Cover (4x salary) and Income Protection
• Competitive Annual Leave entitlement & Annual Leave Purchase Scheme allowing you to buy up to 5 additional days annual leave each year
• Smart Working Policy, giving you the ability to balance home and remote working
• Health Shield Cash Plan (cash back on a range of Health benefits and discounts on holidays, fashion and entertainment)
• Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 confidential support for wellbeing and health)
• Paid flu jabs and eye tests
• Introductory Commission Scheme (financial reward if you refer a new client)
• Employee Referral Scheme (financial reward if you refer new AW colleagues) enabling you to claim up to £2,500 for each referral
• Investment towards Continuous Professional Development (CPD), which includes access to comprehensive training courses and materials
• Paid professional membership fees

In addition to all the benefits you would expect from an award winning employer, you will be given the utmost encouragement and support to develop your career further.

When you're with us... we're with you.