Operations and Performance Manager

The Optimal Group; City Of London; On-site; GBP 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The Optimal Group is seeking an Operations and Performance Manager to lead day-to-day operations and drive team performance against service, commercial, and business objectives. You will translate company goals into clear plans, allocate resources, and ensure enquiries, quotes and jobs progress to completion and invoicing readiness.

The role requires hands-on leadership, commercial awareness and practical use of AI tools.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a maintenance, property-serv?ce or comparable operational team.
• Strong leadership, planning, coaching and performance-management skills.
• Clear understanding of sales, marketing, conversion, client retention, job costs and margins.
• Demonstrable workplace experience using ChatGPT and other AI tools responsibly and effectively.
• Confidence with operational data, spreadsheets, CRM and job-management systems.
• Clear communication, sound judgement and consistent follow-through.

Responsibilities

• Own operational delivery and coordinate enquiries, estimating, quotes, bookings, field delivery and completion records.
• Plan and drive performance with measurable targets and realistic planning.
• Lead, coach and develop the team through meetings and performance management.
• Drive commercial results, sales and client growth with revenue and margin focus.
• Use AI tools to improve planning, analysis, reporting and productivity.
• Report accurately with timely, evidence-based updates and maintain standards.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Performance tracking

AI tools

Tools

ChatGPT

Job description

JOB TITLE: Operations and Performance Manager

REPORTS TO: Founder

SALARY: Starting at £65,000 per annum plus an uncapped bonus

ROLE PURPOSE

Lead day-to-day operations and drive team performance against agreed service, commercial and business objectives.

Turn company goals into clear plans, allocate resources effectively, develop the team and take corrective action when results fall behind. Ensure enquiries, quotes and jobs progress efficiently through to completion and invoicing readiness.

The role requires hands‑on leadership, commercial awareness and practical use of AI. The Founder should receive reliable results, risks and recommendations without having to repeatedly chase routine operational delivery.

Our principle: Discipline + Urgency = Effective Execution = Results.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Own operational delivery

• Coordinate enquiries, estimating, quote follow-up, authorisations, bookings, field delivery and completion records.
• Set clear priorities, owners and deadlines, balancing client commitments, urgency, capacity and commercial value.
• Control backlogs, overdue actions, materials and subcontractor dependencies, reducing avoidable delays, rework and service failures.
• Resolve issues within agreed authority and promptly escalates urgent blockers, safety concerns and material risks.

2. Plan and drive performance

• Translate company goals into measurable team and individual targets, objectives and activities, explaining how each will be achieved.
• Maintain realistic daily, weekly and monthly plans covering workload, staffing, leave, skills and resources.
• Ensure the next day’s planner is checked, ready and shared in line with the operating timetable.
• Monitor results against original agreed targets, identify gaps early and lead recovery actions with owners and deadlines.
• Maintain forecasts that distinguish confirmed work, likely work and additional activity required.

3. Lead, coach and develop the team

• Run effective daily meetings, one‑to‑ones and live coaching to maintain focus, accountability and development.
• Set clear expectations and address underperformance promptly, identifying causes and agreeing measurable improvement actions.
• Check that actions are completed and improvements are sustained.
• Identify training, recruitment and cover needs, and support onboarding and development within agreed processes.
• Build a culture of ownership, urgency, teamwork and reliable follow‑through.

4. Drive commercial results, sales and client growth

• Direct activity towards agreed revenue, quote conversion, productivity and margin objectives.
• Understand the sales and marketing process from lead generation through client engagement, conversion, delivery and retention.
• Work with the Founder and relevant teams to turn marketing and sales activity into enquiries, relationships and work.
• Embed consistent follow‑up and requests for more quotes, jobs, property‑manager introductions and other opportunities to help.
• Maintain the client‑visit pipeline and ensure complaints have clear ownership and resolution.
• Work with estimating and finance to address pricing issues, cost overruns, missing approvals and delays to accurate invoicing.

5. Use AI and improve systems

• Use AI tools, including ChatGPT and other relevant platforms, to improve planning, analysis, communication, reporting and productivity.
• Identify practical automation opportunities and coach the team in the effective use of approved tools.
• Verify AI‑generated outputs and protect confidential and client information.
• Maintain accurate operational records and implement approved improvements that reduce errors, delays or unnecessary administration.

6. Report accurately and maintain standards

• Provide timely, evidence‑based reports covering targets, actuals, objectives, gaps, corrective actions and support required.
• Keep the manager’s own objectives visible alongside team and individual results.
• Follow the approved reporting, email, planning, coaching and operational timetables.
• Preserve agreed targets and counting rules, avoid double‑counting and distinguish completed work from progress, forecasts or unverified results.
• Escalate decisions with clear facts, options, recommendations and the impact of delay.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

Performance will be assessed through operational delivery, commercial results, team improvement, planning accuracy, client development and management discipline. Detailed targets, reporting times and scoring sit in the current approved operating timetable and performance framework.

AUTHORITY

Make day‑to‑day decisions within agreed policies and delegated limits. Escalate spending, commercial commitments and staffing decisions outside that authority to the Founder. Direct reports and decision‑making limits should be confirmed before the description is issued.

• Experience leading a maintenance, property‑services or comparable operational team.
• Strong leadership, planning, coaching and performance‑management skills.
• A clear understanding of sales, marketing, conversion, client retention, job costs and margins.
• Demonstrable workplace experience using ChatGPT and other AI tools responsibly and effectively.
• Confidence with operational data, spreadsheets, CRM and job‑management systems.
• Clear communication, sound judgement and consistent follow‑through.