Operations & Compliance Director

Morson Nexus; Manchester; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Morson Nexus is seeking an Operations & Compliance Director to provide strategic leadership across operations, quality, compliance and assurance. Reporting to the Managing Director, the role focuses on scaling capabilities, improving performance and establishing robust governance to support growth into new markets and service areas.

The successful candidate will drive enterprise-scale operating models, ensure regulatory compliance, and partner with leaders to translate growth opportunities into

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior operational leadership role (Director/Head of Operations)
• Experience designing operational strategy aligned with commercial objectives
• Track record of scaling operations and entering new markets
• Experience in quality management, compliance, governance and risk
• Experience developing operating models, processes and infrastructure
• Strong commercial acumen evaluating feasibility and investment priorities
• Experience leading through senior managers rather than day-to-day delivery
• Strong analytical and problem-solving with data-driven improvement
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication with senior leaders

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the Nexus operational strategy
• Develop a scalable operating model for increased volumes and expansion into markets
• Provide strategic direction to the Head of Technical Delivery and Head of Operations
• Improve operational effectiveness, productivity and cost efficiency
• Ensure governance, compliance and assurance across Nexus
• Build accreditation, competence, and training standards
• Assess and mitigate operational, technical, regulatory and compliance risks
• Lead governance reporting and stakeholder communications
• Drive operational excellence with KPIs and management information
• Lead organizational change to support growth

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Governance & compliance

Change management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Job description

The Operations & Compliance Director will provide strategic leadership across Morson Nexus’s operational delivery, technical capability, quality, compliance and assurance functions, ensuring the business has the infrastructure, governance, expertise and operating model required to deliver its services safely, consistently and to the highest standards.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Director will play a pivotal role in enabling the next phase of Nexus’s growth, ensuring that operational capability develops in line with commercial ambition. This will include strengthening existing services, improving operational performance and establishing the technical capability, accreditations, competence, systems and compliance frameworks required to enter new markets, sectors and service areas.

Through the leadership of the Head of Technical Delivery and Head of Operations, the Director will provide strategic direction and oversight rather than managing day-to-day delivery. They will work closely with Commercial, Marketing and the wider leadership team to translate growth opportunities into sustainable, scalable and operationally viable services.

The successful candidate will combine strategic operational leadership with strong commercial awareness, understanding how robust governance, technical capability and compliance can enable business growth, protect reputation and create a competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Operational Leadership

• Define and deliver the Nexus operational strategy, aligned with the business’s wider commercial objectives and long-term growth ambitions.
• Develop a scalable operating model capable of supporting increased volumes, new services and expansion into additional markets.
• Provide strategic leadership to the Head of Technical Delivery and Head of Operations, establishing clear accountabilities, objectives and performance expectations.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational effectiveness, consistency, productivity and cost efficiency across the business.
• Ensure operational capability, resources and infrastructure evolve in line with business demand and future growth plans.
• Provide strategic advice and recommendations to the Managing Director on operational performance, capability, investment requirements and business risk.

2. Quality, Compliance and Assurance

• Hold executive accountability for quality, compliance, assurance and operational governance across Nexus.
• Ensure appropriate regulatory requirements, industry standards, accreditations and internal controls are established, maintained and continually improved.
• Develop robust assurance frameworks that protect the business, its customers, employees and reputation while enabling commercial development.
• Ensure the business maintains the required technical competence, training standards, documentation and evidence to operate effectively within existing and new markets.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and mitigation of operational, technical, regulatory and compliance risks.
• Embed a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and quality throughout the organisation.
• Ensure audit findings, incidents, non-conformances and improvement actions are addressed effectively and translated into sustainable improvements.

3. Technical Capability and Service Development

• Provide strategic oversight of Nexus’s technical delivery capability through the Head of Technical Delivery.
• Ensure the business has the skills, expertise, facilities, equipment and technical infrastructure required to deliver existing and future services.
• Maintain and enhance the quality, relevance and consistency of the existing service portfolio.
• Assess future technical capability requirements in response to market developments, customer needs and commercial opportunities.
• Ensure new services are technically viable, appropriately resourced, compliant and capable of being delivered to the required standards before launch.
• Support the development of new accreditations, competencies and delivery capabilities where these are required to expand the service portfolio.

4. Enabling Commercial Growth and Market Expansion

• Work in partnership with the Managing Director and Commercial and Marketing teams to evaluate and develop new market, sector and service opportunities.
• Translate commercial opportunities into clear operational implementation plans, identifying the capability, infrastructure, investment, people, systems and governance required.
• Assess operational readiness and establish appropriate controls before entering new markets or launching new services.
• Identify and address barriers to growth, ensuring that operational limitations do not unnecessarily restrict commercial opportunities.
• Support the development of new revenue streams by ensuring Nexus can deliver new services safely, compliantly, efficiently and at scale.
• Evaluate the operational feasibility, risks and resource implications of proposed growth initiatives, providing clear recommendations to the leadership team.
• Ensure operational and compliance considerations are integrated into commercial planning from the outset.

5. Operational Excellence and Performance

• Drive operational excellence through the Head of Operations, ensuring effective processes, resource utilisation, service consistency and delivery performance.
• Establish appropriate operational KPIs, management information and reporting to monitor performance, quality, efficiency and risk.
• Ensure the effective utilisation of people, training estate, facilities, equipment and wider operational infrastructure.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, systems and ways of working, leveraging technology and automation where appropriate.
• Promote continuous improvement and evidence-based decision-making across all operational functions.
• Ensure the operating model remains efficient, responsive and fit for purpose as Nexus grows.

6. Leadership, Governance and Stakeholder Management

• Lead, develop and empower the Head of Technical Delivery and Head of Operations, ensuring both functions operate effectively within a clear strategic framework.
• Establish a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, customer outcomes, safety and continuous improvement.
• Work collaboratively with the Managing Director and wider leadership team to align operational priorities with commercial strategy.
• Build effective relationships with customers, regulators, accreditation bodies, suppliers and other relevant stakeholders.
• Provide clear, concise reporting on operational performance, compliance, risk, capability development and strategic initiatives.
• Lead organisational change and capability development required to support the future direction of Nexus.

Candidate Profile:

We are seeking a commercially minded, strategic operational leader who has successfully developed, improved or scaled operations within a regulated, technical, engineering, industrial, infrastructure, professional services or multi-site environment.

The successful candidate will be comfortable operating at director level, translating business strategy into operational capability and ensuring that quality, compliance and governance support rather than constrain sustainable growth.

Experience within the training sector may be beneficial but is not essential. More important is the ability to operate in complex environments where technical competence, regulatory requirements, service quality and operational infrastructure are fundamental to business success.

Essential Experience and Capabilities

• Proven experience in a senior operational leadership role, ideally at Director, Head of Operations or equivalent strategic level.
• Demonstrable experience of developing and implementing operational strategy aligned with commercial objectives.
• A track record of scaling operations, developing new capabilities or supporting entry into new markets, sectors or service lines.
• Strong experience of quality management, compliance, assurance, governance and operational risk within a regulated or technically complex environment.
• Experience of developing operating models, systems, processes and infrastructure to support business growth.
• Strong commercial acumen, including the ability to evaluate operational feasibility, resource requirements, investment priorities and the commercial implications of strategic decisions.
• Experience of leading through senior managers or functional heads rather than relying on direct involvement in day-to-day delivery.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use performance data and management information to drive improvement.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the credibility to influence senior leaders and external partners.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach to balancing commercial ambition, operational performance and compliance obligations.

Scope of the Role

This is a strategic leadership appointment, not a day-to-day Operations Manager position. The Director will establish direction, governance, capability and performance expectations, empowering the Head of Technical Delivery and Head of Operations to manage their respective functions and delivery responsibilities.

The central objective is to ensure that Nexus has the operational strength, technical credibility and compliance framework to protect the quality of its existing services while enabling its next phase of sustainable commercial growth.