Operations Director / COO

Exalto Consulting; England; On-site; GBP 102,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A fast-growing consultancy is seeking an experienced Operations Director / COO to join their senior leadership team in the UK. This pivotal role involves building and optimizing operational structures to support growth while leading critical functions like HR and Compliance. The ideal candidate should have proven leadership experience in a consultancy setting and a strong track record of developing scalable processes. This role offers a competitive salary of up to £120,000 plus performance bonus and long-term incentives.

Benefits

Performance bonus up to 15%

Long-term incentives

Opportunity to shape future strategy

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience in operations, ideally within consultancy or professional services.
• Strong track record of building scalable processes, systems, and teams in a growth environment.
• Confident in influencing decision-making at the highest level.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop internal functions including People, HR, and Compliance.
• Design and embed effective internal processes to enable scale.
• Drive a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Process optimization

Commercial acumen

People management

Strategic thinking

Job description

Overview

Operations Director / COO

Location: London or Leeds (weekly London presence required)

Package: Up to £120,000 + 15% bonus + long-term incentives

Reporting to: CEO

About the company

Our customer is a fast-growing consultancy helping organisations to improve digital strategies, their delivery and operations. With a diverse client base and ambitious plans for the future, they are investing in strengthening their leadership team to support the next stage of scale.

The opportunity

They are seeking an experienced Operations Director / COO to join their senior leadership team. This individual will report directly to the CEO and take responsibility for building and optimising the operational backbone of the business.

The role will be pivotal in creating the structures, systems, and processes needed to scale the business, whilst also leading a range of critical business functions.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop internal functions including People, HR, Scheduling, Resourcing, Internal IT, Compliance/Security and Events.
• Optimise commercial opportunities through resourcing / pipeline management.
• Design and embed effective internal processes to enable scale and efficiency.
• Build and optimise the platforms and structures that support growth.
• Drive a culture of operational excellence, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with the CEO and leadership team to deliver on ambitious growth objectives.
• Play a key role in shaping the organisation s future strategy.

Candidate profile

• Proven senior leadership experience in operations, ideally within consultancy or professional services.
• Strong track record of building scalable processes, systems, and teams in a growth environment.
• Skilled in people leadership with the ability to inspire, develop, and lead across multiple business areas.
• Commercially astute, highly organised and solutions-driven.
• Confident working closely with a CEO and senior stakeholders, influencing decision-making at the highest level.

Package and benefits

• Salary up to £120,000 base.
• Performance bonus up to 15%.
• Long-term incentives
• A unique opportunity to join a high-growth consultancy and play a central role in shaping its future.