Operations Manager - Niche & DER (Hybrid, 24/7)

Davies; Preston; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Davies Innovation Lab

Leadership training programme

Funding for professionalQualifications

Thrive at Davies; learningOpportunit

Pension, 5% employee and 5% employer

Life assurance: x4

Lease car salary sacrifice

Davies Incentive Plan

Flexible working

Job summary

Davies is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead a high-performing claims operation in the Preston area. The role oversees approximately 250 FTE, including a 24/7 emergency response centre, and reports to the Operations Director.

You will drive performance, regulatory compliance and customer outcomes in a fast-paced environment. You will manage Team Managers across remote/hybrid locations, shape operational strategy and develop talent pipelines to support future growth.

Qualifications

• Proven success in an insurance operations leadership role.
• Strong experience within Property, Niche or related insurance sectors.
• Demonstrable track record of driving operational improvements and delivering business results.
• Experience leading large teams through Team Managers in remote and hybrid environments.
• Strong understanding of insurance products, underwriting principles and claims processes.
• Knowledge of insurance regulation, compliance frameworks and risk management practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and coach Team Managers across remote and hybrid locations.
• Create a culture built on accountability, engagement, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Support performance management through regular coaching, feedback and development planning.
• Identify and nurture future talent, ensuring succession plans are in place across the division.
• Deliver key operational and telephony KPIs across the business.
• Develop resourceful and innovative plans to optimise performance, including surge planning and capacity management.
• Partner with the Resource Planning Manager to develop recruitment and workforce strategies aligned to future growth.
• Work closely with recruitment teams to maintain strong candidate pipelines and workforce readiness.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes from policy inception through to claim resolution.
• Analyse operational data, trends and performance metrics to identify inefficiencies and drive improvement initiatives.
• Partner with cross-functional teams across Niche and DER to implement automation and process enhancements.
• Champion a culture of innovation and operational excellence.
• Maintain robust compliance standards across all operational activity.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory requirements, company policies and industry best practice.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Decision making

Data analysis

Communication

Change management

Customer experience

Risk management

Job description

Davies is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead a high-performing claims operation in the Preston area. The role oversees approximately 250 FTE, including a 24/7 emergency response centre, and reports to the Operations Director.

You will drive performance, regulatory compliance and customer outcomes in a fast-paced environment. You will manage Team Managers across remote/hybrid locations, shape operational strategy and develop talent pipelines to support future growth.