SCUK Financial Support Senior Manager (S4) - Operational Delivery

Santander Bank; Redhill; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution is seeking a Financial Support Senior Manager to oversee operational delivery for its Collections & Recoveries services. This role involves leading a large operational team, ensuring high performance and compliance across service delivery channels. Candidates should have extensive experience in a regulated financial environment and a strong focus on fostering operational excellence and customer satisfaction. The position requires a hybrid work model, with at least 3 days in the Redhill office.

Benefits

30 days holiday

Annual bonus

Car allowance

Private medical cover

Generous pension contributions

Employee assistance programme

Sharesave scheme

Gym passes at reduced rates

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading Collections & Recoveries in a regulated financial environment.
• Proven operational management skills, particularly in contact centres.
• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks including FCA Consumer Duty and GDPR.

Responsibilities

• Lead all operational channels within the Financial Support Business Unit.
• Define and monitor SLAs for internal and external service providers.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives to enhance customer experience.

Skills

Leadership

Operational management

Performance optimisation

Compliance

Analytical skills

Job description

We are now looking for a Financial Support Senior Manager – Operational Delivery Reporting to the Head of the Financial Support Business Unit. The Senior Manager for Operational Delivery holds accountability for the end‑to‑end delivery of all Collections & Recoveries services across the Financial Support Business Unit. The role is responsible for leading a large, multi‑layered operational team and external partners to deliver high‑quality, compliant and efficient outcomes for customers experiencing financial difficulty. This includes oversight of contact centre performance, delivery of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) across internal teams and external service providers, cost efficiency and customer experience. The role ensures effective management and governance of third‑party suppliers, including regular performance reviews, risk and compliance monitoring and continuous improvement in supplier results and service delivery. Please note this role is a hybrid role with at least 3 days a week in the Redhill office. Remote workers will not be considered. Interviews will take place in January 2026. Responsibilities will include:

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction across all Financial Support Business Unit operational channels, including customer contact centres, digital and self‑service capabilities, DCA, Asset Recovery Partners, Pre‑litigation and Litigation
• Define, monitor and deliver against SLAs for both internal teams and external service providers, ensuring consistently high standards of performance and customer experience
• Lead, motivate and develop a large operational workforce across multiple channels and providers, ensuring engagement, capability and performance maximisation
• Build and embed a high‑performance culture of empowerment and accountability that promotes customer focus, inclusion and operational excellence
• Champion leadership development, career progression and succession planning across the Financial Support Business Unit's operational channels
• Lead data‑driven performance management, using insights and analytics to track results, identify trends and drive targeted intervention
• Ensure business continuity, operational resilience and adherence to agreed turnaround times, capacity plans and resource utilisation
• Oversee resource forecasting, capacity planning and workflow management to optimise efficiency and responsiveness within the contact centre and supplier network
• Monitor and evaluate performance trends, applying data and insights to drive improvements in productivity, quality and customer experience
• Build operational resilience by continuously reviewing processes, systems and contingency arrangements to safeguard service continuity and performance stability
• Ensure all customer interactions are managed with empathy, fairness and transparency in line with regulatory expectations and company values
• Champion continuous improvement in customer journey design, leveraging customer feedback and operational data to identify and address root causes of dissatisfaction
• Ensure vulnerability management principles are embedded into all Financial Support Business Unit operational activities, ensuring customers in financial difficulty receive the right level of support
• Partner with the Strategy, Change & Control team to ensure customer outcomes are measured, monitored and improved across internal and external service delivery
• Conduct regular supplier reviews and performance evaluations, ensuring SLAs, KPIs and outcome targets are consistently achieved or exceeded
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives with suppliers to drive efficiency, improve recovery rates and deliver fair and sustainable customer outcomes
• Provide senior ownership of first‑line risk across the Financial Support Business Unit, ensuring effective identification, assessment and management
• Partner with Line 2 Risk Oversight to ensure transparent governance, timely escalation and effective remediation of findings
• Champion a strong Risk‑Pro culture, promoting risk identification and accountability across all activities
• Adhering to our commitment to Consumer Duty ensuring we put our customers' needs first and set higher and clearer standards of consumer protection

Qualifications

• Extensive and demonstratable experience leading a Collections & Recoveries team within a regulated financial services environment, delivering strong performance, compliance and customer outcomes
• Demonstratable experience in managing an operational function, including contact centre environments, driving performance against SLAs and customer outcomes
• Proven understanding of all Financial Support, Field, Legal and Forbearance processes, including performance optimisation, customer outcomes and regulatory compliance
• Strong experience in managing external partners such as Debt Collection Agencies (DCAs), Asset Recovery Agents and Legal Service providers
• Skilled in implementing third‑party governance frameworks, conducting regular performance reviews and driving supplier accountability and results
• Expertise in capacity planning, forecasting, workflow optimisation and resource management to ensure consistent service delivery and efficiency
• Strong working knowledge of relevant regulatory frameworks including FCA Consumer Duty, Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC), Treating Customer Fairly (TCF) and GDPR, with the ability to apply these across the Financial Support Business Unit's operational teams, customer interactions and external partners
• Ability to engage, challenge and influence senior leaders and external partners to drive decision‑making and ensure alignment of strategy and governance
• Understanding of operational resilience principles, with experience driving continuous improvement, efficiency and adaptability across a Collections & Recoveries team
• Strong analytical capability with experience using MI and data‑driven insights to monitor trends, evaluate performance and drive decision‑making
• Demonstrated experience building and leading high‑performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability, professional growth and wellbeing
• Proven experience of interacting with Executive Directors and Board Members on equal terms

Location & Compensation

• Santander Consumer Finance UK (SCUK) is based in Redhill, Surrey and provides motor finance to a network of car dealerships throughout the United Kingdom.
• Competitive salary dependent on experience

Benefits

• 30 days holiday per annum, plus bank holidays
• Annual bonus based on personal and company performance
• Car allowance
• Private medical cover
• Generous pension contributions
• Employee assistance programme
• Sharesave scheme
• Gym passes at a reduced rate for 3,000 gyms, leisure centres etc

Diversity & Inclusion

Inclusion At Santander we're creating a thriving workplace where all colleagues feel they belong and are supported to succeed. We all help to make Santander a workplace that celebrates diversity and attracts, retains and develops the most talented and committed people through living our values of Simple, Personal and Fair. At Santander Consumer Finance we have a zero‑tolerance approach to discrimination, bullying, harassment (including sexual) or victimisation of any kind.

Should you want to be considered for part‑time hours, please let us know and we can assess your requirements.