Operations Director — Confidential Retained Search

The Opportunity

This is a newly created senior leadership position within a successful business that is preparing for its next stage of growth. The company already has strong foundations, loyal customers and an experienced team. This is not a turnaround appointment — the opportunity is to introduce the structure, accountability and operational grip needed to scale in a controlled and commercially sustainable way.

The Operations Director will take responsibility for the customer and operational lifecycle across the business, from the point a customer is won through onboarding, service delivery, support, account development, billing and credit control. You will not be responsible for winning new business; your commercial focus will be on customer retention, account development, recurring revenue, margin, cost to serve and ensuring new customers are handed over and supported effectively.

Key Responsibilities

• Create clear operational ownership across the complete customer lifecycle.

• Lead and develop a multi-functional operational management team.

• Review the organisational structure and recommend changes that will support future growth.

• Improve operational processes, controls and cross-functional ways of working.

• Introduce meaningful KPIs, performance frameworks, skills matrices and clearer role accountability.

• Improve resource planning and management information.

• Develop a structured approach to customer engagement, retention and strategic account management.

• Embed regular senior-level service reviews for key customers.

• Lead or oversee complex customer escalations.

• Use customer data and segmentation to identify retention risks, service issues and account-growth opportunities.

• Improve billing accuracy, revenue assurance, aged debt and customer profitability.

• Influence budgets, pricing, suppliers and process changes through clear commercial business cases.

• Help the leadership team turn its long-term growth plans into practical operational priorities.

What Success Will Look Like

During the first three months you will listen, observe and understand the business before proposing significant change — building relationships across the company, reviewing the customer journey and establishing a reliable baseline for operational and commercial performance. From there you will develop and begin implementing a prioritised improvement plan, including clearer processes, stronger performance management, improved customer segmentation and a leadership structure capable of supporting continued growth.

About You

You may already be operating as an Operations Director, or you may be an experienced Head of Operations, Head of Managed Services or senior Service Delivery leader ready to take the next step.

• Senior operational leadership experience within an MSP, IT services company or comparable technology-led service business.

• Experience leading multiple functions and managing senior direct reports.

• Commercial accountability for revenue, gross profit, EBITDA, retention, debt or cost to serve.

• A strong understanding of managed services and the end-to-end customer lifecycle.

• Evidence of improving service performance, operational maturity, efficiency or commercial results.

• Experience leading organisational change and embedding new ways of working.

• The ability to use data and management information to set priorities and make decisions.

• Experience managing complex customer escalations and commercial discussions.

• A straightforward, collaborative and commercially aware leadership style.

• The confidence to work closely with a hands-on Founder and constructively challenge where necessary.

This role needs somebody visible, accessible and actively involved in the business. It is therefore fully office-based in Dumfries and Galloway, five days each week, and is not available on a hybrid or remote basis. Director is the job title and not a statutory directorship.

What Is on Offer

• A newly created senior leadership appointment with genuine influence.

• A competitive basic salary aligned to your experience.

• A performance-related profit share.

• Company pension and annual leave benefits.

• Ongoing training and professional development.

• The opportunity to help shape the next stage of a growing managed services business.

Confidentiality

The client's identity is being kept confidential at this stage. Further information will be shared by Talent Media following an initial confidential conversation and once a potential fit has been established. Every enquiry will be treated confidentially — your details will never be shared with the client without your knowledge and permission, and you do not need a fully updated CV to arrange an initial conversation.