Business Operations and Resourcing Manager

Take ownership of service desk operations, cross-business resourcing and process improvement, with a focus on service delivery performance and profitability.

Cape Town Preferred, South Africa | Remote | UK Business Hours (9:00am–4:00pm / 10:00am–6:00pm UK time, to be confirmed) | R55 000 – R70 000 per month

ABOUT OUR CLIENT

Our client is an end-to-end learning services partner specialising in Learning and Development (L&D), including consultation, learning technology solutions and support, learning design and curation, and access to a global L&D freelance market. The business works with major international clients to deliver people and digital learning strategies.

Operating with a diverse, remote team, the company is in a period of growth, with ambitions to reach £10 million in revenue and establish a client base of at least 75 customers. Its culture is supportive, friendly, client-centric, flexible and collaborative, with a focus on outputs rather than presenteeism. Performance is measured using OKRs, and its stated values are Curious, Courageous and Care.

The business operates established technology desk and retained service delivery functions, supported by systems including Zoho Desk and Zoho CRM. There is an opportunity to strengthen operational processes, improve service delivery, enhance resource visibility and support commercial performance as the business scales.

THE ROLE: BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND RESOURCING MANAGER

This newly created position combines operational management of the technology service desk and retained services, cross-business resource planning, and ownership of quality and process governance.

Reporting to the Programme Success Lead, you will manage a team of four based in the UK and work closely with the Finance and Operations Director, Head of Technology Solutions and colleagues across delivery, technology and client experience.

The role requires an experienced operations leader with a strong understanding of service desk environments, recurring service delivery and process improvement. You will take ownership of an established operational function, assess existing workflows and systems, and lead improvements that increase efficiency, strengthen service performance and contribute to profitability.

You will be expected to work independently, develop recommendations supported by operational and commercial evidence, and implement agreed improvements with leadership support. The Programme Success Lead will be closely involved and available to support your transition into the role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Delivery Operations

• Manage daily Tier 1 and Tier 2 service desk and retained service delivery, including work allocation, triage, prioritisation and service standards.

• Develop and improve the existing service tiering model to ensure work is allocated appropriately and technical escalations to the Head of Technology Solutions are managed effectively.

• Take accountability for service commitments across retained client accounts and report on performance against agreed standards.

• Assess existing service desk workflows and identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, delivery quality and commercial performance.

• Strengthen the existing delivery model, including outsourced service arrangements where applicable.

Contracts, Renewals and Client Coordination

• Maintain accurate records of contract end dates, renewal dates and notice periods for service desk and retained agreements.

• Provide Customer Success with early notification of upcoming renewals to support planning.

• Act as the operational contact for service desk clients on non-technical matters, including service arrangements and holiday operating schedules.

• Communicate operational updates to clients proactively.

• Support contract renewal discussions by providing information on service delivery, volumes and operational performance.

• Collaborate with consultants on preparing statements of work, while commercial ownership remains with Customer Success and the commercial team.

Process Improvement and Operational Development

• Take ownership of developing and improving recurring service delivery processes and the wider operational delivery model.

• Review existing workflows and identify opportunities to reduce manual administration, improve reporting and strengthen operational visibility.

• Develop improvement proposals supported by operational and commercial reasoning.

• Lead the implementation of agreed process improvements.

• Utilise Zoho Desk and Zoho CRM to improve workflow management, reporting, process efficiency and service visibility.

• Identify opportunities to improve service desk delivery performance and contribute to business profitability.

Cross-Business Resourcing

• Develop and maintain a consolidated view of resource capacity, utilisation and commitments across multiple business teams.

• Identify resource constraints and delivery risks early, presenting relevant information and recommendations to leadership.

• Support resource allocation decisions for new and ongoing projects and service commitments.

• Assess internal resource availability against opportunities to use outsourced or freelance support.

• Provide operational data and reporting to support effective resource planning and decision-making.

Quality Management and Process Governance

• Take ownership of quality management activities under ISO 9001, working within the audit and certification framework overseen by the Finance and Operations Director.

• Support internal and external audits by providing relevant documentation, evidence and operational input alongside the ISO consultant.

• Manage the master process library, including templates, standards, document control and process documentation.

• Work with department leads to support the implementation of documented processes, while departmental accountability for adoption remains with the respective leads.

Team Leadership and Development

• Line manage a team of four employees based in the UK.

• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings, establish objectives and manage individual performance.

• Support behavioural development and professional development within the team.

• Establish clear development pathways aligned with the service tiering model.

• Collaborate with the Head of Technology Solutions, who will remain involved in the team's technical development.

• Provide operational direction, establish priorities and support the team through improvements to the service delivery model.

First 90 Days

• First 30 Days: Understand existing workflows, resource allocation processes and improvement opportunities. Meet the team and key stakeholders across delivery, technology and client experience.

• By 60 Days: Present an operational assessment and prioritised recommendations, identifying proposed improvements and areas requiring leadership input or support.

• By 90 Days: Agree and begin implementing an operational improvement plan, with initial improvements underway and the team aligned on the delivery model and their responsibilities.

ABOUT YOU

Essential Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years' experience in operations, delivery or service management within a services business, with involvement in setting operational direction.

• Proven experience managing or improving recurring service delivery, service desk operations or retained support models.

• Demonstrated experience developing and improving operational processes and managing stakeholders through change.

• Previous line management experience, including responsibility for team performance and employee development.

• Strong understanding of service desk operations, workflow management and operational delivery processes.

• Proven ability to work independently, establish priorities, exercise sound judgement and present recommendations.

• Strong data analysis and reporting capabilities, with the ability to translate operational information into actionable decisions.

• Experience communicating directly with clients regarding operational and service delivery matters.

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure.

• Ability to take ownership of an operational function, identify improvements and drive implementation.

• Commercial awareness, particularly regarding service delivery efficiency and profitability.

Desirable Requirements

• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 or experience supporting a quality management system.

• Experience using Zoho, particularly Zoho Desk and Zoho CRM.

• Experience with resource allocation, capacity planning or utilisation management across multiple teams.

• Previous experience managing geographically dispersed or remote teams, particularly UK-based employees.

BENEFITS

• Fully remote working arrangement, with flexible working practices.

• Access to an office in Manchester.

• 24 days' annual holiday.

• Additional day off for your birthday.

• Company closure over the Christmas and New Year period.

• Private healthcare.

• Two volunteering days annually.

• Bonus linked to company performance.

• Opportunity to shape and develop an established operational function within a growing business.

• Collaborative working environment with leadership involvement and support.