Head of Operations in London

We are looking for someone with a strong track record of organisational leadership, financial management, business planning, change delivery and stakeholder engagement. You will bring excellent communication skills, sound judgement, resilience, and the ability to lead through influence in a collaborative, matrix-managed environment.

In return, you'll join a welcoming, ambitious and highly collaborative community at one of the world's leading universities, contributing to research and education that directly improves health outcomes and benefits society.

If you believe you meet the requirements, come and be part of this unique and exciting opportunity and contribute to our mission to improve health outcomes through research.

• Demonstrable experience of effective budgetary management and control, including achieving annual targets on a regular basis;
• Ability to analyse and present data to inform evidence-based decision making and proactive problem solving;
• Resilience and adaptability in complex changing environments, with the ability to work independently and balance conflicting demands;

Your application must include a CV and a supporting statement and it will be assessed on how you evidence the essential and desirable criteria in the job description. Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information.

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates underrepresented in UCL's workforce, including those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, and - for Grade 9 and 10 roles - women.

Read more: UCL Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Applicants should also familiarise themselves with UCL's policies on: Prevention of Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Personal Relationships Policy.

As Head of Operations, you will work in close partnership with the Head of Department, Faculty Director of Operations, and senior faculty leaders to translate strategic ambition into operational excellence. You will provide leadership across finance, governance, people, planning, risk management and service delivery, while helping to shape the future direction of a dynamic and growing institute.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a senior professional services leader who enjoys working at the interface of strategy and operations. You will lead complex projects, influence decision-making at the highest levels, and build strong relationships across UCL and with external partners.

A full list of responsibilities can be found on the attached job description

This appointment is available from 1 January 2027 until 31 December 2027 and would be ideal for candidates seeking a developmental leadership opportunity. Applications are encouraged from individuals wishing to undertake the role as a secondment as well as those seeking a fixed-term appointment.

For informal enquiries, please contact Tansy Jones, tansy.jones@ucl.ac.uk.

For questions about the recruitment process, contact Anita Gorasia at a.gorasia@ucl.ac.uk.