Senior Operations Manager - Business Banking - Branch

As a Senior Operations Manager, you'll play a key role in leading the operation supporting our new Local Business Managers across Nationwide's Small Business Centres. This is a significant operational leadership role with accountability for building a high-performing, well-controlled environment that delivers brilliant outcomes for customers, colleagues and the Society.

Reporting to the Head of Business Banking – Branch and Cash Support, you will provide clear leadership across a large and complex operation, creating an inclusive, high-performing culture in which leaders and colleagues can thrive. With line management responsibility for up to 12 leaders, you will set clear expectations, build leadership capability and ensure accountability for delivery.

You will be responsible for translating Business Banking priorities into practical operational plans, maintaining a clear view of performance, service and risk, and taking decisive action to address issues and improve outcomes. The role requires a leader who can move confidently between strategic thinking and operational detail, ensuring day-to-day delivery remains aligned to the wider direction of Business Banking.

Working closely with stakeholders across Business Banking, Retail Services and the wider Society, you will ensure the operation is well controlled, appropriately resourced and able to support the continued development of the proposition. You will also help embed change, strengthen ways of working and create a consistent colleague and customer experience across our locations.

We're looking for an accomplished operational leader with a proven track record of leading through others and building sustainable, high-performing teams. We are interested in candidates who can demonstrate experience of Business Banking, or with extensive leadership experience within a Branch Network environment. Critically, you’ll have the ability to develop capable leaders and balance immediate operational priorities with a broader strategic view.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this role, you'll be based at your nearest regional office or hub. We value time spent together to connect with colleagues for collaboration so there will be a need to regularly travel across the UK to our branches and offices within this role. If you are based at an office location, you'll be expected to meet our hybrid working requirement of at least two days a week, or 40% of your working time if part-time, in the office. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works.

Nationwide is committed to the redeployment of our employees impacted by change, as such applications for redeployment candidates will be prioritised in this recruitment process.

If you’re a colleague on long-term absence (for example, on parental leave) or a temporary worker, please use your personal email address to submit an application.

What you’ll be doing

Lead the operation supporting Local Business Managers across our Small Business Centres, ensuring excellent and consistent delivery for customers and colleagues. Line manage, coach and develop up to 12 leaders, creating clear accountability and strengthening leadership capability across the operation. Build and sustain a high-performing culture with a deep focus on colleague engagement, inclusion, performance and development.

Oversee day-to-day operational performance, identifying emerging risks, service issues and opportunities for improvement, while ensuring appropriate action is taken. Translate strategic priorities into clear operational plans, balancing long-term development with the operational detail required to deliver effectively each day.

Work collaboratively with Business Banking leaders and partners across the Society to embed change, improve ways of working and deliver a consistent customer experience. Ensure the operation is appropriately controlled, resourced and equipped to support the continued mobilisation and growth of Business Banking.

About you

As a minimum, you’ll have:

• A demonstrable track record of people leadership, with experience of leading leaders and developing high-performing teams
• Experience leading a large, complex operational or customer-facing environment, within a regulated organisation
• Proven experience of working within either Business Banking or a Branch Network environment
• The ability to move confidently between strategic thinking and operational detail, making sound decisions and maintaining focus on delivery
• A clear commitment to colleague development, inclusion and creating an environment in which people can perform at their best
• Exceptional customer focus and the ability to translate insight into practical improvements in service and operational performance
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the credibility to build effective relationships across a complex organisation

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind

• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand

• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development

• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes

You can strengthen your application by showing how our customer first behaviours resonate with you, and where you may have already demonstrated these.

The extras you’ll get

There are all sorts of employee benefits available at Nationwide, including:

• 30 days holiday, pro rata

• Private medical insurance

• A highly competitive pension to help you build a strong foundation for retirement

• Access to an annual performance-related bonus

• Training and development to help you progress your career

• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme

• Life assurance to provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones in the event of your death

• Wellhub – access to a range of free and paid options for health and wellness

• Up to 2 days of paid volunteering a year

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society

We forge our own path at Nationwide.

As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.

At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community, we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.

We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button. You’ll need to attach your up-to-date CV and answer a few quick questions for us.

We respond to everyone, so we will be in contact shortly after the closing date to let you know the outcome of your application.

Keeping your data and personal information confidential is important to us. To find out more about how we use and process your data, please read our Privacy policy.

If you want to find out more about using AI in our recruitment process, please read more here.

Disability Confident

We’re not just guided by data, we’re driven by the real experiences of our people. We’re a Disability Confident Level 3 Leader, the highest level.

That’s why we’re constantly evolving our policies and practices to make sure everyone feels genuinely supported, valued, and empowered to champion inclusion. Whatever your needs, we’re here to support you. If you need any additional support throughout your application journey, email our team at Recruitment Support.

Apply safely with Nationwide

Recruitment scams can look convincing, so take a moment to check the role is listed on our official careers site and read our guidance on Don’t be conned by a job scam.

The hiring manager for this role is Chris Scott (Christopher.Scott@nationwide.co.uk), and the main recruitment contact is Amy Bright.

Please note that should you be successful in securing this role the job title on our internal systems will be Senior Operations Manager.