The Operations Director will provide strategic leadership and oversight for the Health Assessment Advisory Service, ensuring contractual commitments and performance metrics are met. They will manage client relationships, drive operational efficiency, and lead high-performing teams to deliver high-quality services.
Description & Requirements
Be part of something great
Maximus is a global organisation that specialises in providing health and employment services to millions of people every year. Here in the UK, we employ around 5,000 people across the country to deliver services that have a profound impact on people’s lives. From assessments and health services to employability programmes and specialist support, we do work that matters with people who care.
Role Summary
This role provides leadership and oversight of the supplier relationship within Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS), driving performance, managing commercial governance, and ensuring all contractual commitments, service standards, and partnership obligations are successfully delivered.
These include:
Ensure the successful delivery of the contract through strong commercial leadership and business acumen, driving performance across quality, service delivery, financial outcomes, and client satisfaction
Leading the operational service streams for the delivery of WCA and SB ensuring all areas of responsibility deliver agreed commercial and internally focused metrics including driving improvement year on year in employee engagement and key people metrics
Drive a robust and collaborative relationship with the client through high quality, consistent and professional high performing service delivery
Provide regular performance, commercial, and strategic updates through the established governance framework, ensuring timely reporting and escalation of key risks, issues, and opportunities to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
Ensure all contract initiatives are aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives and agreed delivery approach.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Provide strategic and operational leadership for all service delivery, customer service, client management, and commercial activities, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and contractual requirements
Lead the performance and relationship management of key clients and stakeholders, ensuring contractual expectations are met and long-term partnerships are maintained
Develop and implement operational and client strategies that support business growth, operational efficiency, resource optimisation, and governance compliance
Ensure the successful delivery of contractual outcomes through effective commercial management, driving performance across quality, service delivery, financial targets, and customer satisfaction measures
Work collaboratively with senior leadership teams to establish service delivery capacity, operational plans, financial targets, and commercial objectives
Monitor operational, financial, and commercial performance through robust reporting, management information, and performance metrics, taking corrective action where necessary
Drive continuous improvement initiatives across processes, systems, workforce utilisation, technology, and service delivery models to enhance performance and customer outcomes
Maintain oversight of service delivery operations to ensure high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective services are delivered within agreed budgets and performance frameworks
Support clinical and professional governance arrangements, working collaboratively with clinical and specialist leadership teams to ensure safe, effective, and compliant service delivery
Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to management teams, enabling effective decision-making, accountability, and high performance
Build, develop, and lead high-performing teams through effective recruitment, retention, succession planning, talent development, and performance management
Develop and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including clients, commissioners, partners, regulators, and senior leaders
Manage workforce planning, scheduling, and resource deployment to maximise operational efficiency, productivity, and service performance
Lead the development and management of service offerings and operational initiatives, ensuring innovation and continuous enhancement of customer and client outcomes
Promote and embed the organisation’s vision, values, strategy, and commercial objectives across all areas of responsibility
Identify opportunities for growth and business development, supporting client retention, service expansion, and the implementation of new business opportunities
Contribute as an active member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), supporting strategic decision-making, organisational performance, and corporate governance
Ensure compliance with all governance, quality, risk management, health and safety, HR, legal, and regulatory requirements, including statutory training obligations and professional standards.
Qualifications and Experience
Demonstrable expertise in managing complex, multi-million-pound contracts, with a proven track record of delivering commercial, operational and contractual performance within highly regulated environments
Significant experience leading a national operations function within a large-scale outsourced service delivery, public services or process-driven organisation
Proven success in leading, developing and motivating high-performing leadership teams, creating a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and operational excellence
Extensive experience managing geographically dispersed, multi-site operations, ensuring consistent service delivery, quality standards and contractual compliance
Strong track record of building effective relationships and influencing executive-level stakeholders, including clients, commissioners, government departments, partners and senior internal leaders
Demonstrated success in delivering large-scale operational transformation programmes, change initiatives and performance improvement projects within complex operating environments
Experience leading through uncertainty, organisational change and contract mobilisation, remediation or recovery programmes
Evidence of using data, management information and performance insight to drive decision-making, improve outcomes and mitigate operational risks
Excellent understanding of governance, risk management, quality assurance and compliance frameworks within regulated service environments.
Desirable
Preferably qualified in recognised continuous improvement programmes/techniques
Experience of working to a third party as part of a supply chain.
Skills and Competencies
Strong leadership and people management skills
Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities
Strong organisational and time management skills
Ability to influence, negotiate, and build effective working relationships
Strong problem-solving and decision-making capability
Flexible and innovative approach to operational challenges
Commercial awareness and strategic thinking. Ability to drive performance, engagement, and continuous improvement
Capability to lead large-scale operational change and transformation initiatives.
Individual Competencies
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence across multiple levels
Able to work well with others, creating an environment where continuous improvement and high-quality outputs are achieved
Strong understanding of data management, with the ability to present data in an appropriate format for multiple audiences
Ability to lead a team through change initiatives, maintaining focus and desired outputs
Ability to assess risks / interdependencies and mitigate against those
Ability to work in a fast pace, changing environment
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals at all levels
Educated to a minimum of degree level or equivalent
Maximus Competencies
Embraces Respect
Partners Effectively
Creates Innovative Solutions
Focuses on the Customer
Demonstrates Compassion
Takes Responsibility & Acts with Integrity
Travel Requirements:
·As and when needed, due to business needs.
EEO Statement
• MAXIMUS is committed to developing, maintaining and supporting a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the recruitment process. We know that feeling included has a dramatic impact on personal wellbeing and are working to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment due to any personal characteristic. Advertisements for posts will include sufficiently clear and accurate information to enable potential applicants to assess their own suitability for the post. • We are a Disability Confident Leader, thanks to our commitment to the recruitment, retention and career development of people with disabilities and long-term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme includes a guaranteed interview for any applicant with a disability who meets the minimum requirements for a job. When you complete your job application you will find a question asking you if you would like to apply under the Disability Confident Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you feel that you have a disability and apply under this scheme, providing that you meet the essential criteria for the job, you will then be invited for interview. Your Guaranteed Interview application will only be shared with the hiring manager and the local resourcing team. • Where reasonable, MAXIMUS will review and consider adjustments for those applicants who express a requirement for them during the recruitment process.
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