Head of Operations

Are you ready to lead with purpose and drive a high-performing operations team in a fast-moving environment?

An opportunity has arisen to join us as Head of Operations, a role that will see you providing strategic and operational leadership for SAAS’s core service delivery functions, including our contact centre, processing centre and wider operational teams. This leadership role is central to ensuring the efficient delivery of high-volume, time critical services that support students across Scotland, ensuring they are delivered efficiently, accurately and in line with statutory and regulatory requirements.

The Head of Operations sits within the Operations Directorate and leads the areas responsible for delivering SAAS’s day-to-day services, including the contact centre, application processing centre and supporting operational functions. These teams manage significant annual volumes, with seasonal peaks and a high level of scrutiny from students, Ministers and stakeholders.

You will set the direction for operational performance, customer experience and continuous improvement, leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver a resilient, digitally enabled and customer-centred service. You will translate organisational strategy into clear operational plans, working closely with colleagues across Digital, Policy, Finance, Risk and Communications to ensure delivery aligns with corporate priorities and wider Scottish Government expectations. The role carries significant responsibility for people leadership and operational risk, requiring a balance of strategic oversight and confident, hands-on decision-making during periods of increased demand.

Responsibilities

• Provide visible, strategic leadership across SAAS operational services, setting a clear future-focused vision that embeds automation, resilience and scalable operational technology.
• Translate organisational strategy into robust delivery plans, standards and performance frameworks that enable consistent, high-quality service at scale.
• Lead high-volume, multi-channel service delivery, ensuring students receive timely, accurate support while leveraging digital tools to reduce failure demand.
• Use data, forecasting and customer insight to drive real-time operational decision-making, optimise resources and maintain service stability through peak demand.
• Drive continuous improvement through process redesign, automation and the adoption of emerging operational technologies to enhance efficiency and customer experience.
• Develop and empower operational leaders, building capability, confidence and modern management systems to support high-performing, future-ready teams.
• Provide senior oversight of complex or escalated operational issues, ensuring customer-centred resolution and systemic learning.
• Lead and influence executive-level stakeholders across Digital, Policy, Finance, Risk, Communications and government partners, ensuring integrated planning, compliance and strategic alignment.

Success profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on. 

Technical / Professional Skills:

• Operational leadership and Management - Practitioner.
• Adaptability to Change – Working.
• Delivery and decision making as speed – Working.

Experience:

• Experience of improving operational service levels whilst maintaining customer. centricity ideally through applying technology or process improvement.

Behaviours:

• Seeing the bigger picture – Level 4.
• Managing a quality service – Level 4.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits.