Head of Operations
Ask a hundred companies what their head of operations does and you’ll get a hundred answers. And that’s a clue to what the role entails – it’s a job that’s focused on a specific area with the intention of making it run to the board’s aims, i.e. with maximum productivity, efficiency, compliance and performance.
Often, the operations head will have a slightly different title, such as head of HR operations or head of IT operations, as the generic title would not accurately describe the day to day tasks of the role. Essentially, though, you are overseeing the way a particular process, or a range of interconnected processes, work, and ensuring they operate smoothly within the context of the business.
The head of operations slots into the corporate infrastructure below board level, but there will be crucial managerial responsibilities, and the larger the company, the more vital and pressurised your decisions and management will be.
The skills required
Needless to say, there are a lot of skills that are transferable between head of operations jobs in different companies, such as the ability to manage large and complex teams, to interpret strategic aims and convert them into actionable plans, and to report back to the board accurately, candidly and clearly.
It’s likely that the core functions of the business will rest on your shoulders, so this isn’t a role for the indecisive or the weak-hearted, but nor is it a position that suits risk-takers, as everything you do should be planned and justified. Overseeing operations will naturally require excellent communication skills and an ability to delegate and trust subordinates appropriately.
Head of Operations Jobs in Kidderminster
With the huge conurbation of the Birmingham area four miles (7 km) of rural land away, Kidderminster is almost, but not quite, a part of it. With its next-door neighbour Stourport-on-Severn, however, it has an entirely different feel to it – definitely more of a town. The Worcestershire settlement is home to about 60,000 people is located 17 miles (27 km) to the south west of the centre of Birmingham, 14 miles (23 km) north or Worcester and 32 miles (50 km) south east of Shrewsbury. It has rail links to the north and south as well into Birmingham, and the M5 is 9 miles down the road.
Kidderminster’s most important single industry has traditionally been carpet making. The well known Brintons company set up in the town at the end of the eighteenth century, and to this day it has still not had the rug pulled from under its feet – it’s still a good local employer. Victoria Carpets is also based here, and again it is bucking the Industrial Revolution trend and staying in business. The town has a bustling town centre and a recently redeveloped shopping centre called Weaver’s Wharf, which is another key employer.
If you’re looking for Head of Operations work in Kidderminster, you could be in luck as it does still have something of an industrial base, even through the town itself is relatively comfortable – it’s also a handy commuter town for Birmingham and Worcester. The shopping centre and the good rail and road links also make it a likely place for logistics and supply chain operations to get started, so if you’re based in the town, do get in touch.
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Find heads of operations at Cast UK
Your business depends on finding the absolute best people to head up your operations, so you need to cast your net widely to ensure you’ve explored all options. That’s why partnering with Cast UK as your recruitment consultancy makes perfect sense. We deal with professional level level talent, delivering excellent interview-ready shortlists to businesses of all sizes and types. Call 0333 121 3345 to talk to a cons today.
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