Head of Operational Assurance
Position: 37 hours per week, PermanentLocation: Contractual base in Savill House, Durham with hybrid working opportunitiesSalary: £70,667 plus discretionary bonus up to 12% of annual salaryJob Level: BReporting to: Director of Operations
Role Overview
The Head of Operational Assurance is a strategic, people‑led role responsible for strengthening operational performance, consistency and resilience across the organisation. The role acts as a bridge between data, operations and change – translating complex performance, risk and insight into clear actions, scalable processes and sustainable improvements. It leads large‑scale operational change, embeds robust controls and ways of working, and drives continuous improvement through strong cross‑functional collaboration.
Typical Day
- Ensuring operations perform safely, consistently and effectively, translating insight into meaningful improvement.
- Overseeing operational performance, risk, controls and emerging issues through data, assurance and business listening.
- Guiding conversations, challenging constructively and ensuring decisions are well‑informed and aligned to risk appetite.
- Embedding better ways of working, strengthening controls, and ensuring assurance findings lead to lasting outcomes.
- Working across operations, risk, change and leadership to turn complexity into clarity and action.
- Anticipating risks, pressures and impacts of change to keep operations resilient.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop three people leaders overseeing data integrity, account resolution and revenue assurance.
- Drive cross‑functional collaboration to deliver operational excellence.
- Embed robust controls and governance frameworks across the organisation.
- Translate data and assurance insight into actionable system improvements.
- Serve as an influence and liaison between operational and executive stakeholders.
Experience & Qualifications
- Senior operational leadership experience within complex, large‑scale environments.
- Strong background in operational assurance, risk, controls or governance.
- Ability to interpret data and assurance insight to identify systemic issues and priorities.
- Proven capability to drive and embed sustainable operational change.
- Confident influencer who can challenge and engage executives constructively.
- Calm, resilient leader with strong judgement, integrity and outcomes‑focused mindset.
Benefits
Wealth Benefits
- Excellent pension scheme – double match up to 5% employee contribution.
- Bonus potential.
- Perkbox membership with savings across retailers, dining, travel and fitness.
- Income protection scheme.
- Personal accident insurance.
- 4× salary life assurance.
- Free onsite parking.
Time Off
- 24 days holiday rising to 26 days plus bank holidays.
- Birthday day off.
- Half a day off on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
- Option to buy holidays.
- 1 day paid volunteering.
Wellbeing Supports
- Hybrid/Flexible working.
- Healthcare cashback and treatment scheme.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Annual conference and Christmas party.
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme.
- Free flu shots.
Family Friendly
- Enhanced maternity and paternity pay.
- Enhanced shared parental and adoption leave.
- Resources available to employees and their families.
Wave is proud to be an inclusive employer and actively encourages applications from all backgrounds. Adjustments or individual requirements during the recruitment journey will be considered. If you require additional support, please contact Recruitment@wave-utilities.co.uk.
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