Head of Operational Excellence
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About the Role
The Commercial & Engagement Division is responsible for generating sustainable financial returns on the commercial property portfolio through active asset management, property management, and strategic engagement initiatives.
Key Skills for This Role
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Overview
- The Commercial & Engagement Division is responsible for generating sustainable financial returns on the commercial property portfolio through active asset management, property management, and strategic engagement initiatives.
- These initiatives include attracting local and international entities to set up headquarters; enhancing the City’s positioning as a hub for innovation, education, and sustainability; and integrating businesses, SMEs, and innovators into a cohesive ecosystem.
- The Head of Operational Excellence is responsible for driving organization-wide performance improvement, operational efficiency, process optimization, and transformation initiatives.
- The role leads the design and implementation of best-practice operating models, continuous improvement programmes, automation initiatives, and performance management frameworks to enhance productivity, reduce costs, improve customer experience, and support the organization's strategic objectives.
- The role acts as a strategic partner to the Commercial Leadership Team, ensuring operational excellence principles are embedded across all business functions and that performance improvements are measurable, sustainable, and scalable.
- The main responsibilities for this role include:
- Develop and execute the Operational Excellence strategy, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives at ECD, commercial priorities, and long-term business goals.
- Lead strategic transformation initiatives and special projects that improve commercial teams’ performance, operational effectiveness, and value creation.
- Act as a strategic advisor to CCO/VP/senior leadership by developing business cases, conducting operational analysis, and producing executive-level strategy and decision-making materials.
- Lead the development of ‘Office of CEO’ and Steering Committee presentations, reports, and strategic recommendations.
- Establish and embed a culture of continuous improvement (via Kaizen), accountability, and operational excellence across the different verticals.
- Oversee the performance management of third-party operators and service providers, including Savills Property Management, Facilities Management and Fit-out Management, ensuring contractual obligations, KPIs, SLAs, and service standards are achieved.
- Monitor and report on operational, commercial, and service performance, providing insights and recommendations to drive improved outcomes.
- Design, optimize, and govern end-to-end business processes, operating procedures, and organizational workflows to improve efficiency and consistency.
- Lead process improvement initiatives through the application of Lean, Six Sigma, automation, and best-practice methodologies.
- Establish enterprise-wide performance management frameworks, KPIs, dashboards, and governance mechanisms to support informed decision-making. Take accountability for Commercial when working with Compliance and Audit teams at ECD.
- Identify and implement opportunities for using technology solutions (such as CRMs, Dashboards and AI) to improve productivity, service delivery, and customer experience across the commercial portfolio at ECD.
- Lead cost optimization, resource efficiency, and productivity improvement initiatives, ensuring measurable financial and operational benefits are delivered. Manage the P&L and budget with desiccated resources.
- Establish governance structures, risk management frameworks, and performance review forums to ensure effective oversight and delivery of business objectives.
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing Commercial team through effective leadership, coaching, workshops, capability building, and succession planning.
- Foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and cross-functional engagement to drive organizational alignment, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Knowledge, Qualifications and Skills required:
- 10+ years of expertise in Management Consulting or working in OE for a reputable company as well as:
- Bachelor’s degree in business engineering, Operations Management, Finance, or related discipline.
- Excellent knowledge of programme and project management methods (e.g. MSP, Prince2, PMP etc.)
- Able to find ways of solving or pre-empting problems
- Proven experience in evaluation, impact assessment and utilizing benchmarks.
- Strong leadership, management and advisory capabilities.
- Excellent research skills for outcomes-based programme delivery.
- Experience in mentoring and capacity-building locally and internationally.
- Expertise in designing and facilitating workshops for capacity-building.
- Proactive nature and highly organized, with excellent attention to detail, time management and a proven ability to meet deadlines
- Able to respond quickly to change and adapt to a fast-paced internal environment
- Advanced MS Office skills, MS Dynamics or Yardi a plus
Desirable
- Working in Real Estate
- Working with Big 4 constancy
- Lean/Six Sigma hugely advantageous
- International experience
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