Head of Operational Excellence

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