Operational Delivery Director

At Pennington Choices, we deliver a high volume of property surveying services across a range of disciplines. For our clients, the key imperatives are straightforward but demanding: reports and datasets must be delivered to the required quality, within very short timeframes, and at scale.

For us, the challenge is to meet client requirements while maximising operational efficiency and productivity, complying with regulatory and contractual standards, and ultimately generating sustainable profit while minimising risk.

Our delivery model combines both PAYE employees and freelance surveyors, which adds a layer of complexity. The Operational Delivery Director will work closely with the Client Services Director, who leads on recruiting, retaining, and training front-line surveyors. Your role will be to drive their day-to-day delivery and productivity, ensuring survey outputs are achieved at pace, and client requirements are met consistently.

This is primarily a hands-on, detailed operational role. While you will own and continuously improve the delivery processes, the main focus will be on:

• Managing daily delivery across multiple service lines.
• Solving problems and making decisions quickly to keep output on track.
• Directing activity to maximise efficiency and productivity.
• Acting as the conduit for operational performance reporting, and driving improvement actions to enhance client outcomes and profitability.

Although day-to-day IT support is provided elsewhere, this role leads the team responsible for supplier management of our proprietary third-party systems. Optimising these systems is critical to ensuring the robustness of our operational processes, as well as the efficiency and accuracy of delivery.

Finally, as the business evolves, the provision of data and data analysis to clients is becoming increasingly important. The Operational Delivery Director will play a vital role in ensuring our operational systems and processes support this growing priority.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the operational delivery strategy in line with our mission, vision, and values.
• Own core operational processes, systems, and standards, ensuring consistent delivery.
• Lead work scheduling, QA and IT functions to provide effective delivery support.
• Drive process optimisation, automation, and technology adoption to increase efficiency.
• Own client and contract performance, while achieving planned commercial performance.
• Provide Board-level assurance on operational performance, risk, and compliance.
• Lead and develop operational managers and teams, ensuring capability, succession, and engagement.

Success Measures

• Improved operational efficiency (productivity, utilisation, cost savings).
• On-time, on-budget delivery across all services.
• High-performing, engaged staff teams.
• Strong governance, compliance, and risk management.
• Achievement of key client contract performance metrics

Role requirements

We are looking for an experienced, forward-thinking leader who thrives on building high-performing teams, driving operational improvement, and creating the conditions for growth.

In return, you will have the opportunity to make a real difference at a pivotal stage in our journey, working with talented colleagues in a business where collaboration, respect, and bravery are more than just words - they are how we work.

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree or equivalent professional qualification in business, operations, or a related field.
• Significant senior leadership experience in UK-wide operational delivery, ideally across multiple service lines and distributed/field-based workforces.
• Strong background in process optimisation, IT systems, and business transformation, including technology deployment and automation.
• Experience of P&L responsibility with a clear understanding of how operations drive profitability.
• Proven track record of leading operational support functions such as scheduling, QA, laboratories, and IT.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver operational efficiencies and scalable processes.
• Knowledge of the property compliance environment desirable, but not essential.

Leadership and Skills

• Excellent people leadership skills, with a track record of building and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong decision-making ability and a solutions-focused, “can-do” approach.
• Skilled in change management and embedding continuous improvement strategies.
• Clear, engaging communicator with excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Highly organised, detail-driven, and able to balance competing priorities.

Personal Attributes

• Positive, energetic, and resilient.
• Action-oriented, with a hands-on and flexible approach.
• Collaborative, respectful, and brave – living our values in everything they do.
• Passionate about delivering operational excellence and outstanding client outcomes.
• A confident leader who inspires trust, accountability, and ownership.