Senior Operations Manager

Prevail is a British intelligence and security company. We deliver intelligence, investigations, specialist operational support and strategic advice to governments, NGOs and commercial clients working in unstable and hostile environments.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Operations Manager to lead the delivery of our client work and strengthen the systems, processes and governance behind it. You will run several engagements at once, making sure each is properly resourced and delivered safely, on time, on budget and to standard. You will work closely with project leads, analysts, investigators and advisors, and report to the Head of Operations.

Alongside delivery, you will support the wider business, working with the Commercial, Finance and People teams to keep operations effective as the company grows. Given the nature of our work, we are looking for someone who is comfortable operating in fast-moving, complex environments, balancing competing priorities and making well‑reasoned decisions in the face of uncertainty.

• Lead day‑to‑day delivery across several concurrent engagements, making sure each is resourced, on time, on budget and to standard.
• Turn client requirements and contracts into clear delivery plans with named owners, milestones and deliverables.
• Allocate specialist staff (analysts, investigators, advisors, linguists) across competing priorities.
• Track progress, budgets and utilisation, spotting risks and delays early and stepping in to resolve them.
• Develop and improve the processes and governance that keep delivery consistent and efficient.
• Keep delivery compliant with legal, contractual, security, information assurance and data protection requirements, working with the relevant internal leads.
• Act as a senior point of contact for clients on delivery, status, risks and issue resolution.
• Run quality assurance so deliverables meet our standard before they go to clients.
• Capture lessons from completed work and feed them into future delivery.
• Report to senior leadership on delivery, utilisation, finances and project status.

• Line manage and develop the Operations team, setting clear expectations and supporting their growth.
• Coach junior staff and build capability across the function.
• Work with the People team on recruitment, onboarding, workforce planning and succession for operational roles.
• Set the standard for accountability and steady improvement across the team.

• Give Commercial and Finance reliable forecasting, costing and resource‑planning input.
• Provide operational input into bids and proposals, covering delivery planning, resourcing, pricing support and risk.
• Keep operational records, documentation and management information in good order.
• Coordinate suppliers, contracts and office logistics.
• Help build systems and governance that can grow with the business.

• Significant experience managing operations, project or programme delivery in intelligence, security, defence, risk, consulting or comparable professional services.
• A track record of running multiple concurrent projects with responsibility for delivery, budgets, timelines and resourcing.
• We’re looking for someone who thrives in a dynamic, growing environment. You’ll be comfortable navigating changing priorities, making informed decisions with the information available, and helping to build and improve processes as the business evolves.
• Strong planning, organisation and problem‑solving, with sound decisions made under pressure and in ambiguity.
• Commercial awareness, including project finances, forecasting and resource utilisation.
• Proven people management, including performance management and developing teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication, able to brief senior stakeholders and engage confidently with clients.
• High discretion and sound judgement with sensitive information, and a solid grasp of operational risk, security and confidentiality.
• Eligibility for UK Security Check (SC) clearance (see Eligibility and clearance below).

• Experience designing and improving operational processes and…