Head of Business Operations Oxfordshire Hybrid

Astroscale UK is seeking to recruit a Head of Business Operations to join our evolving company in a newly created role.

As the primary operational support to the Deputy Managing Director, you will bring structure, pace and clarity to the way Business Operations works. This new role has been created to establish a more strategic Business Operations function: one that acts as a business enabler, supports effective decision‑making and removes operational friction, rather than becoming a functional blocker as the company prepares for expected growth.

It will suit someone who can translate business priorities into practical operating rhythms, improve processes, unblock delivery, and build repeatable ways of working that support a growing, fast-moving organisation. The role will initially have one direct report, the Integrated Business and Resource Planning Analyst.

• Act as a senior operational partner to the Deputy Managing Director, helping to build Business Operations as a strategic, business‑enabling function that turns priorities into clear plans, actions, owners and delivery rhythms.
• Establish practical operating frameworks that clarify decision rights, ownership, escalation routes and handovers, so teams can move at pace without unnecessary ambiguity.
• Identify operational friction, duplication and bottlenecks, then work with functional owners to simplify, standardise and improve how work gets done.
• Translate business strategy into operational plans by anticipating future requirements, identifying constraints early, and driving cross‑functional action to remove blockers.
• Lead operational improvement work streams that improve traceability, reduce manual effort, strengthen evidence capture and make Business Operations easier to run and scale.
• Provide day‑to‑day leadership, direction and support to the Integrated Business and Resource Planning Analyst, ensuring their work is aligned to business priorities and contributes to clearer planning, resourcing and operational decision‑making.
• Work with IT, Legal, HR, Finance, Site Operations and other process owners to improve systems, workflows and information flow across the business, including effective use of ERP systems such as SAP where these underpin purchasing, finance, inventory, project controls or operational reporting.
• Support adoption of improved ways of working through clear communication, practical guidance and coordination of briefings or training where needed.
• Bring a continuous improvement mindset, balancing pace, pragmatism and appropriate control without over‑engineering processes.
• Coordinate Business Operations inputs to relevant audits, assurance activities, management systems and certifications, working with functional owners to provide timely evidence and closure of actions.
• Maintain proportionate governance tools such as action trackers, compliance calendars, evidence packs, version control and decision records where these support effective operations.
• Reduce single points of failure by embedding knowledge, guidance and operating expectations into accessible systems, documentation and playbooks.
• Build practical handover and continuity arrangements across Business Operations so work is not overly dependent on individual relationships or informal knowledge.
• Provide trusted operational support to the Deputy Managing Director, helping to prioritise work, prepare for key decisions, follow through on actions and keep cross‑functional activity moving.

• Experience in business operations, operational management, programme operations, process improvement or a similar cross‑functional delivery role within an engineering, manufacturing, technology, aerospace or complex regulated environment.
• Proven ability to…