Role Title Operational Support Manager
Job family group
Job family/ies
Grade HEO
Status For internal use
Role Purpose This role will provide business support to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) across the region, including the Regional Delivery Director (RDD), Heads of
(250 words max) Operations and Service Improvement and Performance Lead (SIP). The Operational Support Manager will also support the work of the Head of the Regional
Support Unit (RSU), the People Lead and the Performance Lead in the RSU, managing and co-ordinating activity and liaising with the wider business to resolve
issues and problems and developing options to progress work in these areas. The Operational Support Managers may work as a flexible pool, supporting more
than one member of the SLT and will need to liaise and co-operate with their colleagues to ensure they provide effective business and personal support
enabling the Heads of Operation, SIP and RDD to focus their attention on the key issues. They will operate as a flexible team and be expected to undertake a
range of functions and play a significant part in ensuring the work of the SLT is managed appropriately.
Key Accountabilities (600 words max)
Leadership support
• Oversee the flow of work to and from the RDD, including managing and appropriately directing correspondence, queries and requests for information on behalf of the RDD
and drafting, managing and processing responses on their behalf.
• Facilitate SLT, regional and inter-agency meetings, including scheduling, preparing agendas and papers, monitoring action logs, in-meeting facilitation, providing briefings
for SLT members as needed and producing minutes.
• Manage the office and diary commitments of the RDD, negotiating with others to resolve conflicting priorities and take strategic decisions about how to make the best use
of the RDD’s time, including assessing when targeted visits should be undertaken and prioritising meeting attendance.
• Support the Head of RSU in the Regional Business Planning process, including reporting delivery against the plan.
• Assist the SLT, Head of RSU and Leads for Performance and People in the monitoring of financial and performance related information, producing reports and suggesting
corrective action where needed to allow targeted interventions.
• Provide executive support to the Heads of Operations to monitor compliance with completion of Combined Risk Register Governance (CRRG) statements and Service
Assurance Framework information, performance reporting, governance, quality assurance, appraisal and performance management policies across the Region.
• Provide ad hoc project support to SLT and the Region on various projects as required, managing and co-ordinating activity, undertaking research, investigation and analysis,
and exploring risks, issues and costs as well as potential solutions for consideration by senior management.
• Manage and support the team of Operational Support Officers, working in a matrix management arrangement with other Operational Support Managers, to assign and
delegate responsibilities, ensure the team is supported, guided, and developed and the performance of individuals and the team is managed effectively.
Performance
• Support the work of the Performance Lead by drafting performance documentation including briefings, communications, and guidance, often to short deadlines,
monitoring and analysing performance data and management information and preparing reports for dissemination.
• Undertake research on operational performance matters on behalf of the Heads of Operations, providing them with the information needed to decide a course of action.
• Assure data quality, perform data quality checks and undertake data cleanses, assess trends and alert the Performance Lead and Heads of Operations of any risks or issues.
People & Comms
• Draft regional communications for delivery via different channels such as intranet pages, webinars and newsletters. This will include sourcing and commissioning
information from the wider business on successes and local initiatives and ensuring they provide the latest accurate information for staff.
• Support the promotion and scheduling of Regional Awards, collating information on nominees, arranging panels and facilitating the smooth running of the events.
• Manage and co-ordinate regional learning and development activity, liaising with the People Lead, Heads of Operations, site managers and HR to promote learning
opportunities.
• Manage the process for monitoring, collating and reviewing people data for the region, including PID returns, talent management and succession planning.
• The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade
and level of responsibility of this post.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience (500 words max)
• Planning and project skills to be able to lead on ad hoc projects for the region, setting targets and monitoring progress.
• Leadership and management skills and knowledge of HR policies to support and develop the RSU operational support team.
• Knowledge and understanding of wider business operations across the region is desirable to be able to bring operational context to national and regional plans.
• Analytical skills to investigate and interpret data and consider the practical detail and impact on operations.
• Excellent communication skills, including drafting and writing skills to produce engaging communications.
• Stakeholder management skills to engage with key stakeholders, provide information on behalf of SLT etc.
Problem Solving and Decision Making (300 words max)
• Support the implementation of people plans (learning & development, communications, engagement, well-being and diversity and inclusion). The role will need to
understand the operating context for these plans and the data and insight available in these areas to work with local managers and leads to embed the plans, monitoring
the effectiveness of the plans and reporting to the People Lead on issues and developing potential solutions for consideration by senior management where changes
might be required.
• Analysis and interpretation of performance information and data to support the work of the Performance Lead and the Heads of Operation and Service Improvement &
Performance Lead. Providing an operational view and/or local context to develop better insight of regional performance. Identifying risks, offering solutions, providing
advice.
• Understand the needs and potential implications of workforce changes, considering the practical implications of recruitment and staff turnover issues.
• The role holder will be expected to deal with urgent issues and requests that are directed to the SLT and make informed decisions on which issues/questions need to be
escalated to the RDD, SIP or Heads of Operations, highlighting the key information and any deadlines or timescales. They may also be expected to make suggestions or
proposals to address the issue, for the SLT to consider.
Management of Resources (250 words max)
• Management and leadership of a small pool of Operational Support Officers who will support the work of the RSU and the SLT. The Operational Support manager will
manage and co-ordinate the work of the team, create work plans and monitor progress against these to measure and improve the effectiveness of the team.
Autonomy (250 words max)
• In supporting the work of the SLT and wider business, the Operational Support Manager will use their judgment and discretion to gauge the correct action and responses
needed when managing and co-ordinating the work and correspondence received by the RDD.
• Although there will be support available from the Head of RSU, People Lead and Performance Lead, as well as members of the SMT, the role will be expected to work
independently without regular reference to senior staff for instruction.
• They will be expected to follow regional and corporate guidelines on people and performance related activities but will be able to interpret requirements and action
within the scope of these.
Key Relationships and Contacts (300 words max)
• In managing the workflow and communications for the RDD, the Operational Support Manager may be the first point of contact for multiple stakeholders both internally
and externally, including members of the judiciary and OGDs as well as members of the public and they will be expected to confidently and discreetly handle queries and
requests for action and/or comment on behalf of the Regional Delivery Director.
• Regular communication and engagement with external bodies to arrange meetings, events or discussions on behalf of the SMT and HMCTS,
• In supporting the work of the Regional Support Unit and the wider SLT the role will need to engage with operational managers and staff, building and maintaining
relationships across the region to request and provide information and/or advice on regional issues.