Data Operations Manager - Financial Services - West Midlands
Data Operations Manager - Financial Services - West Midlands (6 month contract inside IR35)
Aubay UK is seeking a Data Operations Manager to drive delivery across established data programmes within a complex, regulated environment. This is a 6-month contract role (inside IR35) focused on executing against a defined roadmap, ensuring data teams remain aligned, accountable, and delivering against business priorities. The role requires a strong delivery leader who can coordinate stakeholders, interpret the data landscape, and maintain momentum across multiple workstreams. The successful candidate will bring operational discipline, stakeholder leadership, and programme delivery expertise to remove blockers, enhance performance, and support critical data-led initiatives. There is potential for extension or longer-term opportunities subject to performance and impact. This is a 6-month contract role (inside IR35). There is potential for this role to convert into a permanent position as part of ongoing operational transformation initiatives.
Role Responsibilities
- Deliver against an established strategy and roadmap, ensuring execution remains on track
- Lead and support heads of data functions, providing direction and maintaining focus on outcomes
- Ensure teams are aligned, engaged, and accountable for delivery
- Remove obstacles, unblock issues, and maintain delivery momentum across programmes
- Interpret the data landscape to support execution and informed decision-making
- Manage and influence stakeholders at all levels to ensure alignment and progress
- Provide leadership, mentoring, and guidance to drive high-performing teams
- Challenge constructively and hold stakeholders accountable where required
- Re-energise and motivate teams operating in challenging environments
Required Skills and Experience
- Strong programme delivery or PMO leadership background in complex environments
- Proven ability to lead senior stakeholders and drive alignment across business functions
- Experience operating within data or data-driven environments (hands-on expertise not required)
- Demonstrated leadership capability with a focus on accountability, delivery, and team performance
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to remove blockers and maintain delivery momentum
- Experience working within regulated industries, ideally financial services
- Excellent communication, influencing, and decision-making skills
Desired Skills and Experience
- Exposure to data transformation or data governance initiatives
- Familiarity with reporting frameworks and performance tracking
- Experience improving team engagement and operating models
- Understanding of supplier or third-party environments (non-essential)