Director of Operations (12 Months FTC)

The role & impact

As the UK Director of Operations, you will guide regional strategic execution, translating overarching business goals into robust operational plans. Working closely with the UK Managing Director and regional senior leadership, you will serve as a vital conduit between regional priorities and global functions, ensuring plans across teams are aligned and delivering measurable value.

In this role, you will champion operational governance and foster cross-functional collaboration across multiple teams. By establishing clear reporting cadences, resolving operational friction, and guiding continuous improvement initiatives, your leadership will directly support regional performance and help build seamless experiences for small businesses.

The team & how they connect

The UK Strategy and Operations team acts as the connective tissue across regional and global functions, partnering closely with Sales, Marketing, Product, and Finance. Together, the team shapes regional operating plans, monitors performance rhythms, and translates insights into focused action. We collaborate openly across boundaries to support shared priorities and ensure every function moves forward together.

The team is currently working on

• Designing and embedding the cohesive UK operating plan while setting aligned Objectives and Key Results.

• Establishing single-source-of-truth performance rhythms, including Monthly Business Reviews and executive updates, supported by tools such as Asana, Jira, and modern AI platforms.

• Guiding cross-functional Go-To-Market delivery across key regional initiatives to ensure consistent, high-standard execution.

• Fostering an internal culture of continuous improvement and integrating AI tools to streamline processes and elevate team capacity.

Where and how you can work

We support a flexible, hybrid working style that balances purposeful time in our collaborative UK office spaces with focused remote work. Our teams come together regularly for intentional connection, project kick-offs, and boost days, giving you both the connection of in-person collaboration and the flexibility to do your best work.

Xero is a Great Place to Work UK accredited.

Here are some of the things we are looking for

• You bring deep experience in operational leadership, with a strong background in developing and embedding multifaceted operating models across organisations.

• Your background demonstrates a natural talent for translating strategic vision into clear, actionable operating plans backed by sound commercial acumen.

• You have a proven ability to navigate ambiguous environments, establishing direction and prioritising work under shifting business demands.

• A collaborative mindset allows you to influence, align, and communicate comfortably across all organizational levels and disciplines.

• You bring an active curiosity for modern productivity software and AI tools, always exploring smarter, faster ways of working and encouraging team adoption.

Apply even if your experience isn't a perfect match! At Xero, we hire based on your skills, passion, and the unique perspective you can bring to enhance our culture and team.

Join a Great Place to Work-Certified™ company where your voice matters.