Senior Operations Manager

Company Description

Informa PLC is a leading international events, intelligence and scholarly
research group.
Our purpose is to champion the specialist. Through hundreds of powerful brands
we work with businesses and professionals in specialist markets, providing the
connections, intelligence and opportunities that help customers grow, do
business, make breakthroughs and take better informed decisions. Informa is
listed on London Stock Exchange and a member of FTSE ‎100, with over ‎11,000
colleagues working in more than ‎30 countries.
Each of our five operating divisions has a distinct focus:
Informa Connect aims to provide expert content you cannot Google, and
access to specialist networks and communities, through major branded annual
events and specialist digital communities and content services.
Informa Intelligence provides specialist digital information and data
products, consultancy and research services to over ‎25,000 business worldwide,
helping companies make better informed decisions and gain competitive edge.
Informa Markets creates global platforms for industries, specialist
markets and customers to trade, innovate and grow, delivering over ‎550 events
annually, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions.
Informa Tech aims to inspire the global technology community to design,
build and run a better digital world by providing research, media, training
and events to specialist technology communities worldwide.
Taylor & Francis commissions, curates, produces and publishes scholarly
research and reference-led content in specialist subject areas, advancing
research and enabling knowledge to be discovered and shared.
Our sixth division is Global Support , which provides shared, efficient
business services and function-specific expertise to each of Informa's
operating divisions.

Job Description

The Senior Operations Manager is responsible for the professional operational
delivery of events, features and projects for their allocated portfolio. You
will ensure that all are delivered to the highest possible standards and to
the satisfaction of all parties involved consistently throughout the year.
In collaboration with the Event Operations Director EMEA, Group Operations
Managers & other Senior Operations Managers you will be responsible for the
resourcing and scheduling of the operations within your allocated portfolio.
You will manage line reports on a day-to-day basis, each of these may be
allocated across multiple event portfolios throughout the year requiring you
to work alongside other Senior Operations Managers to effectively balance
workloads & priorities for each team member individually.
It is expected that you will personally lead & deliver the Operations on an
agreed number of shows.
The Senior Operations Manager should lead by example and always demonstrate
professional responsibility to the department, confidently communicating on
all levels internally and externally.
Job Summary/Responsibilities
Key Performance Indicators
* Personally lead & deliver the Operations on an agreed number of shows per year as well as complete oversight and management of the operations on your allocated portfolio of events.
* Be a key point of contact for the show teams in all matters on your allocated shows, internal and external.
* Working with the EMEA Operations Management team to establish excellent service & meet stakeholder expectations.
* Contribute to the successful and collaborative management of the EMEA operations department aiming for operational synergy across EMEA.
* Accountability for setting, regular forecasting & achieving operational show budgets within allocated portfolio of events.
* Ensure all operational tasks are carried out on a timely basis according to individual project plans and within deadlines across all your events.
* Ensuring all events & line reports are working within the company's H&S, Security & Sustainability guidelines at all times
* Creation, Management and implementation of internal and external Service Level Agreements.
* Adhere to all Informa compliance requirements and monitor direct report & supplier performance accordingly to ensure they do likewise.
* Perform any other duties commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility

Management & Leadership
* Work with your allocated Operations team members gathering the event team's requirements, understanding their strategy, key components for fulfilment - ensuring the project plan fits these needs.
* Completing event reports, corrective actions register and KPI analysis on each event at the end of cycle.
* Manage, mentor & develop line reports & others within the EMEA Operations team aiding retention thus ensuring the team is maintained at optimum levels
* Setting, monitoring & management of direct reports' performance objectives, career development planning and setting long term personal goals.
* Ongoing monitoring and management of performance for all line reports according to company standards at all times.
* Regular & effective ‎1-‎2-‎1 meetings with direct reports, Group Operations Manager, members of the EMEA Operations Management Team and any other key stakeholders to ensure accurate planning and strategic direction maximising operational performance.
* Share your best practice examples with other teams to enhance their capabilities and to create a more consistent 'Informa experience'.
* Monitor best practice in other companies and bring your insights to Informa to keep us ahead of the competition.
Show-specific tasks
* Personal responsibility for the technical delivery & management of several events in the year working as the allocated Operations Manager.
* Accountability for your own and your direct reports, production, communication and implementation of individual show project plans ensuring all tasks are carried out on a timely basis & within deadlines set.
* Attendance & contribution at event strategy days upon request.
* Post event KPI Reporting and analysis with ability to set objectives for team members to improve service delivery YOY.
* In collaboration with the Procurement team, monitor the ongoing performance of key contractors and troubleshoot / identify remedial action as required on events through the SRM programme governance.
* Providing information for assessment collating suitable reports & dashboards for use in SMT decision making.
Compliance / legal / H &S / Sustainability
* In collaboration with the Procurement team, contribute to the procurement activity for your allocated portfolio(s) throughout the year through utilisation of Coupa.
* In collaboration with the Technical Services team and Group HSS ensure your direct reports, events & suppliers meet or exceed our H&S requirements. Work on remedial measures where necessary.
* Be an active partner of the EMEA Sustainability team and look for opportunities to support and enhance our sustainability initiatives.
* Be an avid promoter & implementer of our Better Stands Programme within your allocated events.
Customer Experience
* Work on the implementation of changes / improvements to the Customer Journey. Support this work to ensure consistent operational delivery.
* Leads by example to ensure Ops team know what customer service level is expected.
* Sets up routes of communication, constructive feedback with internal and external parties to always ensure best customer experience.
* Continually evaluates processes to ensure they are appropriate for customer needs.
* Ensures customer feedback is translated into future process changes.

Qualifications

Qualities needed for the role
* Must have independently and successfully managed operations on multiple large events to a consistently high standard.
* Experience of managing, supporting & developing multiple line reports simultaneously.
* You will possess a good working knowledge of the exhibition industry & venues as well as a great working relationship with all official contractors.
* Effective communication skills - being able to liaise with Operations team members as well as working with & reporting to Director Level individuals throughout the portfolio(s).
* Familiarity with good procurement practices
* Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to inspire and motivate others, thinking outside the box for creative solutions.
* Ability to anticipate problems and/or put contingency plans in place
* A proven ability to work to tight deadlines, with attention to detail under pressure is a pre requisite.
* Willingness and ability to travel / work across differing time zones especially within the EMEA region
* Proven knowledge of exhibition H&S Guidelines and implementation.
* Computer literate and proficient in the use of commonly used business software and project management software
* Effective verbal and written English and Arabic communication skills
* IOSH Managing Safety Certificate (or equivalent) as a minimum.

Additional Information

Qualities needed for culture fit
* Professional customer focused attitude: ability to stay calm and patient under pressure
* Positive attitude and open minded; ability to listen to others views and opinions
* Forward thinking, flexible and able to trouble shoot
* Team player; good humoured
* Act with integrity
* Ability to work in a multicultural environment and respectful of other cultures
* Flexibility and adaptability