CBS Operations Manager - Resilience

## Opportunity Review: Operations Manager – Resilience at Co-op Business Services

This review provides a detailed look at the Operations Manager – Resilience role within Co-op Business Services (CBS), designed to help prospective candidates understand the scope of the opportunity and how it aligns with their career aspirations.

The Opportunity

As an Operations Manager for Resilience, you will be at the forefront of strengthening the Co-op’s operational robustness. This pivotal role sits within the Risk, Controls, and Assurance team and is instrumental in ensuring CBS is prepared to face and effectively manage any form of disruption. You will be the key coordinating force, bridging various shared service areas and other functions to foster a proactive, problem-solving culture. This is a chance to lead critical initiatives that have a significant impact across the entire organisation, ensuring the Co-op remains prepared, connected, and capable of swift responses when incidents occur.

Key Responsibilities and Impact

Your primary responsibilities will include:

• Leading the integration of resilience elements into the CBS control environment, ensuring a clear, consistent, and adaptable approach.
• Serving as a central point of coordination, connecting CBS with central resilience teams and ensuring critical issues are escalated appropriately.
• Supporting crisis management activities and hyper-care meetings to drive readiness and maintain control during challenging periods.
• Developing and assessing business continuity plans across CBS and wider service functions.
• Cultivating strong relationships with senior stakeholders to align planning and integrate necessary changes.
• Monitoring adherence to resilience standards and identifying avenues for continuous improvement.
• Influencing planning horizons and contributing to the strategic growth and development of services.

Advantages for Candidates

This role offers several significant advantages for ambitious professionals:

• Strategic Impact: You'll be directly influencing the Co-op's ability to withstand and recover from disruptions, playing a vital role in safeguarding critical operations and member outcomes.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The position demands engagement with a wide array of teams and senior stakeholders, providing invaluable experience in influencing, negotiation, and collaborative leadership across diverse functions.
• Career Development in a Growing Field: Operational resilience is an increasingly critical area in today's business landscape. This role offers a prime opportunity to deepen your expertise and build a strong career trajectory in this domain.
• Exposure to Group-Wide Initiatives: Your work will span across CBS and beyond, giving you a broad understanding of the Co-op's operations and its strategic priorities.
• Purpose-Driven Organisation: Joining the Co-op means becoming part of a movement focused on "co-operating to build more value for member-owners every day." This provides a meaningful context to your work.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package: The remuneration is competitive (£50,000 - £59,000), complemented by an attractive benefits package including an annual bonus, generous holiday entitlement, excellent pension contributions, private healthcare, and access to well-being resources.
• Hybrid Working: The role offers a hybrid working model, allowing for a balance between remote work and in-office collaboration at their Manchester City Centre location.

Key Considerations for Your Career Path

When considering this opportunity, potential candidates should reflect on the following:

• Experience in Resilience and Crisis Management: A solid foundation in business continuity, resilience planning, and crisis management is essential. Candidates should be able to demonstrate practical experience in these areas.
• Influencing and Engagement Skills: Success in this role hinges on your ability to influence and collaborate effectively across multiple service functions. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are paramount.
• Proactive and Continuous Improvement Mindset: The role requires a proactive approach to identifying risks and opportunities for improvement. A passion for embedding resilience into everyday operations is key.
• Adaptability and Problem-Solving: The ability to navigate complex risk landscapes and develop flexible solutions will be crucial.
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: The Co-op is committed to building diverse teams and actively welcomes applications from all backgrounds. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, this is a supportive environment.

In summary, the Operations Manager – Resilience role at Co-op Business Services presents a compelling opportunity for experienced professionals looking to make a significant impact in a purpose-driven organisation. It offers a chance to lead crucial initiatives, develop advanced skills in a vital business area, and contribute to the ongoing success and stability of the Co-op.