Lead Product Operations Manager

Job Band: E
Contract: Permanent, Full-time
Department: Product Group
Location: Any BBC UK office (Hybrid)

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £70,000 - £90,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

We’re happy to discuss flexible working. If you’d like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there’s no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

This role leads Product Group's approach to third-party governance, ensuring we build strong, strategic relationships with the suppliers who help deliver the BBC's digital products.

You'll establish the governance, performance measures, standards and ways of working that enable Product Group to maximise value from its suppliers while making it straightforward for Engineering and Product teams to engage with them effectively.

By providing trusted insight into supplier performance, risk and dependencies, you'll enable better decisions, drive continuous improvement and create a supplier experience that is both well governed and easy to use.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

You'll be part of a team that sits at the intersection between strategy and execution, turning organisational priorities into practical ways of working that help Product Group get the best from its strategic suppliers.

Working across Engineering, Product, Strategy, Finance, Procurement and Legal, you'll influence how supplier performance is measured, risks are managed and value is realised. You'll have the opportunity to shape a growing capability, establish new ways of working and make a lasting impact on how Product Group works with external partners.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Lead and develop a team of Operations Managers.
• Define and evolve Product Group's third-party governance framework.
• Monitor supplier performance, value, risk and dependencies.
• Provide insight that informs strategic and operational decisions.
• Improve how Product and Engineering teams engage with suppliers.
• Partner with Engineering, Product, Procurement, Finance and Legal to deliver better outcomes.• Drive continuous improvement across supplier governance and ways of working.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Experience leading high-performing teams in complex, fast-moving environments.
• Experience managing suppliers, operational services or technology partnerships.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to solve complex, ambiguous problems.
• Excellent stakeholder management, with the ability to influence across multiple teams and seniority levels.
• Experience designing and embedding governance, standards or performance measures.
• Proven ability to turn data and insight into practical improvements that deliver measurable outcomes.
• Experience working with technology, digital or engineering suppliers.

DESIRABLE:

• Experience working in fast-paced, technology-driven organisations where priorities evolve quickly and ambiguity is the norm.
• Comfortable operating in agile environments, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.
• Experience shaping governance or operating models across multiple teams or business areas.
• Knowledge of procurement, commercial management or supplier contracts.
• Experience building lightweight governance that enables delivery rather than slows it down.
• Experience working in a large-scale digital, technology or product-led organisation.

If you can bring some of these skills and experiences, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.