group operations manager

Position Description

About SP Solutions & Group of Companies

SP Solutions is a professional services firm supporting small to medium businesses to build sustainable and profitable businesses, through accounting, tax, wealth planning, property, and business advisory.  The group comprises 4 companies:  SP Solutions; Financial Planning; Property Development; and Property Management. 

For the Group, the next phase of growth requires stronger commercial oversight, clear  operating models, and disciplined execution across all entities.

Purpose of the Role

The Group Operations Manager is the CEO’s key operational partner and is responsible for ensuring the Group operates with commercial discipline, clarity, and consistency across all entities.

This role provides strategic and operational leadership across systems, people, performance, and financial insight. It ensures:

The right structures and operating rhythms are in place

Financial results are interpreted through a commercial lens

Risks are identified early and managed proactively

Growth opportunities are surfaced and actioned

Resource capacity is aligned to demand

This is suited to a senior Business Manager or Practice Manager from a large professional services firm, ready to step into group-level leadership with strategic exposure and influence.

Working Style

The Group Operations Manager combines commercial sharpness with genuine care for people. They are as comfortable interpreting financial performance as they are coaching a manager through a difficult conversation. Calm under pressure, they bring clarity and structure when things feel complex. They build trust quickly, hold high standards, and create an environment where people feel supported and accountable.

Key Priorities in the first 12 months. 

Working with the CEO and other stakeholders, the key priorities will be as follows:  

1. Deliver the SP Solutions Business Separation (by 1 July 2026)

Lead and coordinate the operational elements of the business separation to ensure a smooth transition for clients and staff

Establish clear structures, reporting lines, governance frameworks, and decision rights

Ensure systems, workflows, and financial processes are aligned to the new operating model

Minimise disruption while strengthening operational clarity and commercial discipline

2. Stabilise and Strengthen SP Solutions

Embed a consistent operating rhythm across leadership and management

Improve workflow visibility and proactive resource utilisation management

Strengthen accountability frameworks, role clarity, and performance expectations

Support managers to build confidence, capability, and consistency in leadership

3. Establish Foundations for Group-Level Oversight

Introduce greater consistency in reporting and operational insight across the portfolio

Partner with the Group Financial Accountant to ensure financial performance is clearly interpreted and actioned

Identify cross-entity efficiencies, risks, and growth opportunities

Reduce CEO operational load by creating clearer structure, ownership, and follow-through

Key Accountabilities

1. Business Operations & Workflow Enablement

Oversee and continuously improve group-wide workflow, scheduling, and coordination

Ensure work flows smoothly from client onboarding through to delivery and completion

Identify and address bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and operational risks

Establish and maintain clear operating rhythms, processes, and handover points

Work closely with managers to support consistent ways of working across teams

Maintain oversight of operational risk areas, including resourcing pressure, utilisation, workflow bottlenecks, and delivery risk

Support the review and maintenance of key operational and governance registers in collaboration with the CEO and relevant external advisors

2. Client Experience & Relationship Management

Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, acting as a key point of contact for operational, service, and billing-related matters

Support a consistent, professional client experience across onboarding, delivery, and ongoing engagement

Work with managers and accounting teams to resolve client issues, manage expectations, and improve service delivery

Ensure client communication, documentation, and follow-up are handled reliably and professionally

Partner with the Group Financial Accountant as a point of escalation for billing, invoicing, scope, or revenue issues, ensuring matters are resolved quickly and with a commercial lens.

3. People Operations & HR Leadership

Provide leadership to administration and support staff

Oversee core HR processes including onboarding, offboarding, and employment documentation

Support performance review cycles and people processes in partnership with other business leaders and the CEO

Coordinate training, compliance, and professional development logistics

Act as a trusted point of contact for day-to-day people matters

4. Coaching, Mentoring & Capability Support

Coach and mentor administration and support team members to build capability and confidence

Support managers by reinforcing expectations, accountability, and process discipline

Contribute to clearer role expectations and internal capability development

5. Leadership Team Contribution

Participate as a member of the Group’s leadership team

Contribute to group-wide planning, prioritisation, and decision-making

Support the implementation of individual business and group-wide initiatives and improvements

Provide insight on the operational, people, and client experience impact of decisions

Key Relationships

Qualifications & Experience

Degree and Formal accounting qualifications (CA or CPA)

Demonstrated experience in business management, operations, or practice management

Experience working within a professional services environment (accounting preferred)

Strong understanding of workflow, billing, and people processes

Formal qualifications in business, HR, or operations desirable but not essential

Skills & Attributes

Strong organisational and operational capability

Clear communicator with the ability to influence across teams

Practical problem-solver who enjoys improving how things work

High level of integrity, discretion, and professionalism

Strong coaching capability and comfort with performance conversations

High emotional intelligence and ability to build trust across diverse teams

Balanced decision-maker who considers both commercial and people impact