Operations Manager (Financial Services)
Come and lead one of the UK's largest outsourced paraplanning teams - no paraplanning experience required, just awesome at developing people.
About the role
We're on the hunt for a brilliant people manager to take the reins of our paraplanning department - and we're doing something a little different with this one, we're not looking for the most technical person in the room.
We're looking for someone who loves leading teams, who gets a genuine buzz from watching people develop and who can bring structure, energy and accountability to a busy, growing department. The financial services bit? We'll help you find your feet (though if you've already got some background in this space, even better!)
You'll be overseeing a team of 15+, reporting directly to our COO and playing a key role in shaping how the department grows.
Day-to-day, you'd typically be:
Leading and developing your team - from trainees to seasoned specialists, you'll nurture talent at every level, building a culture where people feel supported, challenged and genuinely excited to grow.
Owning performance and quality - you'll keep a close eye on SLAs and quality standards, spot issues early and take proactive steps to keep things on track. No sweeping things under the carpet here.
Keeping operations running smoothly - workflow, capacity, cover during busy periods, you'll be across it all and making sure the team can do their best work without burning out.
Building capability - you'll identify development needs quickly, work with them to deliver needed training and create clear paths for people to progress.
Driving innovation - we're always looking for smarter ways of working and you'll be at the heart of that - spotting efficiencies and leading on improvements that make a real difference.
About You
We're a scaling, agile business and we move fast. That means you'll need to be someone who thrives in that kind of environment rather than shying away from it.
What we're really looking for:
Solid, evidenced experience of leading and managing teams - we want to hear about the difference you've made to the people you've worked with
A genuine coaching mindset - you don't just manage people, you build them up and support them to be their best
Comfortable owning targets and having honest conversations when things need to improve
Solutions-focused, adaptable and not easily flustered when things get busy
Brownie points for:
Any experience in financial services, professional services or a regulated environment
A track record of improving quality and efficiency at the same time
Above all, we love someone with a positive attitude and a willingness to roll their sleeves up.
About us
Verve provides outsourced support services to financial planners across the UK - we're on a mission to make quality financial advice more accessible to more people. We're passionate about what we do, a little unconventional and are always looking for better ways of doing things internally and for the greater good of the industry. If "that's how we've always done it" makes you twitch, you'll fit right in.
We offer a genuinely great range of benefits, including:
Standard benefits
21 days holiday plus bank holidays, Christmas close-down and your birthday off (and rising by a day each year up to 26)
Personal development budget (for exams, training or anything to help you be your best!)
Death in service cover
Health and wellbeing perks including our own in-office gym, desk massages, team hikes and yoga / fitness sessions.
Lifestyle benefits such as meditation app and high street discounts
Hybrid options available
Upon completion of a qualifying period (2yrs), you can access our EMI share scheme and become eligible for our enhanced parental leave benefits.
The cherry-on-top benefits
No dress code - wear what makes sense for your day
A genuinely lively office (snacks, drinks fridge, ping pong, the odd office dog...)
Two big company parties a year, regular team nights out and monthly enrichment sessions
Salary is competitive and reflective of experience.
- Department
- Paraplanning
- Locations
- Darlington
- Remote status
- Hybrid
- Application closing date
- 04 May, 2026