Head of Operations - Specialist Customer Support Services

We are looking for an experienced and inspiring Head of Operations to lead our Specialist Customer Support Services (SCS) function. This is a significant leadership role, accountable for delivering excellent service, strong operational performance and good customer outcomes for members who require specialist support. This role reports into the Director of Support.

Leading a large, multi-site operation across both Virgin Money and Nationwide, you'll set the strategic direction for the function while ensuring services remain efficient, well controlled and compliant. You'll oversee the delivery of support for customers experiencing vulnerability, as well as those requiring bereavement, power of attorney and other specialist services, always maintaining a strong focus on fair customer outcomes.

As a key member of the Support leadership team, you'll translate Nationwide's strategy into clear operational priorities and lead the ongoing transformation and integration of the function. Working collaboratively with senior leaders, internal partners, suppliers, regulators and industry bodies, you'll help shape services, influence decision-making and ensure the effective management of change.

You'll have end-to-end accountability for operational performance, customer journeys, capacity planning, budgets, risk and control management, audit activity, complaints and regulatory obligations. Through visible and inclusive leadership, you'll empower colleagues across multiple locations to deliver exceptional service while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and customer focus.

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly experienced operational leader with strong commercial judgement, a track record of leading large-scale operations, sound risk management skills and the ability to influence at senior levels. You'll play a pivotal role in helping Nationwide deliver better outcomes for customers, colleagues and society.

We are happy to consider flexible working approaches to help you perform at your best.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job, you'll spend at least two days per week, or if part-time, you'll spend 40% of your working time, based at our Swindon, Bournemouth, Northampton or Glasgow office. If you’re based at our Glasgow office, this will apply from 1 April 2027 and ahead of that there will be a need to regularly connect with colleagues for collaboration events. If your application is successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this works. You can also find out more about our approach to hybrid working here.

Whilst these locations are where we are primarily looking to fill the role, if you’re an internal applicant based in a different location, we would welcome your application and, if successful, your hiring manager will provide further details on how this could work for this specific role.

Nationwide is committed to the redeployment of our employees impacted by change, as such applications for redeployment candidates will be prioritised in this recruitment process.

If you’re a colleague on long-term absence (for example, on parental leave) or a temporary worker, please use your personal email address to submit an application.