Service Delivery Senior Operational Lead
| Posting date: | 22 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £56,375 to £62,830 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 03 February 2026 |
| Location: | Bristol |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 444845/1 |
Summary
Join the Rural Payments agency and be a part of a dynamic team dedicated to administering direct aid and rural development payments of over £2 billion annually to farmers and rural businesses in England. We are committed to world class farming and land management for the environment, food, and rural resilience.
Further information can be found on the Rural Payments Agency website here: rpa.gov.uk
We are seeking an experienced and inspiring Operational Delivery leader to drive the successful delivery of key schemes and services across our Operational Delivery teams in Exeter, Bristol and Bridgwater within the Service Delivery directorate. You will take full accountability for performance, ensuring high quality service delivery to tight deadlines, meeting KPIs, and championing a culture of continuous improvement.
You will play a pivotal role in securing excellent outcomes for our customers, working collaboratively with colleagues across the team and wider Agency to support the delivery of all operational commitments across the organisation.
Operating in a fast paced and dynamic environment, you will balance immediate operational priorities with forward planning, guide teams through organisational and cultural change, promoting a positive, inclusive culture where individuals feel empowered, engaged and supported.
Responsibilities
As a Senior Operational Lead, you will
- Provide visible leadership through organisational change, offering clarity, direction and reassurance
- Champion clear communication, collaboration and effective teamwork across all locations
- Create a positive, inclusive and respectful culture where colleagues feel empowered, engaged and supported
- Be accountable for the delivery of schemes and services across multiple sites, ensuring high quality outcomes for customers
- Lead, motivate and develop teams to deliver a quality service to tight deadlines, meeting KPIs and operational commitments
- Plan and drive performance to meet current operational needs while preparing for future work
- Use data and insight to inform decisions, manage performance and drive continuous improvement
- Identify, manage and mitigate operational risks
- Coach and develop people, identifying and nurturing future talent
- Lead on HR responsibilities at team, directorate and agency level
- Ensure alignment of people and work to agency priorities
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Agency and wider Defra Group to represent Service Delivery positively and proactively
- You will be expected to travel regularly to other RPA locations as part of the role
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme