Commercial Operations Manager
(on-site, some flex) | £45,000–£55,000
About Our client is a two-year-old, fast-growing business delivering financial and operational services to companies at pivotal moments. Clients fall into two camps: those who want structure, tax and financial management done properly, and those in real trouble who need intervention before liquidation.
The founder has built the business around speed, quality and accuracy - a deep contact network and a "fixer" reputation mean clients come to him when it matters most, and they expect him to move fast and get it right. Some of those clients are calm and methodical. Others are mid-crisis, weeks from insolvency, and understandably not at their best. You'll need to be steady with both.
The Role This is a right-hand-to-the-founder role: half operations, half commercial support. You'll be the person who makes sure he walks into every meeting fully prepared, and that everything agreed in that meeting actually happens afterwards.
What you'll do: Prepare the groundwork before client and stakeholder meetings - pulling together company data, financials and insight to support decision-making Attend meetings alongside the founder and own the follow-through on actions Liaise with delivery partners and compliance contacts to keep execution on track Run the CRM, client onboarding and compliance checks Hold multiple live client situations at once, often at different stages of urgency Make direct contact with external accountants and insolvency partners/network for onboarding and general information gathering
What this role is not: it's not a finance operations job - you won't own AP, AR, month-end or payroll. And it's not a fit for a corporate PMO mindset - heavy process, governance and documentation for their own sake will slow this business down, not help it.
What We're Looking For Someone who has consistently operated beyond their job title - not because they were told to, but because they saw what needed doing. We'll want a real example of you anticipating a need before anyone asked. Genuinely comfortable with ambiguity and shifting priorities, holding several live situations at once without needing everything mapped out in advance Numerate and sharp with financial and company data - able to read it, question it and use it to support decision-making, without being an accountant yourself Calm and steady describing difficult, high-stakes or emotional client situations - this isn't a role for someone who needs distressed clients kept at arm's length Focused on outcomes, not process - you'll talk about what got done and what changed, not the steps you followed to get there Confident liaising directly with external accountants, insolvency practitioners and compliance contacts CRM-savvy, organised, and reliable on follow-through - things don't get missed on your watch
What this role is not: this is not a finance operations job. You won't own AP, AR, month-end or payroll.
Location & Working Pattern Based on-site in Orpington with some flexibility. This is not a remote role. We're looking for candidates within easy reach of Orpington, Petts Wood, Chislehurst, Bromley, Sidcup, Swanley, Bexley, Beckenham or West Wickham. Candidates from Dartford or Gravesend will also be considered.