Operations Partner

This is a strategic appointment with significant influence across all areas of the business. The role commands a seat on the Main Board, with the potential to become a Statutory Director, and carries responsibility for the effective and efficient operation of the practice. As Operations Partner, you will be a key strategic leader, helping to guide and support the practice at the highest level.

You will lead and manage our multi-disciplinary established operations teams, including finance, people, IT, marketing, administration, and business management, ensuring the systems and processes that underpin our work are robust, agile and aligned with our strategic goals. You will be accountable for implementing operational plans in line with the company’s broader strategy and analysing performance to identify and drive improvements.

The strength of your approach (measured, supportive, and collaborative) will be key to working alongside the board and studio leads while empowering others to deliver at the highest standard. Based out of one our regional hubs, either London, Cambridge, Oxford or Manchester, regular travel will be vital, ensuring a consistent and connected presence across the practice.

We have staff of approximately 300 talented architects, designers, heritage consultants and surveyors across 14 offices, in the UK, Hong Kong and Australia. Winners of Architect Employer of the Year 2022.

Collaboration is central to our employee-ownership culture, providing opportunities to work on some of the finest buildings; from meticulous heritage and conservation schemes to bold contemporary design. We offer a rewarding and supportive environment for personal and professional development and our employee-owned ethos empowers everyone to use their voice. We believe in creating an equitable and inclusive culture, founded on our values, which celebrates knowledge sharing and our successes, to build an inspiring work environment.

It is our distinctive employee-owned working culture that has contributed to our status as a World Architecture Top 100 Practice, renowned for our excellence in architecture and heritage consultancy.

Our benefits package includes

• Agile, flexible and hybrid working, (a minimum of 3 days in office, up to 2 days WFH)
• Annual leave increasing with long service
• Life assurance
• Study sponsorship with paid study leave
• Sabbaticals
• Employee assistance programme
• Season ticket loans
• Cycle to work scheme
• Virtual GP service
• Subscription fees
• Company day out
• A volunteering scheme
• Enhanced learning & development opportunities.

The role

As Operations Partner, you will:

• Hold a strategic leadership position as a member of the Main Board
• Chair and lead the Operations Board, managing and supporting Heads of Function across key operational disciplines
• Oversee the day-to-day running of the practice, ensuring our internal systems and processes support efficiency, productivity, and excellence
• Implement and review operational plans, driving alignment with Purcell’s wider business strategy, The Collective Ambition
• Monitor and manage operational risk, contractual, financial, and process-related, ensuring proactive planning and effective mitigations
• Be a key communicator and presence across all studios, acting as a visible ambassador for the Board’s vision and priorities
• Support our CEO with strategic delivery, forward planning, and balancing of priorities
• Work closely with Regional Partners and the Employee Council to embed good practice and drive cultural alignment
• Represent operational matters at Board level, and act as the conduit between the Main Board and the wider Practice
• Mentor senior team members, support performance management, and model leadership that reflects our values and purpose

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for a seasoned, people-centred leader with a strong understanding of the operational workings of a design-led, project-based organisation. You will bring:

• Minimum 15 years’ experience in the construction or architecture industry
• A degree-level qualification or equivalent professional background
• A confident, strategic mindset and proven experience leading business operations
• Strong leadership and management skills, with a collaborative and empowering approach
• Strong understanding of financial, contractual, and operational risk
• Strong communication, influencing and interpersonal skills at all levels
• An analytical and organised approach to problem-solving and change
• Calm, empathetic, and resilient under pressure
• A deep alignment with Purcell’s values and employee-ownership ethos

Please email a copy of your CV and portfolio. Please include details of your Right to Work in the United Kingdom, as well as an available start date.

Send your application to [email protected]

This job description is a guide to the duties the post holder will be expected to undertake. It is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive and will be subject to change as working requirements dictate and to meet the organisational requirements of Purcell.

Don’t meet every single requirement? That’s okay.

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented backgrounds can be less likely to apply unless they meet every criteria listed. At Purcell, we are committed to building an inclusive, transparent, and welcoming team. If you’re enthusiastic about the role and excited to grow and learn with us, we warmly encourage you to apply.

When applying, please feel free to use your preferred name — we don’t require full or birth names at this stage.

We are proud to foster a culture of kindness, respect, and authenticity, where everyone can thrive and bring their whole selves to work.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unfortunately unable to provide individual feedback. If you have not heard from us within 6 weeks of your original application, then you have been unsuccessful. Please continue to look at our vacancies and apply where relevant. We wish you all the best in your job search.

As world leaders of heritage and conservation, Purcell is committed to embracing diversity and equal opportunity within our international teams, reflective of the society in which we work and live.

We welcome people from all backgrounds and celebrate differences through our culture of employee ownership.