Operations Manager

The role We are looking to hire an Operations Manager to join our Mindset Consultancy team in London. Working at WGSN Together, we create tomorrow A career with WGSN is fast-paced, exciting and full of opportunities to grow and develop. We're a team of consumer and design trend forecasters, content creators, designers, data analysts, advisory consultants and much more, united by a common goal: to create tomorrow. WGSN's trusted consumer and design forecasts power outstanding product design, enabling our customers to create a better future. Our services cover consumer insights, beauty, consumer tech, fashion, interiors, lifestyle, food and drink forecasting, data analytics and expert advisory. If you are an expert in your field, we want to hear from you. Role overview We are looking to hire a curious and inquisitive Operations Manager to primarily support the successful running of all parts of the consultancy business. You'll have experience in and understand a consultancy business model, demonstrate exceptional organisation, communication, and collaboration skills with the ability to manage all aspects of the day-to-day operations of the business. The WGSN Mindset team You will be joining a collaborative team of global consultants. Our teams at WGSN are diverse, tenacious, resilient, and extremely dedicated because they truly believe in the value WGSN services bring to our global clientele who operate in Fashion, Beauty, Interiors, Food & Drink and Consumer Tech. We never compromise on collaboration which allows us to have a strong team dynamic. Key accountabilities

• Support, collaborate and train Mindset team members to ensure all commercial and financial reporting is effective and accurate.
• Manage, track and provide analytical insight to the global finance and senior Mindset team to ensure the team delivers on financial KPIs, and revenue budgets and forecasts are met.
• Constantly be looking for new efficiencies and ways of working that will improve the business operations.
• Support on the delivery of bespoke research projects through the administration of external resource and working with consultants to manage materials, workspaces, project costings, and other areas to ensure projects are delivered on time and to budget.
• Support project management for our consultancy project work, collaborating with colleagues and sales teams where appropriate.
• Measure and evaluate project performance and profitability using appropriate systems, tools and techniques to provide strategic plans for improvement.
• Establish excellent relationships and act as liaison across the business; with Account Management, New Business, Finance & Legal and Consultants.
• Advocate for diversity and inclusion and demonstrate these values internally and externally.

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other activities you are required to deliver. Skills, experience & qualifications required

• Solid experience of operations coordination and/or project management preferably within an agency or consultancy environment.
• Strong organisational skills including attention to detail and multi-tasking skills.
• Knowledge and understanding of project management fundamentals.
• Good organisation, communication and collaboration skills with the ability to lead and work within an international team to ensure operations and outputs are of a consistently high standard.
• Excellent time management, prioritisation and multi-tasking skills.
• Excellent budgeting/analytical skills and writing ability.
• Knowledge of the role data and analytics plays in the business process.
• Technical skills: Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Slack. Salesforce and Oracle would be an advantage.

Ascential’s supporting beliefs

• Focus: we ruthlessly prioritise and always keep things simple
• All in: once we commit we deliver, with a clear focus on outcome
• Trustworthiness, transparency & openness: transparency inspires trust & empowers
• Be creative: we are smart, pro-active innovators
• Facts: we always use data & insight to inform our work
• Empathy: we can be relied upon for fairness and consideration
• No silos: one team, one face, one reputation

What we offer Our benefits and wellbeing package offers flexible benefits you can tailor to your own personal needs, including:

• 25 days of holiday per year - with an option to buy/ sell up to 5 days
• Pension, Life Assurance and Income Protection
• Flexible benefits platform with options including Private Medical, Dental Insurance, Critical Illness, and the Ascential Shares Scheme – opt in
• Employee assistance programme, season ticket loans and cycle to work scheme
• Volunteering opportunities and charitable giving options
• Great learning and development opportunities.

More about WGSN WGSN is the global authority on consumer trend forecasting. We help brands around the world create the right products at the right time for tomorrow’s consumer. Our culture An inclusive culture is one of our key priorities. We want our people to truly be themselves and thrive. We love having a diverse team of people who bring new ideas, different strengths and perspectives & reflect the global audience we work with. Why choose us? At Ascential, diversity, equity and inclusion is core to us. We’re a company built around our people - and we’re committed to supporting each and every one of them to be the best they can be. We love having a diverse team of people who bring new ideas and different strengths and perspectives to Ascential. Our employee-led networks, Ascential Pride, Black in Business and EmPower: An Ascential Women's Initiative, help us to create a place where communities and allies can connect and share experiences. In addition, our Early Talent programmes help grow and foster diverse new talent for our sectors. We are committed to supporting the environment and sustainability, including ensuring our pension plan defaults to sustainable options and striving to be net zero by 2030. Recognising great performance is a key part of our culture. Our Awards schemes recognise and reward the brilliant achievements of our people. We have a truly flexible working environment with a wide range of flexible, hybrid and agile-working arrangements. Conversations about flexible working have always been - and will continue to be - actively encouraged here. We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to perform their best when interviewing, so if you require any reasonable adjustments that would make you more comfortable during the process, please let us know so that we can do our best to support you. If we inspire you, why not join and inspire us? Find out more on what our People say