Operations & Risk Manager

THE ROLE

At Debenhams Group, we are on a journey of transformation, revitalising our brand, culture, and connection with colleagues and customers alike. In a fast-changing retail environment, effective and authentic communication is vital to building trust, aligning our teams, and amplifying the impact of our work across internal and external audiences.

We are looking to hire an experienced Operations & Risk Manager for our DebenhamsPay+ financial services.

This role will be based out of our central Manchester office.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING

Operational management & delivery

• Manage the day-to-day operation of agreed processes, ensuring activity is delivered in line with Pay+ & Financial Services priorities, Group objectives and approved operating standards.
• Coordinate operational activity across internal teams and Customer Service functions to support effective customer servicing, complaints handling, collections activity and incident response.
• Support the Head of Credit Risk & Operations in translating process ownership requirements into clear routines, controls, service expectations and action plans for day-to-day delivery.

Governance, risk & regulatory support

• Manage the operational risk process on a day-to-day basis, including maintenance of relevant operational-based system risk register entries, control actions, issue logs and risk appetite monitoring.
• Ensure incidents, control issues and emerging risks are identified, assessed, escalated and resolved promptly, with good customer outcomes prioritised throughout.
• Maintain effective governance evidence, reporting packs and action tracking to support process owner oversight, regulatory expectations, audit activity and senior management decision-making.
• Support the ongoing embedding of operational resilience, business continuity and issue resolution arrangements, ensuring plans, dependencies, lessons learned and remediation activity remain current.
• Prepare clear recommendations and escalation updates where risks move outside tolerance, incidents require senior attention or process decisions are needed.

Incident management & issue resolution

• Act as the day-to-day coordinator for operational incidents, ensuring appropriate triage, customer impact assessment, ownership of actions, escalation and timely closure.
• Lead post-incident reviews and root-cause analysis, translating lessons learned into practical improvements to controls, processes, MI and colleague guidance.
• Maintain incident logs, action trackers and evidence to support governance, auditability and consistent reporting to the Head of Credit Risk & Operations.

Performance & continuous improvement

• Monitor operational KPIs, SLAs, risk indicators and cost efficiency measures, identifying exceptions and coordinating practical actions to improve performance and control effectiveness.
• Produce and maintain operational, risk and incident dashboards that provide accurate insight, highlight trends, support escalation and enable informed decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to simplify processes, strengthen controls, reduce repeat issues and improve the experience for customers and colleagues.

People & Partner Management

• Provide reliable day-to-day oversight, ensuring data, reporting and process evidence are accurate, timely and fit for governance purposes.
• Support and coach operational colleagues involved in the processes, helping to set clear expectations, routines, KPIs and accountability for delivery.
• Manage day-to-day engagement with third-party service providers and outsourcing partners, ensuring performance, issues and risks are monitored in line with agreed governance frameworks.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships across Product, Technology, Risk, Compliance and Customer teams to support joined-up delivery and timely resolution of cross-functional issues.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

• Previous experience working within a FCA regulated environment, ideally within the consumer credit sector
• Solid understanding of collections & arrears management
• Firm understanding of risk management processes from identification to control design & implementation
• Experience of leading a small team
• An analytical mindset and competence in using Excel
• Experience of presenting to senior leaders

WORKING WITH US 

At Debenhams Group we thrive on change, innovation, and pace. Every challenge is an opportunity, and every day is a chance to push boundaries. If you’re someone who embraces the unknown, thrives in a fast-moving, high-growth environment, and is ready to shape the future of retail, you’ll love it here. We want visionaries, disruptors, and doers—people who bring fresh thinking, relentless energy, and the drive to make an impact. 

WHY JOIN US

Our mission is to create a workplace where everyone is respected, individual differences are valued, and people can be themselves at work — without exception.

2025 was a year of significant change for the Group. 2026 is about bold moves, real results and unstoppable momentum. If that excites you, you belong at Debenhams Group.

Our benefits include (subject to level and eligibility):

• Highly competitive bonus scheme, company pension, share schemes, private medical cover and life assurance
• Access to an on-site gym and free weekly Pilates, yoga and fitness classes
• Discount across all brands
• Comprehensive wellbeing package
• Dog-friendly offices (in selected locations)
• Ongoing learning and development with strong internal progression
• On-site canteen serving breakfast, lunch, snacks and hot drinks
• Free season ticket loan

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