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AI & Data Operational Excellence Sr. Mgr

Aggregate function:  Shared Services
Business Area:  AI & Data Service Tower
Posting Country:  United Kingdom
Date Posted:  25 Aug 2026
Full Time / Part Time:  Full Time
Contract Type:  Permanent

At Vodafone, we’re working hard to build a better future. A more connected, inclusive and sustainable world. As a dynamic global community, it's our human spirit, together with technology, that empowers us to achieve this. 

We challenge and innovate in order to connect people, businesses, and communities across the world. Delighting our customers and earning their loyalty drive us, and we experiment, learn fast and get it done, together.

With us, you can be truly be yourself and belong, share inspiration, embrace new opportunities, thrive, and make a real difference.

Who we are

VOIS (Vodafone Intelligent Solutions) is a strategic arm of Vodafone Group Plc, creating value for customers by delivering intelligent solutions through Talent, Technology & Transformation.
As the largest shared services organisation in the global telco industry with 30,000 FTE, our portfolio of next-generation solutions and services are designed in partnership with customers across Vodafone Group, local markets, and partner markets to simplify and drive growth. With our strategic partner Accenture, we work alongside our Vodafone customers, other Telco and tech companies to drive transformation, meet the challenges of our industry and ensure we stay relevant and resilient. This partnership is a unique, industry-first model which brings together the best of in-house and 3rd party capability.
We work with customers across 28 countries from 10 VOIS locations: Albania, Egypt, Hungary, India, Romania, Spain, Turkey, UK, Germany, Ireland, and with a network of teams in Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, and Portugal.
#VOIS #BeUnrivalled #CreateTheFuture

About this Role

We are seeking an AI & Data Operational Excellence Lead to drive operational excellence across the AI & Data Service Tower by converting strategy and investment into measurable business value. This role is responsible for establishing disciplined value management, performance governance, executive reporting, dynamic forecasting and vendor outcome management to ensure delivery remains transparent, predictable and continuously improving at scale.
Acting as the execution engine of the AI & Data Service Tower, the role translates strategic intent into scalable operational frameworks, linking spend, capacity, delivery and benefits through robust governance and financial discipline. The successful candidate will work closely with Finance, delivery teams, leadership and external partners to ensure AI and Data services operate as a high-performing business with clear accountability, profitability and measurable outcomes.

What you’ll do

  • Own value management across the AI & Data Service Tower, linking spend, capacity, delivery and benefits realisation.
  • Establish and maintain a consistent benefits management approach, tracking value hypotheses, delivery progress and realised outcomes.
  • Own KPI frameworks, operational dashboards and executive reporting to provide leadership with meaningful performance insights.
  • Generate decision-ready reporting that highlights performance trends, risks, bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement.
  • Lead forecasting cycles, variance analysis and financial monitoring to maintain investment efficiency and financial transparency.
  • Own budget forecasting and financial governance processes across the Tower portfolio.
  • Work closely with Finance stakeholders to improve forecast accuracy and support informed investment decisions.
  • Own vendor performance governance and drive supplier outcome optimisation against agreed service expectations.
  • Identify opportunities to improve commercial value, delivery performance and operational effectiveness across the partner ecosystem.
  • Establish a repeatable operational cadence of reviews, insights, governance forums and action tracking.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives that increase delivery predictability, strengthen performance outcomes and enable informed decision-making.
  • Support policy development and execution frameworks aligned to strategic objectives and operational excellence principles.

Who you are

  • Broad and comprehensive understanding of operational excellence, business performance management and continuous improvement methodologies.
  • Experience leading planning activities, budget management, profitability performance and policy alignment to strategic objectives.
  • Proven financial management responsibility across complex portfolios, programmes or organisational functions.
  • Strong understanding of value realisation, financial governance, forecasting and portfolio performance management.
  • Highly developed communication and negotiation skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders internally and externally.
  • Strong commercial awareness with an in-depth understanding of how organisational functions integrate to deliver outcomes.
  • Degree in business, engineering, finance, data, technology or equivalent professional experience.
  • Good understanding of AI and Data delivery models and operating environments.
  • Experience with KPI frameworks, executive reporting, forecasting processes and portfolio control disciplines.
  • Familiarity with vendor management, supplier governance and commercial performance management.
  • Strong analytical, organisational and stakeholder management skills with the ability to drive measurable results.

Not a perfect fit?

Concerned you may not meet every requirement? Vodafone is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. If you are excited about this role but your experience does not align exactly with every aspect of the job description, you are encouraged to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or another opportunity, and the recruitment team will support you in exploring where your skills fit best.

What's in it for you

  • Opportunity to shape operational excellence across a strategically important AI & Data organisation.
  • Accountability for value realisation, forecasting, performance governance and commercial outcomes across a large-scale portfolio.
  • Exposure to enterprise-wide AI and Data transformation initiatives across international markets and functions.
  • Significant influence over a Service Tower Profit & Loss, including budgets of up to €105m in costs and recoveries of €138m in revenues.
  • Opportunity to collaborate with senior leaders, Finance teams, delivery organisations and strategic suppliers to drive measurable business impact.

What skills you will learn

  • Advanced operational excellence and business performance management practices.
  • Enterprise-scale financial planning, forecasting and investment governance techniques.
  • Value realisation management and benefits tracking methodologies.
  • Executive reporting, KPI framework design and decision-support analytics.
  • Strategic vendor management and commercial governance capabilities.
  • Leadership of large-scale AI and Data operating models within a complex global environment.

VOIS Equal Opportunity Employer Commitment

Vodafone recognises and celebrates the value of diversity in building a workforce that reflects the customers and communities it serves. No form of discrimination is tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, discrimination based on race, colour, age, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, ethnicity, disability, religion or belief, political affiliation, trade union membership, nationality, citizenship, indigenous status, medical condition, HIV status, neurodiversity, social origin, cultural background, marital or civil partnership status, or socio-economic background. 

Join Us

At Vodafone, we’re working hard to build a better future. A more connected, inclusive and sustainable world. As a dynamic global community, it's our human spirit, together with technology, that empowers us to achieve this.
We challenge and innovate in order to connect people, businesses, and communities across the world. Delighting our customers and earning their loyalty drive us, and we experiment, learn fast and get it done, together.
With us, you can truly be yourself and belong, share inspiration, embrace new opportunities, thrive, and make a real difference.

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Vodafone is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the very best people by offering a motivating and inclusive workplace in which talent is truly recognised and rewarded. We are committed to promoting Inclusion for All with the belief that diversity plays an important role in the success of our business. We actively encourage everyone to consider becoming a part of our journey.

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