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Vodafone • Newbury, United Kingdom

Senior Business Manager (6 Month Fixed Term Contract)

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8.8

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Job Description

Join Us

At Vodafone, we’re not just shaping the future of connectivity for our customers – we’re shaping the future for everyone who joins our team. When you work with us, you’re part of a global mission to connect people, solve complex challenges, and create a sustainable and more inclusive world. If you want to grow your career whilst finding the perfect balance between work and life, Vodafone offers the opportunities to help you belong and make a real impact.

What you’ll do

This role is responsible for designing, leading, and owning both business management and operating model effectiveness, ensuring strategic alignment across the Group CIO’s scope of accountability. The role is focused equally on business management—ensuring streamlined governance, financial control, and leadership support—and on defining and optimising the operating model to enable the Group CIO’s vision and strategy.

Key accountabilities and decision ownership

Business management:

  • Design and lead the operational effectiveness of the CIO Office, ensuring streamlined governance, reporting, and decision-making frameworks drive efficiency and alignment.
  • Design and own the cadence and structure of leadership reporting, executive decision-making, and risk management processes.
  • Lead the preparation of executive-level briefings, presentations, and business cases to support senior leadership in key decision-making.
  • Be accountable for fostering strong collaboration across Group and local markets, acting as a strategic liaison to drive alignment and execution of key initiatives.

Operational effectiveness:

  • Engage with local markets, Group Technology, and business leaders to design and execute tailored technology and business strategies that are operationally viable.
  • Own and lead the identification of inefficiencies, gaps, and areas for improvement, ensuring operational alignment with strategic priorities.
  • Lead the identification and execution of opportunities e.g. re-use, process simplification, and operational efficiency.
  • Develop and own governance mechanisms to ensure transparent decision-making, responsiveness, and predictability within operational structures.
  • Lead the development and implementation of frameworks that drive operational effectiveness, ensuring clear accountability, ownership, and performance measurement across key business functions.
  • Ensure the alignment of performance metrics, operational KPIs, and continuous improvement methodologies to drive measurable impact across business units.
  • Be accountable for engaging with local markets, Group Technology, and business leaders to ensure the seamless adoption and execution of operating model enhancements, and subsequent strategy execution.

Who you are

Must have qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree (or equivalent) in Business, Strategy, Technology or a related field.
  • Experience in telecommunications, technology, or digital transformation is highly desirable.
  • Strong commercial acumen and experience working in a global matrixed organisation.
  • Proven experience in designing and implementing operating models within a global business environment.
  • Deep understanding of enterprise IT, cloud, and digital operating models, and how they integrate with business strategy.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

  • Ability to define and execute operating model strategies that align with business goals and drive measurable outcomes.
  • Proven leadership experience overseeing operations, budgets, and leadership team alignment across complex organisations.
  • Understanding of enterprise IT, cloud, and digital operating models.
  • Strong stakeholder management with the ability to influence C-level executives and drive alignment across diverse teams.
  • Skilled in communication across multiple countries and the ability to choose style, media & technique suitable to audience
  • Expertise in process optimisation, continuous improvement, and performance tracking, ensuring effective execution of business and technology strategies.
  • Excellent storytelling, presentation, and executive engagement skills, with the ability to communicate complex information effectively to senior stakeholders.
  • Skilled in managing transformation initiatives across multiple geographies, ensuring alignment between local and global objectives

Not a perfect fit?

Worried that you don’t meet all the desired criteria exactly? At Vodafone we are passionate about empowering people and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to still apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another opportunity.

What's in it for you

  • Yearly bonus: 20%
  • Company car: company funded car of £580 per month + private fuel or cash alternative of £630
    per month.
  • Annual leave: 28 days + bank holidays + the opportunity to buy/sell/carry over 5 days/year
  • Charity days: 5 days/year
  • Maternity leave: 52 weeks: the first 13 weeks are fully paid, followed by 26 weeks of half pay
  • Private pension: You can contribute up to 5% of your basic pay with 2:1 matching from Vodafone up to 10%.
  • Access to: private medical, private dental, free health assessments, share save scheme
  • Additional discounts: Vodafone retail, gym, cinema, cycle to work, season ticket loan

Who we are

We are a leading international Telco, serving millions of customers. At Vodafone, we believe that connectivity is a force for good. If we use it for the things that really matter, it can improve people's lives and the world around us. Through our technology we empower people, connecting everyone regardless of who they are or where they live and we protect the planet, whilst helping our customers do the same.

Belonging at Vodafone isn't a concept; it's lived, breathed, and cultivated through everything we do. You'll be part of a global and diverse community, with many different minds, abilities, backgrounds and cultures. ;We're committed to increase diversity, ensure equal representation, and make Vodafone a place everyone feels safe, valued and included.

If you require any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request as part of your recruitment journey, for example, extended time or breaks in between online assessments, please refer to https://careers.vodafone.com/application-adjustments/ for guidance.

Together we can.

Company benefits

UK (28), India (22), Egypt (21), Hungary (20), Romania (20), Albania (22), Turkey (14) days annual leave + bank holidays
Work from anywhere scheme – work for up to 20 days/year abroad (dependant on country)
Annual bonus – dependant on company performance
Employee discounts
Personal development days – once per quarter
Learning platform – access to Harvard Business Publishing, MIT Horizon and Skillsoft
Enhanced maternity leave – 16 weeks (paid) with a phased return to work over 6 months
Enhanced paternity leave – 16 weeks (paid) with a phased return to work over 6 months
Volunteer days – up to 5 days
Coaching – access to a free certified internal pool of coaches
Mentoring
Carer’s leave
Adoption leave – 16 weeks (paid) with a phased return to work over 6 months
Enhanced sick days
Mental health platform access
Mental health first aiders
Employee assistance programme
Complimentary Medical Services – 24/7 online doctor service
Compassionate leave
Home office set up
Buddy scheme
Referral bonus
Early finish Fridays
Buy or sell annual leave
Cycle to work scheme
Life insurance
Sabbaticals
Salary sacrifice
Share options
Teambuilding days
Faith rooms
Enhanced pension match/contribution
LinkedIn learning license

Working at Vodafone

Company employees

85,887

Gender diversity (male:female)

61:39

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