Director, Operational Transformation

FTSE Russell is seeking an experienced and dynamic Senior Leader to drive the transformation and change management of operations within our Benchmark and Index Management division!

This role will be responsible for developing and owning the strategy for automation and migration of operational processes across Index Management, Data Management, and Index Rebalances.

The ideal candidate will possess strong technical knowledge, exceptional stakeholder management skills, and a proven track record in large-scale transformation within the financial services or index industry.

Role Scope & Purpose

• Own the operational transformation agenda for Benchmark and Index Management, with accountability for outcomes rather than activity.

• Design and implement a future‑state Target Operating Model (TOM) that enables scalable growth, improved control, and faster innovation.

• Act as a senior partner to business, technology, risk, and data leadership, balancing commercial priorities with regulatory and operational requirements.

• Lead transformation as a combination of process, technology, organisational change, and behavioural adoption.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Transformation & Target Operating Model

• Define and own the strategy for automation and migration of operational processes across the Benchmark & Index Management lifecycle.

• Design a Target Operating Model that clearly articulates:

  • End‑to‑end processes and ownership

  • Decision rights and governance

  • Control points and risk ownership

  • Technology enablement and data flows

• Translate strategic intent into a coherent, prioritised transformation roadmap with clear milestones and outcomes.

Organisational Change & Adoption

• Lead transformation with a strong focus on organisational change, ensuring initiatives are adopted, embedded, and sustained.

• Sponsor change management approaches covering collaborator impact, communication, capability uplift, and behavioural change.

• Support leaders and SMEs through role and accountability shifts required by the future operating model.

Cross‑Domain Operational Leadership

Provide cohesive leadership across multiple, interdependent operational domains:

• Index Management

  • Transform processes supporting index lifecycle activity, including corporate actions and methodology changes.

  • Improve scalability, timeliness, and consistency while reducing dependency on manual intervention.

• Data Management

  • Redesign data operations to improve quality, accuracy, traceability, and resilience.

  • Strengthen ownership and accountability for data across the operating model.

• Index Rebalances

  • Innovate and automate rebalance processes to enhance execution certainty, accuracy, and time‑critical delivery.

  • Reduce operational risk in high‑volume, market‑sensitive events.

Technology & Automation Enablement

• Set a clear strategic direction for process automation and enabling technologies.

• Balance tactical delivery with long‑term platform evolution.

• Ensure teams develop the skills, tools, and mindset required to operate in a more automated, data‑driven environment.

Governance, Risk & Resilience

• Ensure transformation activity strengthens operational resilience, control, and governance.

• Embed risk considerations into process design rather than addressing them retrospectively.

• Balance a control‑driven environment with the need to deliver responsive, time‑critical solutions for clients.

Value, Prioritisation & Execution

• Identify and prioritise initiatives based on business value, risk reduction, scalability, and strategic fit.

• Own investment cases, sequencing decisions, and budget accountability.

• Make and stand behind difficult trade‑offs when capacity, funding, or timing constraints arise.

Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead and develop a team of change, transformation and process efficiency specialists, alongside business subject‑matter experts.

• Build transformation capability within the business, moving from dependency on central roles to embedded ownership.

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and collaboration.

Measurement