Willis Towers Watson - Manager - Operational Excellence

Position : Manager

Location : Mumbai, Vikhroli/ Thane

Reporting to : Head of Operational Excellence

Job Summary :

- The primary focus of this role is to fully embed Operational Excellence (OpEx) across the business to build a lasting and sustainable operations management capability.

- This is a leadership role within the OpEx team and involves the identification, assessment and implementation of operational improvement opportunities that deliver lasting customer and business benefits.

Principal Duties/Responsibilities :

- Leading teams in the identification of opportunities for operational improvements to be implemented that deliver material benefit for WTW

- Ensure the WTW OpEx methodology, tools, technologies and thinking are embedded into the operation

- Create and deliver a communications plan which builds a deep and wide understanding of OpEx across the Division

- Collaborate with other Divisions and operational hubs (often across different geographies) to maximise benefit realisation

- Operate as an exemplar to constructively challenge the organisation to constantly improve operational capability and performance

- Coach senior leaders within the division on the application of OpEx

Required Qualifications, Skills, Knowledge, Experience :

Qualifications :

- Minimum Bachelors degree mandatory

- Additional Certification in Operations Improvement methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma will be an added advantage

Skills :

- Process, operations management and organisation design orientated. An organiser with strong planning ability and attention to detail

- Programme and project management - ability to co-ordinate multiple complex projects simultaneously

- Personal drive to achieve significant change in relatively short periods of time

- Able to make decisions under a high pressure environment

- Change management

- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

- Strategic thinker who can decompose complex issues and find solutions

- Excellent stakeholder management

- Ability to deliver great customer service

- Ability to influence and work well within the team

- Risk and Issue management

- Excellent computer skills and proficient in MS Office Suites

Knowledge/Experience :

- Program Management experience of large and complex projects and track record of significant delivery

- Previously acting as a main point of contact for complex and OpEx queries across multiple teams

- Knowledge of operational improvement/Lean methodologies and personal history of applying them to deliver business benefits within an organisation. Experience of process re-design and improvement

- Knowledge of process automation / digitisation techniques and technologies

- Experience and knowledge of working in a global services organisation

- Ability to influence senior stakeholders (across different geographies) and communicate well at all levels, delivery to suit audience

- Ability to structure, analyse and present complex ideas and data, as well as resolve complex problems

- Ability to work with 3rd party consultancies to deliver results

- Able to determine options, prioritise and make decisions that drive programme and organisational agenda forward but which also focusses on - doing the right thing

- Able to motivate and lead large cross-sections of the organisation through the OpEx journey

- Ability to operate effectively whilst under considerable pressure

Competencies :

Strategic :

Business acumen Knows how businesses work; knowledgeable in current and possible future policies, practices, trends, technology, and information affecting his/her business and organisation; knows the competition; is aware of how strategies and tactics work in the marketplace.

Decision quality : Makes good decisions (without considering how much time it takes) based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; most of his/her solutions and suggestions turn out to be correct and accurate when judged over time; sought out by others for advice and solutions.

Problem Solving : Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn't stop at the first answers.

Dealing with ambiguity : Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn't upset when things are up in the air; doesn't have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.

Creativity : Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.

Strategic agility : Sees ahead clearly; can anticipate future consequences and trends accurately; has broad knowledge and perspective; is future oriented; can articulately paint credible pictures and visions of possibilities and likelihoods; can create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans.

Operational Planning : Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects; sets objectives and goals; breaks down work into the process steps; develops schedules and task/people assignments; anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks; measures performance against goals; evaluates results.

Developing direct reports and others Provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments; holds frequent development discussions; is aware of each person's frequent development discussions; is aware of each person's career goals; constructs compelling development plans and executes them; pushes people to accept developmental moves; will take on those who need help and further development; cooperates with the

Directing others : Is good at establishing clear directions; sets stretching objectives; distributes the workload appropriately; lays out work in a well-planned and organised manner; maintains two-way dialogue with others on work and results; brings out the best in people; is a clear communicator.

Managing through systems : Can design practices, processes, and procedures which allow managing from a distance; is comfortable letting things manage themselves without intervening; can make things work through others without being there; can impact people and results remotely.

Command skills : Relishes leading; takes unpopular stands if necessary; encourages direct and tough debate but isn't afraid to end it and move on; is looked to for direction in a crisis; faces adversity head on; energized by tough challenges.

Conflict management : Steps up to conflicts, seeing them as opportunities; reads situations quickly; good at focused listening; can hammer out tough agreements and settle disputes equitably; can find common ground and get cooperation with minimum noise.

Managerial courage : Doesn't hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and "actionable" positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct reports) quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary.

Sizing up people : Is a good judge of talent; after reasonable exposure, can articulate the strengths and limitations of people inside or outside the organisation; can accurately project what people are likely to do across a variety of situations.

Energy and Drive :

Action oriented : Enjoys working hard; is action oriented and full of energy for the things he/she sees as challenging; not fearful of acting with a minimum of planning; seizes more opportunities than others.

Perseverance : Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.

Organisational agility : Knowledgeable about how organisations work; knows how to get things done both through formal channels and the informal network; understands the origin and reasoning behind key policies, practices, and procedures; understands the cultures of organisations.

Political savvy : Can manoeuvre through complex political situations effectively and quietly; is sensitive to how people and organisations function; anticipates where the land mines are and plans his/her approach accordingly; views corporate politics as a necessary part of organisational life and works to adjust to that reality; is a maze-bright person.

Comfort around higher management : Can deal comfortably with more senior managers; can present to more senior managers without undue tension and nervousness; understands how senior managers think and work; can determine the best way to get things done with them by talking their language and responding to their needs; can craft approaches likely to be seen as appropriate and positive.

Personal and Interpersonal Skills :

Approachability : Is easy to approach and talk to; spends the extra effort to put others at ease; can be warm, pleasant; and gracious; is sensitive to and patient with the interpersonal anxieties of others; builds rapport well; is a good listener; is an early knower, getting informal and incomplete information in time to do something about it.

Compassion : Genuinely cares about people; is concerned about their work and non-work problems; is available and ready to help; is sympathetic to the plight of others not as fortunate; demonstrates real empathy with the joys and pains of others.

Customer focus : Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

Motivating others : Creates a climate in which people want to do their best; can motivate many kinds of direct reports and team or project members; can assess each person's hot button and use it to get the best out of him/her; pushes tasks and decisions down; empowers others; invites input from each person and shares ownership and visibility; makes each individual feel his/her work is important; is someone people like working for and with.

Building effective teams : Blends people into teams when needed; creates strong morale and spirit in his/her team; shares wins and successes; fosters open dialogue; lets people finish and be responsible for their work; defines success in terms of the whole team; creates a feeling of belonging in the team.

Integrity and trust Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn't misrepresent him/herself for personal gain.

Composure : Is cool under pressure; does not become defensive or irritated when time are tough; is considered mature; can be counted on to hold things together during tough times; can handle stress; is not knocked off balance by the unexpected; doesn't show frustration when resisted or blocked; is a settling influence in a crisis.

Dealing with paradox : Can act in ways that seem contradictory; is very flexible and adaptable when facing tough calls; can combine seeming opposites like being compassionately tough, stand up for self without trampling others, set strong but flexible standards; can act differently depending upon the situation; is seen as balanced despite the conflicting demands of the situation.

Self-development : Is personally committed to and actively works to continuously improve him/herself; understands that different situations and levels may call for different skills and approaches; works to deploy strengths; works on compensating for weakness and limits.

Understanding others : Understands why groups do what they do; picks up the sense of the group in terms of positions, intentions, and needs; what they value and how to motivate them; can predict what groups will do across different situations.

Managing vision and purpose : Communicates a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose; talks beyond today; talks about possibilities; is optimistic; creates mileposts and symbols to rally support behind the vision; makes the vision sharable by everyone; can inspire and motivate entire units or organisations.