Head of Operating Model Enablement & Programme Management
We’re Pentland Brands: a global family business behind some of the world’s most iconic active and lifestyle brands. We bring integrity, energy and ambition to our work, setting high standards and striving to deliver great outcomes without ego.
Shape the work behind some of the world’s most loved sport, outdoor and lifestyle brands.
At Pentland Brands, every role helps move our brands forward. Whether you’re supporting our people, improving our systems, growing our commercial performance, strengthening operations or shaping better ways of working, your impact reaches across a portfolio of iconic brands used by consumers around the world.
This role exists to design, embed and continuously improve the cross-brand, cross-functional processes and ways of working that enable Pentland to deliver its strategy consistently across our brand portfolio. The Head of Operating Model Enablement & Programme Management leads the enablement of our concept-to-consumer operating model worldwide, partnering closely with functional leaders who remain accountable for change in their own areas. The team provides process design expertise, adoption support and capability building, while also leading large, cross-functional transformation programmes and giving the Exec a single, trusted view of portfolio status, prioritisation and benefits realisation.
What you’ll be doing:
Lead the design, governance and continuous improvement of Pentland’s global operating model, including concept-to-consumer processes and ways of working across the brand portfolio.
Build and lead a team of Operating Model Enablement Partners to design fit-for-purpose processes and embed new ways of working with functional leaders, ensuring adoption is sustained after go-live.
Drive continuous process improvement across the operating model, identifying opportunities for simplification, standardisation and efficiency across brands, regions and functions.
Lead the delivery of large, cross-functional transformation programmes where ownership does not naturally sit under a single functional leader, acting as the accountable delivery leader.
Build and lead a team of senior programme managers capable of running complex, multi-functional change from mobilisation through to value realisation.
Own the business case for cross-functional transformation programmes, applying strong delivery discipline across outcomes, milestones, dependencies and risk.
Provide the Exec with a single, consistent view of project status, prioritisation, sequencing and dependencies across the global transformation portfolio.
Surface major project risks and issues early to the right decision makers, and report on the realisation of business case benefits across the portfolio.
Act on behalf of the COO on specific topics, initiatives and priorities as assigned, representing the COO in selected forums and working groups.
Support joined-up working across the COO function, including Sourcing, Product Development, Supply Chain, IT, AI, eCommerce, and Analytics & Data Governance.
Develop and maintain practical frameworks, toolkits and standards that help functional leaders deliver their own projects and unlock value.
Provide coaching and training to functional teams, building a community of practice for those leading transformation initiatives across the business.
Engage with the Exec, functional leaders, brand leaders and regional leaders to communicate the vision and progress of operating model and transformation work.
Build strong working relationships across the COO leadership team to ensure operating model and transformation work is joined-up across functions.
Coach, mentor and develop a high-performing team, growing process design, process improvement, change adoption and programme delivery capability within Pentland.
What you’ll bring:
Significant senior leadership experience in operating model design, business transformation or large-scale programme delivery, ideally within a global, multi-brand organisation.
Deep commercial fluency across the concept-to-consumer value chain, particularly product, merchandising and integrated business planning.
Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional transformation programmes from mobilisation through to value realisation.
Strong stakeholder management skills, with the credibility to influence and partner effectively with Exec-level leaders across functions, brands and regions.
Excellent process design, change adoption and capability-building expertise, with the ability to embed sustainable ways of working.
Strong delivery discipline, including business case development, milestone tracking, dependency management and risk and issue resolution.
Experience building, developing and leading high-performing teams, with a coaching mindset and clear focus on capability uplift.
A collaborative, low-ego approach that unlocks value across the business without diluting functional accountability.
Why Pentland Brands?
Pentland Brands is the name behind some of the world’s best-known sport, outdoor and lifestyle brands, including Speedo, Berghaus, Canterbury, Endura, Ellesse, Kickers and Mitre.
We are a global family business with a clear purpose: pioneering brands that make life better. Across our teams, functions and locations, we work together to create products, experiences and partnerships that help people live more active, confident and positive lives.
Joining Pentland Brands means becoming part of a business where your work can have real reach, across multiple brands, markets, teams and disciplines. It is a place for people who want to contribute, collaborate, improve how things are done and help build the future of brands with heritage, ambition and global impact.
Perks & Benefits
We offer a competitive salary, discretionary bonus, hybrid working, flexible start and finish times, generous holiday allowance, product discounts, sample sales, enhanced family-friendly policies, healthcare support, gym and fitness discounts, cycle to work scheme and electric car scheme.
You can find full details of our benefits and perks on our UK Benefits page.
The Interview Process
We want our interview process to feel clear, straightforward, and supportive. If your experience and expectations look like a strong match for the role, here’s what you can expect next:
Talent Team Intro Call - A 30-minute video call with our Talent Team to get to know each other, talk through the role and your experience, and answer any questions you have.
Experience Interview - A more in-depth interview (usually online) with the hiring manager to explore your skills, experience and approach, and how these align with the role, our principles, and our ways of working.
Final Interview - A final in-person interview at our office, focused on deeper discussion and practical application, giving you the chance to meet more of the team and see Pentland Brands in action.
- Locations
- Farringdon, London
- Remote status
- Hybrid
- Employment type
- Full-time
