Senior Advice Optimisation Manager
Salary: Up to £100,000 + benefits
Contract Type: 18 Secondment – 35 hours a week
Grade: Department Leader
Closing Date: Friday 6th November 2026
The salary advertised is a guide based on our current reward architecture, the salary offered would be within the salary range for the role. If you are submitting an application for a lateral move, i.e. a move to a role at the same grade, there is no automatic/guaranteed salary increase.
Make a Difference in Advice & Distribution
As the Senior Advice Optimisation Manager, you will be responsible for leading strategic optimisation, transformation and operating model initiatives across the Wealth Advice business. Acting as deputy to the Head of Adviser Model & Transformation, you will provide leadership across transformation portfolios, strategic planning, governance, prioritisation and business change delivery. The role ensures that improvement activity translates into measurable commercial, customer, colleague and operational outcomes while supporting the long‑term evolution of the Wealth Advice operating model.
Your Impact
Strategic Leadership & Deputy Responsibilities
- Act as deputy for the Head of Adviser Model & Transformation and assume leadership responsibility during periods of absence.
- Represent the function in senior leadership meetings, governance forums and strategic planning discussions.
- Support department planning, budgeting, workforce planning and prioritisation decisions.
- Provide senior escalation support and decision making for complex initiatives.
- Drive alignment between transformation activity and corporate strategy.
Business Optimisation
- Identify and sponsor opportunities that improve customer outcomes, business performance and operational efficiency.
- Lead reviews of customer and colleague journeys.
- Support the development of future-state operating models and service propositions.
Transformation Portfolio Leadership
- Oversee a portfolio of optimisation, business change and transformation initiatives.
- Establish governance, reporting and delivery standards.
- Monitor portfolio risks, dependencies, resources and benefits.
People Leadership & Capability Development
- Coach and mentor colleagues across the transformation function.
- Support recruitment, succession planning and talent development.
- Build organisational capability in change management and continuous improvement.
Stakeholder Management
- Build relationships with executive stakeholders, business leaders and subject matter experts.
- Facilitate workshops, steering groups and governance meetings.
- Influence strategic decisions and drive adoption of change.
What You’ll Bring
- Significant experience leading business transformation, operational improvement or strategic change programmes.
- Extensive experience within Financial Services, Wealth Management, Financial Advice, Banking or other regulated environments.
- Proven success leading large-scale transformation portfolios and delivering measurable business benefits.
- Experience operating at senior management level and influencing executive stakeholders.
- Demonstrable experience acting as a senior leader, department lead, deputy or functional lead.
- Strong experience designing and implementing target operating models and organisational change.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams across Advice, Operations, Risk, Technology and Customer functions.
- Proven track record of delivering productivity, efficiency, cost reduction or customer experience improvements.
- Experience establishing governance frameworks, programme controls and benefits realisation processes.
- Strong people leadership, coaching and capability-development experience.
- Excellent strategic planning, prioritisation and stakeholder management capability.
- Strong analytical, commercial and problem-solving skills supported by the effective use of data and insight.
Growing at Wesleyan
We’re building a culture where everyone belongs. Diversity isn’t just a policy—it’s part of who we are. Whatever your background, we want you to feel valued and empowered to thrive. With over 35% of our vacancies being filled by internal colleague moves, we are committed to supporting your development within the business.
If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, just let us know—we’re here to support you.
Ready to Shape Your Future?
Please discuss you application for this role with line manager before applying for this position, so that we can support your progression and development.
What to Know Before Applying
Please note: We are giving priority interview opportunities to colleagues whose current roles are At Risk of Redundancy. If we receive interest for this role from this group of colleagues who demonstrate the minimum criteria, they will be considered first.
We’re proud supporters of the ABI Making Flexible Work campaign, which means we’re open to discussing flexible working, job shares, and part-time options.
Please note this is role is subject to regulatory requirements. As a financial services organisation we are committed to adopting the highest standards and we do this by employing individuals with the appropriate skills, experience and integrity to protect the Wesleyan Group and our customers. Relevant checks and assessments will be carried out during the recruitment process. The nature of the checks will depend on whether the role is subject to the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR) or the Insurance Distribution Directive Please note a criminal record check and credit check will apply and this role is also subject to ongoing checks in line with the Group SMCR Framework (Fit & Proper Policy).