UK

United Kingdom · Operations · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director, Global Operations Intelligence

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Reports toVP, Global Business Operations
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of Operations Analytics · VP, Operations Data Strategy · Global Operations Data Director

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science OTHM Qualifications · Level 7 · covers 6 of 10 standards
Qualifi Level 7 Diploma in IT Qualifi Ltd · Level 7 · covers 1 of 10 standards
NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science NCC Education Limited · Level 5 · covers 4 of 10 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 4 of 10 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Digital Technologies Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 2 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science
Data Analytics Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England
Data Management Software Skills AIM Qualifications Entry 3 Diploma in Skills for Working in Business, Administration and Customer Service Industries
Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Global Operations Intelligence

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Qualifications · covers 6 of 10 standards Level 7
  2. Data Analytics Pearson Education Ltd · covers 4 of 10 standards Level 5
  3. Data Management Software Skills AIM Qualifications · covers 1 of 10 standards Entry Level
  4. Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Limited · covers 4 of 10 standards Level 5
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director, Global Operations Intelligence?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI & Machine Learning Strategy
  • Data Product Management for Operations
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director, Global Operations Intelligence plan as you set up, starting with the free Automation Fluency module. No card.

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3What this role really is

This job turns operational data into clear strategies for running a global supply chain, from raw materials to delivery.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

ERP System (SAP S/4HANA / Oracle NetSuite) Strategic Oversight

Involved in ERP module implementation/upgrade decisions, understanding how ERP data architecture impacts enterprise-wide analytics and influencing system design for data accessibility. You're not using it daily, but you're guiding its strategic evolution for data.

Database/SQL (MS SQL Server / PostgreSQL / Snowflake) Architectural Input

Designing data schemas for analytics marts, making strategic decisions on database technology (e.g., Snowflake vs. Redshift) for operational data warehousing, and ensuring data governance across these platforms. Your team does the querying; you define the structure.

BI & Visualization (Power BI / Tableau / Domo) Enterprise Strategy

Managing the BI platform strategy (e.g., Power BI Premium capacity, Tableau Server licensing), setting enterprise-wide standards for data visualisation and governance, and using tools like Domo for executive-level reporting and strategic dashboards. You're consuming and guiding, not building.

Spreadsheet (Excel / Google Sheets) Strategic Modeling

Using Excel for high-level scenario planning, strategic modelling, and 'back-of-the-envelope' calculations for major investment decisions, while pushing for scalable, enterprise solutions like Anaplan for core planning processes. You're using it as a strategic thinking tool, not for detailed data manipulation.

Scripting/Analysis (Python - Pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, PM4Py) Strategic Application

Championing the use of Python for advanced analytics like predictive modeling (e.g., scikit-learn for demand forecasting) and process mining (e.g., PM4Py), guiding your team on best practices and evaluating new libraries for strategic use cases. You understand its power and direct its application.

Logistics Platform (Blue Yonder / Oracle TMS / E2open) Platform Evaluation

Leading the evaluation and selection process for new TMS/WMS systems, focusing heavily on data accessibility, analytics capabilities, and integration requirements. You're ensuring the platforms chosen support our data strategy.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Strategic Analytics Roadmap N/A N/A N/A
Team Structure & Hiring N/A N/A N/A
Technology & Platform Selection N/A N/A N/A
Budget Allocation N/A N/A N/A
Board-Level Recommendations N/A N/A N/A

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Identified & Validated Cost Savings
The total value of cost savings identified and validated through analytics-driven initiatives led by your team across logistics, inventory, and operational processes.
Target · >£2M in annualised savings (e.g., reducing deadhead miles, optimising inventory holding costs, negotiating better carrier rates based on performance data).

Your team's analysis leads to a renegotiation with a major carrier, saving £750K per year, and a new inventory strategy reduces holding costs by £1.5M annually.

Global Demand Forecast Accuracy (MAPE)
Improvement in the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) for key product demand forecasts across all international regions, driving better inventory and production planning.
Target · Improve MAPE by 10% year-over-year, aiming for <15% overall on strategic SKUs.

Your new forecasting models reduce the MAPE for our top 20 products from 22% to 19.8% in a year, meaning fewer stockouts and less excess inventory.

Operational KPI Improvement (OTIF, Inventory Turns)
Direct contribution of analytics initiatives to a measurable improvement in critical operational KPIs like On-Time In-Full (OTIF) delivery rates or Inventory Turns.
Target · Analytics initiatives directly contribute to a 5% improvement in OTIF and a 10% increase in Inventory Turns across the global network.

Your team's insights into route optimisation and warehouse picking efficiency help increase global OTIF from 92% to 96.6%, and inventory turns improve from 4.0 to 4.4.

Data Governance & Quality Score
The overall health and reliability of operational data assets, measured by adherence to data quality standards, completeness, and accessibility.
Target · Achieve a data quality score of >90% for critical operational data elements (e.g., inventory levels, shipment status, supplier performance).

After implementing new data validation rules and processes, the completeness score for our global shipment tracking data rises from 78% to 91%, leading to more reliable reporting.

Strategic Influence & Adoption
The degree to which your team's analytical insights and recommendations are adopted and acted upon by senior leadership and across operational functions.
  • Your team's data is consistently cited in executive board meetings. You're proactively invited to strategic planning sessions for new market entry or major capital investments. Business leaders regularly seek your input before making significant operational changes. Your team's dashboards become the 'go-to' for daily operational performance monitoring, not just ad-hoc requests.
Team Development & Retention
The growth, engagement, and retention of your direct and indirect reports, reflecting your ability to build and lead a high-performing analytics function.
  • High employee engagement scores within your team (e.g., >80% satisfaction). Low voluntary attrition rates (e.g., <10% annually). Clear career progression paths for your team members, with visible internal promotions. Positive feedback from skip-level managers about the quality and impact of your team's work and individual contributions.
Innovation & Future-Proofing
Your ability to introduce and embed new analytical methodologies, technologies (like AI/ML), and data sources that keep our operations intelligence capability ahead of the curve.
  • Successful pilot programmes for new AI-driven forecasting or optimisation tools. Development of new data products (e.g., a real-time logistics risk dashboard) that address previously unanswerable business questions. Your team is seen as an innovation hub, regularly presenting new ideas and capabilities to the wider business. You're actively engaging with external thought leaders and bringing best practices back into the organisation.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Driving Large-Scale Transformation

You thrive on seeing your strategic vision for data and analytics fundamentally change how a global organisation operates. You're energised by the challenge of moving the needle on multi-million-pound P&L items, knowing your work directly contributes to significant business improvements.

Leading a project that re-architects our global demand forecasting process, resulting in a 15% reduction in inventory holding costs across all regions.

Building High-Performing Teams

You get a real buzz from mentoring, developing, and empowering a large team of talented analysts and managers. Seeing your people grow, take on bigger challenges, and deliver impactful work is a huge source of satisfaction for you.

Celebrating a team member's promotion to a leadership role, knowing you helped shape their career path and provided the opportunities for their success.

Shaping Business Strategy

You love being in the room where major business decisions are made, and even better, being the person who brings the data and insights that inform those decisions. You want to be a strategic partner, not just a service provider.

Presenting to the board on the optimal location for our next European distribution centre, with your team's network optimisation model driving the recommendation.

What frustrates people
  • Getting different regional VPs to agree on a single, global data standard or reporting methodology.
  • Dealing with legacy ERP systems that make data extraction and integration a nightmare, despite your best architectural plans.
  • Having your team's brilliant, data-driven recommendations initially dismissed by a long-tenured leader who trusts their 'gut feel' more.
  • The constant tension between strategic, long-term projects and urgent, C-suite-driven 'fire drills' that derail your team's plans.
  • Recruiting and retaining top-tier data talent in a competitive market, especially when you're competing with tech giants.
  • The sheer complexity of international operations data—currency conversions, different units of measure, varying regulatory environments, and inconsistent data entry across countries.
What this role does not give you
  • Daily, hands-on coding or model building—you'll be overseeing, not doing.
  • A predictable, 'set it and forget it' environment; the strategic landscape is always shifting.
  • The luxury of working in a silo; you're constantly collaborating and influencing.
  • A role where you can avoid tough conversations or organisational challenges; you're at the forefront of change.

8Who you work with

You'll directly shape the strategic direction and operational efficiency of our entire global operations business unit. This means influencing multi-million-pound decisions on inventory, logistics networks, manufacturing optimisation, and overall supply chain resilience. Your work will directly impact our P&L (profit and loss) by driving significant cost savings and revenue growth through improved service levels. You're essentially building the brain of our global operations.

Inside the business
  • C-Suite (CEO, COO, CFO)
  • Regional Operations VPs
  • Heads of Supply Chain, Logistics, and Manufacturing
  • Product Development Leadership
  • Finance and Commercial Directors
  • IT and Data Platform Leadership
Outside the business
  • Strategic Logistics Partners and Carriers
  • Key Technology Vendors (ERP, TMS, WMS)
  • Industry Bodies and Regulators
  • Consulting Partners

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Proven track record of leading and scaling large analytics or data science teams (20+ people) in a global operational context.
  • Extensive experience (10+ years) in designing and implementing enterprise-level data strategies and governance frameworks.
  • Demonstrable experience influencing C-suite and board-level stakeholders with data-driven insights, leading to significant business outcomes.
  • Deep understanding of end-to-end supply chain processes and the critical data points within them (e.g., procurement, manufacturing, logistics, inventory).
  • Experience managing significant functional budgets (multi-million £) and being accountable for P&L impact.
  • A strong grasp of advanced statistical modelling, machine learning applications, and data architecture principles, even if you're not hands-on daily.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Data Architecture & Cloud Strategy

As operations data grows in volume and complexity, the underlying architecture becomes critical. You'll need to make strategic decisions about cloud data platforms (e.g., Azure Synapse, Google Cloud BigQuery), data lakes, and real-time streaming architectures to support advanced analytics and AI. The wrong architecture can severely limit your team's capabilities.

Data Mesh Principles · Real-time Data Streaming · Cloud Cost Optimisation · Data Fabric & Virtualisation

  • This quarter: Work closely with your IT partners to understand our current cloud data strategy and identify any gaps for operations intelligence.
  • Next 6 months: Sponsor a proof-of-concept for real-time data streaming for a critical operational process (e.g., warehouse throughput).
  • Next 12 months: Develop a multi-year roadmap for our operations data architecture, outlining key investments and migration strategies.
  • Ongoing: Stay informed on new cloud data services and evaluate their potential impact on our operational analytics capabilities.

Quick win: Ask your data engineering leads to give you a 'Data Architecture 101' session focused purely on operations data. Understand the current bottlenecks and future possibilities.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend executive-level industry conferences on supply chain, operations, and data strategy (e.g., Gartner Supply Chain Symposium, Strata Data & AI Conference).
  • Participate in executive leadership programmes focused on digital transformation, change management, or leading large global teams.
  • Engage in peer networking groups with other Directors or VPs of Operations/Data to share best practices and challenges.
  • Mentor emerging leaders within the organisation, both within and outside your direct team, to refine your leadership and coaching skills.
  • Contribute thought leadership through articles, presentations, or panel discussions on data-driven operations.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI & Machine Learning Strategy

AI and ML are no longer just tools for analysts; they're strategic differentiators. As a Director, you need to understand how to embed AI into core operational processes, identify high-impact use cases, and manage the ethical implications. Competitors are already automating decision-making in areas like dynamic pricing and autonomous logistics, so we need to be there too.

  • AI Governance & Ethics
  • MLOps & Scalability
  • Generative AI for Operations
  • Value Realisation from AI

Data Product Management for Operations

Data isn't just a byproduct of operations; it's becoming a product in itself. As a Director, you'll need to think like a product owner for your data assets, ensuring they're user-friendly, reliable, and directly solve business problems. This means moving beyond ad-hoc reports to building robust, self-service data products that empower operational teams.

  • User-Centred Data Design
  • Data Product Lifecycle
  • Monetisation & Value Capture
  • Data as a Service (DaaS)

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Supply Chain Analytics Strategy
  • Advanced Demand Forecasting & Planning
  • Global Inventory Optimisation
  • Logistics Network Design & Optimisation
  • Process Mining & Operational Excellence
  • Landed Cost Analysis & Optimisation

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Head of Operations Analytics (Large Enterprise)

    3-5 years in previous role

    Skills to master

    • Scaling an analytics function, managing multiple teams, influencing senior VPs, developing a multi-year analytics roadmap, P&L accountability for a significant function.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led the implementation of a major analytics platform or methodology across a large division.
    • Consistently delivered multi-million-pound business impact through data-driven initiatives.
    • Built and retained a high-performing team of 15+ analysts/managers.
    • Regularly presented strategic insights to C-suite level stakeholders.
  2. 2

    Senior Manager, Global Supply Chain Analytics

    5-8 years in previous role

    Skills to master

    • Managing multiple complex projects simultaneously, developing strategic partnerships with business leaders, building and mentoring a large team (20+), driving data governance initiatives, managing significant budgets.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Owned the analytics strategy for a major global region or business line.
    • Successfully integrated data from disparate systems to create unified operational views.
    • Demonstrated strong leadership in a highly ambiguous and fast-changing environment.
    • Consistently exceeded targets for operational efficiency or cost savings through analytics.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to positions such as Chief Operations Officer or Chief Digital Officer, where operational and data expertise shapes decisions across a whole company.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director, Global Operations Intelligence is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

The record names a next step, but the catalogue has no page for it yet:

  • VP, Global Business Operations
  • Chief Data Officer (CDO) / Chief Analytics Officer (CAO)

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Data Analysis and Visualisation, worked against Director, Global Operations Intelligence.

Data Analysis and Visualisation Level 7

Applied to your work in Director, Global Operations Intelligence

1. To enable the learner to critically analyse the theoretical underpinnings of data analytics and their impact on decision-making in business management contexts. 2. To enable the learner to assess diverse data analysis activities, techniques, and tools applicable to business management scenarios. 3. To enable the learner to compare and contrast various predictive analytic techniques, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in forecasting future business events. 4. To enable the learner to evaluate how predictive analytic techniques can be practically implemented for forecasting purposes within the business sector. 5. To enable the learner to evaluate prescriptive analytic techniques, illustrating their application with relevant examples from the business management domain. 6. To enable the learner to apply a suitable programming language or data analysis tool to conduct data analysis and visualisation tasks related to business management problems.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director, Global Operations Intelligence
  • Supply Chain Analytics Strategy
  • Advanced Demand Forecasting & Planning
  • Global Inventory Optimisation
  • Logistics Network Design & Optimisation
  • Process Mining & Operational Excellence
  • Landed Cost Analysis & Optimisation
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Global Operations Intelligence is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. VP, Global Business Operations

    3-5 years

    From functional leadership to broader business unit ownership.

    • Holistic Business Unit Strategy Development
    • Market & Competitive Analysis at an Enterprise Level
    • Global Regulatory Compliance Oversight
    • Advanced Risk Management (Enterprise-wide)

  2. Chief Data Officer (CDO) / Chief Analytics Officer (CAO)

    4-6 years

    From operations-specific data leadership to enterprise-wide data strategy.

    • Enterprise Data Architecture & Infrastructure Strategy
    • Data Science & AI Centre of Excellence Leadership
    • Data Product Management (Company-wide)
    • External Data Partnerships & Ecosystem Development
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, at the Director level, your time is precious. You're not looking to save 30 minutes on a spreadsheet; you're looking for ways to amplify your strategic impact and give your team superpowers. That's where AI comes in. We're not just dabbling; we're embedding AI into how we run our global operations intelligence function.

Imagine a world where your teams spend less time on manual data wrangling and more time on high-value strategic analysis. AI tools, when used smartly, can free up significant capacity for your managers and analysts, allowing them to focus on complex problem-solving, innovation, and direct business partnering. For you, it means faster access to critical insights, better risk anticipation, and more robust decision-making across the board.

AI-Powered Strategic Foresight

Instead of waiting for quarterly reports, AI models continuously scan vast amounts of internal and external data—market trends, geopolitical shifts, supplier performance—to generate early warnings and strategic opportunities. This means you're proactively addressing potential disruptions or identifying new areas for optimisation before they hit the headlines, giving you a serious competitive edge.

Automated Performance Deep Dives

Your team typically spends hours digging into 'why' a KPI dipped. Now, AI-driven root cause analysis tools can automatically identify the most probable factors behind performance deviations in logistics, inventory, or manufacturing. This gives your managers a head start, allowing them to focus on solutions and action plans, not just endless data exploration.

Executive Insight Summarisation

After your team completes a complex analysis or a major project, AI can draft concise, board-ready executive summaries and presentation outlines. This isn't just about saving time; it's about ensuring consistency, clarity, and impact in high-stakes communications, allowing you to refine the strategic narrative rather than starting from scratch.

Global Risk & Compliance Monitoring

Staying on top of international trade regulations, customs changes, and geopolitical risks is a full-time job. AI-powered tools can continuously monitor global news feeds, regulatory updates, and supply chain alerts, synthesising critical information and flagging potential compliance issues or disruptions that could impact your global operations. This means less manual scanning and more strategic risk mitigation.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Global Operations Intelligence?

Common routes in include Head of Operations Analytics (Large Enterprise) (3-5 years in previous role) and Senior Manager, Global Supply Chain Analytics (5-8 years in previous role). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Global Operations Intelligence progress to?

This role can lead on to VP, Global Business Operations (3-5 years) and Chief Data Officer (CDO) / Chief Analytics Officer (CAO) (4-6 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Global Operations Intelligence?

Increasingly, AI & Machine Learning Strategy and Data Product Management for Operations. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in operations

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills in global operations and data intelligence apply across data-intensive industries such as retail, e-commerce, manufacturing, logistics and consulting, where driving efficiency through data matters.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Automation Fluency module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.