About S&B Private
S&B Private helps Australian and US businesses and accounting firms build exceptional offshore accounting teams trained to international standards.
Since its inception in 2019, we have developed a proven formula for recruiting and training well-rounded, technically proficient accounting professionals, regardless of their location. Our core focus on deep technical expertise, commitment to education and development, cultural awareness, and mutual respect provides exceptional Sri Lankan accounting talent with the platform that they need to build a successful global accounting career.
The Opportunity
The Head of Operations - Sri Lanka is the head operations role within our Sri Lanka office. You will have end to end accountability for the successful execution of People & Culture (HR), Operations and Client Delivery functions.
The core purpose of your role will be translating the Directors’ strategic intent into day-to-day operational reality as we scale our headcount from 30 people to 100 people.
Acting as the primary bridge between the Directors and foreign client base, and the team based in Sri Lanka, you will handle day-to-day operations across people, delivery, and administration within agreed strategic and financial parameters set by the Directors.
Your Background Likely Includes
- Operational leadership experience within a BPO / professional services organisation.
- Demonstrated success engaging and growing Sri Lanka based teams.
- Experience owning HR and people outcomes alongside operational delivery.
- Proven ability to partner with executive leadership and demanding external clients.
- Track record in building systems, structure, and leadership capability, including hiring and mentoring senior level talent.
What You Must Be Comfortable With
- Making decisions and being accountable for outcomes
- Operating in a flat organisation structure without layers of management or support functions
- Having direct conversations when things aren’t working
- Balancing people leadership with delivery pressure
- Working closely and aligning with foreign stakeholders
Requirements
Run the Operation
- Turn Director direction into clear priorities and daily execution
- Run the operating rhythm—weekly check-ins, follow-ups, and performance visibility
- Make decisions and keep work moving without waiting for permission
Client Delivery
- Ensure quality and consistency of all client work delivered from Sri Lanka
- Ensure workflows, standards, and expectations are clear and followed
- Step in early when delivery or client risks appear
People & Leadership
- Lead recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and retention
- Build capable team leads who can manage others properly
- Deal with performance issues early and directly
Issue Resolution & Escalation
- Effectively manage operational, people, and delivery issues
- Be proactive in identifying and resolving problems
- Escalate to Directors only when a decision affects:
- client relationships
- financial outcomes
- agreed strategic direction
Ways of Working
- Put simple, practical systems in place
- Improve consistency without unnecessary process
- Lean into the power of AI, while respecting client confidentiality, maintaining technical rigour and adding the ever important human touch
Getting Important Things Done
- Lead cross-team initiatives that matter
- Remove blockers
- Drive initiatives to completion
