About this role
EXL is seeking an AVP to join its newly established Digital Operations Transformation practice - a high-energy, execution-focused leadership role sitting at the centre of EXL's transformation delivery capability. Reporting to the Senior AVP (D2), this role is responsible for end-to-end project leadership and delivery of complex transformation programmes across a portfolio of BPM clients.
The AVP will own the delivery of transformation initiatives spanning process excellence, digital automation, AI embedding, and analytics-driven improvement - working closely with client operations teams and EXL's DE and AI Solutions partners. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable running a Six Sigma improvement project, contributing to client-facing solution design, and managing a cross-functional digital delivery team.
Project Leadership & Transformation Delivery
• Own end-to-end delivery of transformation projects - from scoping and diagnostics through design, implementation, and benefits sign-off • Build and manage detailed project plans, timelines, risk registers, and governance cadence; proactively manage deviations • Lead cross-functional project teams, ensuring clarity of ownership, accountability, and delivery pace • Prepare and present progress reports and steering updates for client and internal leadership
Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement
• Lead DMAIC and Lean improvement projects, applying Six Sigma rigour to opportunity identification, root-cause analysis, and solution design • Conduct operational assessments - evaluating client workflows, systems, and KPIs to surface efficiency and quality opportunities • Develop and sustain continuous improvement frameworks within client operations, building a healthy pipeline of improvement initiatives
Digital Innovation, Automation & AI
• Identify automation and digital improvement opportunities across client processes; develop business cases and lead implementation • Manage RPA, AI/GenAI, and process intelligence deployments in collaboration with EXL's technology and solutions teams • Stay current on automation, AI, and digital tooling relevant to BPM operations; bring practical recommendations to clients and the Senior AVP
Client-Facing Solution & Product Contribution
• Support and contribute to the design of client-facing transformation solutions - participating in requirements gathering, solution design workshops, and UAT • Work with clients to validate solution designs and ensure they are grounded in operational reality • Build reusable assets (playbooks, toolkits, templates) that accelerate delivery and raise solution quality across the practice
Data-Driven Insights & Analytics
• Utilize process mining, advanced analytics, and data visualization tools to generate insights that drive transformation priorities • Develop journey maps, value stream maps, and data narratives to communicate client challenges and opportunities clearly • Track and report transformation benefits realization against committed KPIs and agreed baselines
Stakeholder Management & Change Management
• Build strong working relationships with client operations teams, engaging regularly at Director and VP level • Drive change management and adoption - stakeholder communication plans, training design, and embedding transformed ways of working • Support the Senior AVP in strategic client interactions and executive-level programme governance
Team Contribution & Knowledge Sharing
• Mentor junior team members, analysts, and associates; actively contribute to team capability development • Contribute to practice-building - methodologies, case studies, and point-of-view documents that strengthen the Digital Ops Transformation brand • Actively share knowledge and best practices across the Digital Ops Transformation team
Essential – Mandatory Criteria
Education
• Bachelor's degree (any discipline); MBA or postgraduate qualification preferred
Experience
• 10+ years of experience in business transformation, process excellence, and operations management, predominantly in BPO/BPM/ITES environments • Proven track record of independently leading and delivering transformation projects with measurable, validated business impact • Experience managing cross-functional project teams and coordinating delivery across multiple stakeholder groups • Senior client engagement experience - confident operating with client Director and VP-level stakeholders • Domain knowledge across at least three of: Banking & Capital Markets | Utilities (Water & Gas) | Airlines & Travel | Transport, Shipping & Logistics
Six Sigma & Lean
• Six Sigma Black Belt certification - mandatory • Demonstrable portfolio of certified Six Sigma and Lean projects with quantified, validated savings • Hands-on experience deploying Lean/Six Sigma, Kaizen, and DMAIC frameworks in live BPM operational environments
Technical & Digital Skills
• RPA Platforms: UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism, or equivalent - requirements definition and bot deployment experience • Process Mining: Celonis, Signavio, Minit, or similar - independently able to run process discovery and analysis • Analytics & Visualisation: Power BI, Tableau, Qlik, or equivalent - able to build and present insightful dashboards and narratives • AI & GenAI: Working knowledge of AI/GenAI capabilities and their application in operations management • Workflow & BPM: Experience configuring and managing workflow and BPM platforms • Integration: Functional understanding of ETL processes and API integrations • Project Management: Jira, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Trello, Asana, or similar - project-level governance
Soft Skills
• Strong project leadership - structured, delivery-oriented, able to maintain momentum across complex workstreams • Clear, confident communicator - translates technical and analytical outputs into business-readable insights for senior stakeholders • Analytical and structured problem-solver; comfortable with ambiguity, able to design solutions from first principles • Collaborative team player with the ability to influence without authority across matrixed organizations
Desirable – Additional Criteria
• Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification or active progression towards it • Exposure to client-facing product or solution design - co-developing a repeatable tool, framework, or product with or for a client • Certification in digital transformation, design thinking, or agile methodologies • Exposure to voice / contact centre operational environments