Contact
Email Xi Chen at x.chen5@leeds.ac.uk
My role
As Operations Manager at the Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC), I provide operational leadership across a broad and varied portfolio, with responsibility for finance processes, procurement, records management, DPA compliance and internal communications. I work closely with colleagues across the Centre to ensure that our operational infrastructure is efficient, well-governed and responsive to the needs of both staff and students.
A central part of my role involves working closely with teams and individuals to deliver high-quality, consistent services in a busy environment, drawing on my background in operational management, process improvement and change management. Earlier in my career I led large-scale operations in a high-volume service centre, managing teams and driving continuous improvement using structured frameworks. I subsequently led a significant ERP and CRM implementation as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate at the 映客直播, coordinating data migration, delivering cross-organisational training and embedding sustainable digital workflows. I bring this experience to bear in the LLC, where I lead on workflow governance, internal communications strategy and service improvement, ensuring that operational systems are transparent, scalable and fit for purpose.
I work collaboratively with our Head of Operations and colleagues across the LLC to support the Centre's strategic goals, including our Customer Service Excellence accreditation and our broader commitment to widening participation in higher education.
Research interests
My research focuses on digital transformation and organisational change, with a particular interest in how middle managers navigate and respond to digital implementation over time. Drawing on an embedded and longitudinal Knowledge Transfer Partnership study, I examined how organisational culture and professional identity shape resistance to change and how leaders can deliver it more effectively.
Qualifications
- MBA, Leeds University Business School
- UKRI-Endorsed Global Talent
- CMI Level 5 Certificate in Management and Leadership
- Prosci Certified Change Practitioner