At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the Customer Support team and drive operational excellence in a dynamic investment platform.
- Company: Join AJ Bell, one of the UK's fastest-growing investment platforms with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 28 days holiday, a generous pension scheme, and a friendly team environment.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with regular social events and tailored learning opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on customer experiences while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in customer operations and strong leadership skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
We're looking for a Head of Customer Support to play a key leadership role within our Customer Services function. Reporting to the Customer Services Director, you'll help drive operational excellence across one of the UK's leading investment platforms, ensuring our customers receive consistently high-quality service while supporting the business to meet its regulatory obligations and strategic objectives.
This is a broad and influential role that combines leadership, governance, operational oversight, customer outcomes, fraud management, financial oversight and continuous improvement. You'll work closely with senior stakeholders across Customer Services, Risk, Compliance, Finance, Product and Change, helping to ensure our processes are effective, our reporting is insightful, and our customers remain at the heart of everything we do.
You'll also lead our Operational Fraud team, providing direction and oversight to fraud prevention, detection and investigation activities, while supporting the ongoing development of a strong risk and control environment across Customer Services.
What you'll be doing:
- Partnering with the Customer Services Director to support delivery of the Customer Services strategy.
- Leading and developing the Operational Fraud team, ensuring effective fraud prevention, detection, investigation and reporting.
- Owning and enhancing management information and reporting across Customer Services, including Board and Committee reporting.
- Providing oversight of customer-related regulatory requirements, including Consumer Duty, complaint handling, customer communications and vulnerable customer processes.
- Monitoring customer outcomes and identifying opportunities to improve service quality, operational efficiency and risk management.
- Leading the development of meaningful performance, risk and customer outcome metrics that support effective decision-making.
- Working closely with Finance to oversee budgets, forecasts, productivity measures and operational efficiency initiatives.
- Driving root cause analysis and remediation activity relating to complaints, incidents, operational risks and control weaknesses.
- Supporting operational and regulatory change initiatives, ensuring customer impacts and risks are effectively considered and managed.
- Building strong relationships with stakeholders across the business to influence positive outcomes and drive continuous improvement.
What we're looking for:
We're interested in hearing from experienced leaders who have worked within regulated financial services environments and have a strong understanding of customer operations, governance and risk management.
You’ll bring:
- Experience leading operational oversight, quality assurance, risk, controls or customer support functions.
- A strong understanding of customer operations within investments, wealth management, pensions or broader financial services.
- Knowledge of FCA regulations and customer-focused requirements, including Consumer Duty, complaint handling and vulnerable customer considerations.
- Experience developing and delivering management information, governance reporting and operational insights.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and drive action.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify trends and deliver practical solutions.
- Experience managing risk, issues, remediation activity and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Strong leadership capabilities, with a proven track record of developing teams and delivering results through others.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly to senior stakeholders.
- Professional qualifications such as ICA, CISI, CII or equivalent are advantageous, although relevant experience is equally important.
About AJ Bell
At AJ Bell, we believe investing should feel good. Whether you're looking for an ISA, pension or dealing account, whether you want to invest with the help of a financial adviser or do it yourself, we have easy-to-use solutions to suit people from all walks of life.
We're one of the UK's fastest-growing investment platform businesses, trusted by everyone from professional financial advisers to first-time investors. Today, over 723,000 customers trust us to manage more than £108.7 billion of assets. By continually striving to make investing simpler and more accessible, we're helping more people take control of their financial futures.
We're proud to be recognised as one of the UK's Best 100 Companies to Work For for six consecutive years, and a Great Place to Work® in 2025 and 2026, a reflection of our supportive and collaborative culture.
What we offer:
- 28 days holiday, increasing with service + buy/sell scheme + bank holidays
- 8% Pension with matched contributions
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Share schemes (including free shares and BAYE)
- Health Cash Plan and discounted private healthcare
- Free onsite gym
- Enhanced family leave (subject to qualifying criteria)
- Travel and bike loan schemes
- Employee Assistance Programme
Life at AJ Bell
- Regular social events including summer and Christmas parties
- Learning and development opportunities tailored to you
- Casual dress code
- Friendly, supportive team environment
Our ways of working
At AJ Bell, our people are the heart of our culture. We believe in building strong connections by working together. That's why we offer a hybrid working model, where you'll spend 50% of your working time in the office. For new team members, the first 3 months will be spent full-time in the office to help you immerse yourself in our business and build valuable relationships with your colleagues.
Inclusion & diversity
We’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected, supported and able to be themselves at work. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on skills, experience and potential.
Agency information
This vacancy is being managed exclusively by our in-house Recruitment team. We are not partnering with recruitment agencies on this opportunity and will only accept applications submitted directly by candidates.
Head of Customer Support in Manchester employer: Aj Bell
At AJ Bell, we pride ourselves on being one of the UK's leading investment platforms, offering a supportive and collaborative work culture that prioritises employee growth and well-being. With competitive benefits such as a generous holiday allowance, matched pension contributions, and tailored learning opportunities, we empower our team to thrive in their roles while making a meaningful impact on our customers' financial futures. Our commitment to inclusion and diversity ensures that every employee feels valued and respected, making AJ Bell an exceptional place to build your career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Customer Support in Manchester
✨Get to Know the Company Culture
Before jumping into applications, it’s super helpful to understand the vibe at Aj Bell. Check out their social media, read reviews on sites like Glassdoor, and see how they engage with customers. It'll give you clues on their values and help tailor your conversation during interviews.
✨Join Customer Support Communities
Dive into online communities like those on Reddit or LinkedIn where customer support pros hang out. Participating in discussions or asking questions can make you more visible to potential recruiters and help you learn about job openings at companies like Aj Bell before they even post them.
✨Attend Job Fairs or Networking Events
Look out for local job fairs or events specifically for customer support roles. This is your chance to meet hiring managers face-to-face, and you might even get the opportunity to interview on the spot!
✨Show Off Your Skills with Customer Interactions
In the customer support world, showcasing your communication skills is key. Consider creating a short video introducing yourself or even doing a mock call to showcase your abilities. It's a memorable way to stand out, especially if you can share this during your interview process!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Customer Support in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Communication Skills:In customer support, clear communication is key. Make sure your CV highlights any experience you've had in customer-facing roles and your ability to resolve issues. Don't shy away from including specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond to help customers – this really shows your potential in the role.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Aj Bell:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Tell us why you want to work at Aj Bell specifically. Mention any unique aspects of our company that resonate with you and how your skills can enhance our customer support. This personal touch will set your application apart from the rest!
Highlight Any Relevant Tools or Tech Skills:If you've used customer support software like Zendesk or Freshdesk or have experience with CRM systems, make sure to mention these in your application. Being familiar with industry-standard tools can be a big plus for us when we’re reviewing applications, as it shows you can hit the ground running!
Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills:Customer support roles often require a knack for problem-solving. In your application, share examples of past experiences where you've tackled tough situations or resolved conflicts effectively. This will give us a good sense of how you handle challenges—an essential skill for success at Aj Bell!
How to prepare for a job interview at Aj Bell
✨Show Off Your People Skills
In customer support, it's all about communicating effectively. Prepare to share instances from your past experiences where you handled difficult customers or resolved conflicts. We want to hear how you empathised and found the best solutions, so think of specific examples to back up your stories!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with common customer support tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk, and make sure to review how you’ve used any similar systems in the past. During the interview, being able to discuss your hands-on experience with software or ticketing systems can really set you apart from the competition, so don’t skip this prep!
✨Show Genuine Enthusiasm
As this is a full-time role, employers want someone who isn’t just looking for any job, but wants to grow within customer support. Make sure to express your enthusiasm for helping customers and your desire to develop your skills. Show them why you're passionate about this field!
✨Practice Common Scenarios
Be prepared for role-playing scenarios where you might have to reassess a solution with a frustrated customer or explain a complex process in simple terms. Practising these common scenarios can help us feel more confident and demonstrate our practical skills effectively during the interview.
