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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead projects to enhance customer service and operational efficiency.
- Company: Join Canada Life UK, a trusted name in financial services since 1903.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, generous pension, private medical insurance, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on customer satisfaction while developing your leadership skills in a supportive culture.
- Qualifications: Experience in project management and knowledge of Lean or Six Sigma methodologies required.
- Other info: Diversity and inclusion are at our core; we welcome all backgrounds.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
6 Month Fixed-Term Contract Opportunity
Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation. Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues. Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third party customers.
Job Summary
The Operational Excellence Manager is responsible for leading large scale initiatives that enhance the quality of service across the protection customer services department. This role focuses on delivering exceptional customer service by identifying areas for improvement and preparing processes to be easily trainable. The Operational Excellence Manager ensures that customers receive the highest level of service. Additionally, the Operational Excellence Manager will manage and deliver projects, ensuring they are completed on time, within scope, and within budget, while maintaining high standards of quality and stakeholder satisfaction.
What You'll Do
- Process Optimisation and Training Preparation
- Lead large-scale improvement projects driving strategic initiatives for operational efficiency.
- Identify and evaluate processes suitable for simplification and standardisation.
- Develop and document standard processes to ensure processes are easy to train and understand.
- Establish clear performance metrics to ensure processes are consistently followed and improved.
- Project Management
- Successfully manage projects and business changes of varying sizes to ensure organisational goals and regulatory requirements are met.
- Coordinate and lead project teams, ensuring clear communication and alignment with project objectives.
- Monitor project progress, identify potential risks, and implement mitigation strategies to ensure successful project delivery.
- Ensure necessary resources are in place to support projects to completion, influencing activity and change across different business areas.
- Process Improvement
- Support process improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, and other methodologies.
- Monitor and report on the progress of process improvement projects, ensuring milestones are met and benefits are realised.
- Optimise resource allocation to ensure all teams have the necessary tools and support to achieve their objectives.
- Customer Service Enhancement
- Deliver exceptional customer service for accounts teams, life claims, and flex teams.
- Focus on improving customer satisfaction through better service delivery and streamlined claims handling.
- Leadership and Development
- Provide mentorship and coaching to team leaders, supporting their professional development and helping them enhance their leadership skills.
- Encourage team leaders to embrace innovation and continuous improvement, staying flexible and open to new ideas and approaches.
- Maintain High Standards
- Ensure that all processes and service delivery meet the highest standards of quality and efficiency.
- Promote a culture of high standards and continuous improvement within the team.
Who You Are
- Technical Expertise
- Comprehensive understanding of insurance products, services, and regulatory requirements.
- Knowledge of methodologies like Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement.
- Familiarity with risk management practices and compliance standards.
- Proven ability to manage and deliver projects on time, within scope, and within budget, ensuring high standards of quality and stakeholder satisfaction.
- Communication
- Strong leadership skills to guide and inspire teams towards achieving operational goals.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to convey strategies and changes effectively.
- Relationship Building
- Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with team members and stakeholders.
- Taking Initiative
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to identify inefficiencies and implement effective solutions.
- Strong decision-making skills to act swiftly and effectively in addressing operational challenges.
- Encourage and drive innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Developing Self and Others
- Ability to manage and lead teams through organisational changes.
- Encouraging a culture of constructive feedback, where team members feel supported in their growth and development.
Benefits Of Working At Canada Life
We believe in recognising and rewarding our people, so we offer a competitive salary and benefits package that’s regularly reviewed. As a Canada Life UK colleague, you’ll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including a generous pension and bonus scheme, along with income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance. We have a fantastic number of other benefits and support services as well as regular personal and professional development.
How We Work At Canada Life
Our culture is unique and incredibly important to us. We care about doing the right thing for our people, customers and community and helping others to build better futures. Our blueprint behaviours shape and influence how we work, and are central to the relationships we have with others. Every day we are encouraged to be more curious, own the outcome, face into things together and find a way forward. We want colleagues to have rewarding careers with us so we invest in the development of our people, technology and workplaces. That’s why we offer a range of training, flexible working and opportunities to grow and develop.
Diversity and Inclusion
Building an inclusive workplace with a diverse workforce where everyone can feel they belong and achieve their potential regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other characteristic is a key commitment for us. We are proud of the progress we’re making in DEI, and we continue for it to be a significant focus.
“At Canada Life we believe in the power of great people from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives coming together to build better futures. Emerging talent is crucial to our growth and creating an environment that continues to inspire us all.” Nick Harding, Chief People Officer, Canada Life UK
We appreciate that everyone has different work and life responsibilities. We’re happy to discuss flexible working arrangements, including part time, for any of our roles should this be a requirement for you.
Operations Excellence Manager employer: Canada Life Workplace
Contact Detail:
Canada Life Workplace Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Operations Excellence Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, as these are crucial for the Operations Excellence Manager role. Consider taking a short online course or reading up on case studies that demonstrate successful process improvements in similar industries.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the insurance and financial services sectors. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to connect with individuals who can provide insights into the company culture at Canada Life UK and the expectations for this role.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully managed projects in the past. Highlight your ability to deliver results on time and within budget, as well as any experience you have in enhancing customer service through operational improvements.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your leadership skills by thinking about how you would mentor and develop team members in this role. Be ready to share your approach to fostering a culture of continuous improvement and how you encourage innovation within teams.
We think you need these skills to ace Operations Excellence Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience and skills that align with the role of Operations Excellence Manager. Focus on your project management experience, knowledge of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, and any leadership roles you've held.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for operational excellence and customer service. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully led projects or improved processes in previous roles, demonstrating your ability to meet the job requirements.
Highlight Relevant Skills: Clearly outline your technical expertise in insurance products and regulatory requirements. Emphasise your analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as your ability to build relationships and lead teams effectively.
Showcase Your Achievements: Include quantifiable achievements in your application, such as successful project completions, improvements in customer satisfaction scores, or efficiency gains from process optimisations. This will help demonstrate your impact in previous roles.
How to prepare for a job interview at Canada Life Workplace
✨Showcase Your Project Management Skills
As an Operations Excellence Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to manage projects effectively. Prepare examples of past projects where you successfully met deadlines and maintained quality standards. Highlight your experience with project management methodologies and how you've led teams to achieve their goals.
✨Emphasise Process Improvement Knowledge
Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, and other process improvement methodologies is crucial for this role. Be ready to discuss specific instances where you've applied these techniques to enhance operational efficiency. This will show your potential employer that you can contribute to their goal of delivering exceptional customer service.
✨Demonstrate Strong Communication Skills
Effective communication is key in this position. Prepare to discuss how you've communicated strategies and changes to your team in the past. Use examples that showcase your ability to inspire and lead others, as well as your skills in building relationships with stakeholders.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Expect questions that assess your leadership style and how you handle challenges. Think about times when you've had to take initiative or drive change within a team. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses, ensuring you convey your problem-solving abilities and commitment to continuous improvement.