At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead customer operations and enhance service delivery in a growing financial solutions company.
- Company: Join Lantern Debt Recovery Services, a leader in financial solutions with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, annual bonus, hybrid working, and generous leave policies.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by improving customer experiences and driving operational excellence.
- Qualifications: Experience in debt collection and strong leadership skills required.
- Other info: Exciting career growth opportunities in a fast-paced environment.
The predicted salary is between 56000 - 84000 ÂŁ per year.
Lantern Debt Recovery Services Limited is a leading financial solutions provider and part of the Lantern Group. As the business continues a sustained period of growth, we are now seeking a Head of Customer Operations to join us in this newly created role, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer.
You will ideally possess a strong background in owning and leading and delivering the company’s strategy for its B2C operation, continuously improving customer service delivery aligned with both our strategic goals and customer expectations. You will deliver operational excellence through data‑driven decision making, innovation and strong stakeholder engagement, whilst fostering a high‑performance culture.
You will bring strong expertise in debt collection or recoveries within regulated environments, translating data and technology into compassionate and compliant outcomes. Your demonstrable rigour, understanding of governance, analytical skills and best practice process design and experience will deliver robust and agile customer operations as the business continues to evolve in an ever‑evolving landscape.
What you'll be doing
- Leading by example, championing a positive, solution‑focused and commercially aware mindset, while modelling behaviours that support an inclusive and collaborative culture.
- Supporting the shaping and operational delivery of the collections strategy, using innovative and customer‑centric approaches that improve outcomes and align with strategic goals.
- Collaborating cross‑functionally to develop and drive collections solutions that benefit all stakeholders and enhance operational outcomes.
- Maintaining strong regulatory compliance by ensuring all activities meet UK consumer credit laws, FCA standards (including Consumer Duty) and internal governance requirements, supported by regular monitoring and reporting.
- Using data and insight to identify risks, track portfolio performance and drive informed decision‑making, presenting clear recommendations to the SLT when needed.
- Building a high‑performing senior management team through clear goal‑setting, supportive development and continuous feedback.
- Strengthening operational excellence by continually improving policies, processes, workflows and technology to enhance efficiency, customer experience and compliant delivery.
- Enabling managers to interpret data effectively and apply insights to drive targeted improvements in low‑performing areas.
- Overseeing the Performance & Planning function, ensuring accurate forecasting, scheduling and capacity planning to meet business demand.
- Optimising performance and operational processes to improve efficiency, utilisation and scalability.
- Leading the Business Processing function, ensuring the delivery of effective administrative support and high‑quality data outputs and recommending how to further strengthen and develop debt management outsourced partnerships.
- Partnering closely with other peers across operations, including Recruitment, L&D, QA and Customer Experience to influence hiring profiles, onboarding, coaching frameworks and quality standards.
- Building relationships with external partners, such as technology providers or debt management firms.
- Acting as a senior operational leader within the business, contributing to wider strategy.
What you'll bring
- Strong strategic and operational understanding of regulatory requirements across debt collection activities, with a commitment to fair and consistent customer outcomes.
- A proactive, partnership‑focused mindset, working closely with senior leaders across the business, demonstrating excellent communication skills, with the ability to listen, engage and convey information clearly in both written and verbal formats.
- Confident in leading, motivating and supporting others to deliver the company’s collections strategy.
- Experience in navigating a fast‑paced, evolving environment, using a solution‑focused approach to balance customer, stakeholder and business needs.
- Innovative oversight of improving / enhancing customer operations systems and customer contact initiatives to maximise engagement and deliver financial targets.
- A credit related qualification (CICM) is preferred but not essential.
- A passion for developing a high‑performing team in a fast paced ever changing landscape.
What's in it for you
- 70‑85k salary (DOE)
- Annual Bonus scheme
- 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 with Length of service)
- Holiday buy scheme
- Private Healthcare
- Healthcare cashplan / Employee Assistance program
- Retail and Gym discounts platform access
- Life Insurance
- Competitive pension
- Free parking (at some of our offices)
- Hybrid working
- Free breakfast / snacks and treats
- A genuine career path with a growing, market leading financial services business that puts its customers and colleagues at the heart of everything it stands for.
Interested? Apply today and be part of Lantern’s exciting growth! Due to the nature of our business, all offers of employment are subject to Lantern’s background and vetting checks, which include but not limited to satisfactory employment references, DBS (basic) and a credit file search.
Head of Customer Operations in Leeds employer: Lantern UK
Contact Detail:
Lantern UK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Customer Operations in Leeds
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend relevant events, and don’t be shy about letting people know you’re on the hunt for a Head of Customer Operations role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on an opportunity!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their customer operations strategy and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out as someone who’s genuinely interested in contributing to their success.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your data-driven decision-making skills during interviews. Be ready to discuss specific examples where you’ve used data to improve customer service or operational efficiency. This is key for a role focused on delivering operational excellence!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our brand. Let’s get you on board!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Customer Operations in Leeds
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in customer operations and debt collection. We want to see how your skills align with our goals, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: As a Head of Customer Operations, we’re looking for someone who can lead and inspire a team. Use your application to demonstrate your leadership style and any successful strategies you've implemented in the past.
Be Data-Driven: Since we value data-driven decision-making, include examples of how you’ve used data to improve customer service or operational efficiency. This will show us that you understand the importance of analytics in driving results.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and shows us you’re serious about joining our team at Lantern!
How to prepare for a job interview at Lantern UK
✨Know Your Numbers
As the Head of Customer Operations, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to use data-driven decision-making. Brush up on key metrics related to customer operations and debt collection. Be ready to discuss how you've used data in past roles to improve performance and outcomes.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This role requires strong leadership skills. Prepare examples that highlight your experience in building high-performing teams and fostering a positive culture. Think about specific situations where you motivated your team or implemented innovative solutions.
✨Understand Regulatory Requirements
Familiarise yourself with UK consumer credit laws and FCA standards. Be prepared to discuss how you've ensured compliance in previous roles and how you would maintain regulatory standards in this position. This shows you're serious about governance and customer outcomes.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Collaboration is key in this role. Think of examples where you've successfully partnered with other departments or external partners to drive results. Highlight your communication skills and how you’ve engaged stakeholders to achieve common goals.