At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to transform customer operations and enhance service delivery.
- Company: Fast-growing tech services organisation focused on customer experience.
- Benefits: Autonomy to influence strategy, modernise operations, and drive meaningful improvements.
- Other info: Opportunity to redefine customer operations in a supportive and innovative environment.
- Why this job: Shape the future of customer experience and lead a high-performing team.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in customer operations and experience with operational transformation.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Lead the transformation of a modern customer operations function. We are seeking an exceptional Head of Customer Operations to lead and evolve a large-scale customer support organisation within a growing technology and managed services environment. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for delivering a predictable, proactive and customer-centric operational experience across our entire live services portfolio.
Leading a multi-disciplinary team of approximately 60 professionals, you will own the customer-facing service lifecycle from the moment services go live, ensuring customers receive outstanding support, clear communication and consistently excellent service outcomes. You’ll be responsible for shaping the future of Customer Operations, driving service excellence, modernising processes and tooling, and creating an operational culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement and customer success.
The Opportunity
As Head of Customer Operations, you will lead a broad operational function encompassing Service Desk, Mobile Support, Incident Management, First Line Operations, Customer Success, Monitoring Services, Security Operations and Operational Reporting & Insights. Working closely with Engineering, Service Management, Delivery, Transition and Leadership teams, you will ensure operational performance remains aligned to customer expectations while driving improvements that enhance efficiency, reduce customer effort and increase service predictability.
This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced operational leader who thrives in complex technology environments and has a proven track record of leading large-scale service organisations through transformation and growth.
What You’ll Be Responsible For
- Strategic Leadership & Operational Excellence
- Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary customer operations function of approximately 60 employees through a team of experienced functional leaders.
- Set the vision, strategy and performance standards for all customer-facing operational teams.
- Drive accountability, collaboration and operational excellence across the organisation.
- Build a culture focused on customer outcomes, continuous improvement and service quality.
- Customer Operations & Service Delivery
- Own the end-to-end customer operational experience once services are live.
- Ensure incidents, service requests and escalations are managed effectively and communicated clearly.
- Maintain accountability for customer outcomes throughout the service life cycle.
- Oversee effective handover and collaboration with Second and Third Line Support teams while retaining ownership of the customer experience.
- Customer Experience & Customer Success
- Champion a proactive and customer‑first operating model.
- Lead Customer Success teams to strengthen customer engagement, retention and satisfaction.
- Ensure customers are informed, supported and confident throughout their service journey.
- Embed the voice of the customer into operational decision‑making and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Monitoring, Incident & Operational Control
- Provide leadership across NOC, Security Operations and Unified Communications support functions.
- Ensure robust monitoring, early detection and rapid response to service‑impacting events.
- Establish effective escalation paths, operational controls and governance frameworks.
- Minimise service disruption through proactive management and cross‑functional coordination.
- Performance, Reporting and Insight
- Drive operational performance through data‑led decisions.
- Oversee reporting, service insights and operational analytics.
- Monitor SLA, OLA, CSAT, NPS and operational performance indicators.
- Identify trends, risks and opportunities to improve customer experience and service delivery outcomes.
- Lead the modernisation of customer operations through automation, standardisation and process optimisation.
- Drive improvements in first‑contact resolution, service efficiency and operational scalability.
- Implement best practices, tooling enhancements and automation initiatives, including emerging technologies and AI‑driven operational improvements.
- Ensure root cause analysis and corrective actions deliver measurable and sustainable outcomes.
About You
You are a strategic and commercially aware operational leader who combines strong customer focus with the ability to drive performance, transformation and organisational change. You have a proven track record of leading complex customer operations environments and understand how to build scalable, high‑performing teams that consistently deliver exceptional customer outcomes.
- Significant leadership experience within Customer Operations, Service Management or Managed Services.
- Proven experience leading large, multi‑functional operational teams in technology, telecommunications or managed services organisations.
- Demonstrated success leading operational transformation and organisational change programmes.
- Strong experience managing Service Desk, NOC, SOC, Customer Success or First Line Operations functions.
- Experience delivering service excellence through clear governance, operational interfaces and performance management.
- Strong understanding of SLA, OLA, incident management and service operations frameworks.
- Experience leveraging operational data, reporting and automation to drive performance improvement.
- Proven ability to improve customer satisfaction, retention and service outcomes through proactive operational leadership.
- ITIL, Six Sigma, Lean, PMP or equivalent professional certifications.
- Experience implementing automation, AIOps or modern operational tooling.
- Understanding of cloud, network, communications and security technologies.
- Experience with customer experience frameworks and metrics including NPS and CSAT.
What Success looks like in this role.
You will:
- Build a highly effective, customer‑focused operations function.
- Improve service predictability, responsiveness and customer satisfaction.
- Increase operational efficiency through automation and simplification.
- Strengthen customer retention and confidence through proactive engagement.
- Drive measurable improvements in service performance and operational maturity.
- Create a scalable operating model capable of supporting future growth.
Why Join Us?
This is a rare opportunity to lead a critical operational function and shape the future of customer experience within a fast‑growing technology services organisation. You’ll have the autonomy to influence strategy, modernise operations and deliver meaningful improvements that directly impact customers, employees and business performance. If you’re an ambitious operational leader who thrives on building high‑performing teams, driving transformation and delivering exceptional customer outcomes, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and help us redefine what great customer operations looks like.
Head of Customer Operations in Blackburn employer: Maintel
Maintel is an excellent employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, empowering employees to contribute meaningfully to strategic financial decisions. With flexible remote working options and a commitment to professional development, team members can thrive in their roles while enjoying a healthy work-life balance. The company's focus on growth and optimisation ensures that every employee has the opportunity to make a significant impact in a dynamic environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Customer Operations in Blackburn
✨Get to Know the Company Culture
Before jumping into applications, it’s super helpful to understand the vibe at Maintel. 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 Maintel 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 Operations in Blackburn
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 Maintel:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Tell us why you want to work at Maintel 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 Maintel!
How to prepare for a job interview at Maintel
✨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.
