At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to enhance customer operations and build strong relationships with key accounts.
- Company: Join Pentland Brands, a global family business behind iconic active and lifestyle brands.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, hybrid working, generous holiday, and exclusive product discounts.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative culture that values integrity, ambition, and personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while shaping the future of beloved brands.
- Qualifications: Experience in customer-facing roles and strong communication skills are essential.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 44000 £ per year.
We’re Pentland Brands: a global family business behind some of the world’s most iconic active and lifestyle brands. We bring integrity, energy and ambition to our work, setting high standards and striving to deliver great outcomes without ego. Shape the work behind some of the world’s most loved sport, outdoor and lifestyle brands. At Pentland Brands, every role helps move our brands forward. Whether you’re supporting our people, improving our systems, growing our commercial performance, strengthening operations or shaping better ways of working, your impact reaches across a portfolio of iconic brands used by consumers around the world.
As Customer Operations Team Leader, you’ll play a pivotal role in leading a team of Customer Operations Executives. This is a hands-on, customer-facing role where you’ll work directly with key strategic customer accounts, ensuring high levels of service and commercial alignment. You’ll build and nurture strong relationships with our strategic partners, becoming a trusted point of contact who drives collaboration and long-term value. You’ll also work closely with the Customer Operations Manager to support the team’s daily performance and continuous improvement.
What you’ll be doing:
- Lead, develop, and motivate a team of Customer Operations Executives, conducting regular PDRs and promoting our Pentland Principles.
- Act as a primary point of contact for strategic customer accounts—building trust, ensuring seamless communication, and driving operational excellence.
- Ensure smooth order placement and delivery, using exception reports to identify and resolve issues promptly.
- Manage in-season order requests and prioritise fulfilment to meet commercial and customer needs.
- Handle order lifecycle processes including cancellations, returns, credits, debits, VAS (value-added services), and distribution centre requirements.
- Work cross-functionally with our merchandising and shipping teams in Asia to coordinate direct delivery exports when needed.
- Contribute to commercial discussions by sharing insight from customer interactions to inform forecasting and service improvements.
What you’ll bring:
- Thrive in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment and enjoys building relationships with strategic accounts.
- Proactive problem-solver who can lead by example and bring structure and clarity to daily operations.
- Proven experience in a customer-facing or account management role, ideally within a supply chain or commercial operations environment.
- Strong communication skills and a customer-first mindset, with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
- A track record of meeting performance metrics such as OTIF (On Time In Full), SLAs, and customer satisfaction targets.
- The ability to coach and develop a high-performing team, driving engagement and ownership.
Why Pentland Brands?
Pentland Brands is the name behind some of the world’s best-known sport, outdoor and lifestyle brands, including Speedo, Berghaus, Canterbury, Endura, Ellesse, Kickers and Mitre. We are a global family business with a clear purpose: pioneering brands that make life better. Across our teams, functions and locations, we work together to create products, experiences and partnerships that help people live more active, confident and positive lives. Joining Pentland Brands means becoming part of a business where your work can have real reach, across multiple brands, markets, teams and disciplines. It is a place for people who want to contribute, collaborate, improve how things are done and help build the future of brands with heritage, ambition and global impact.
Perks & Benefits
We offer a competitive salary, discretionary bonus, hybrid working, flexible start and finish times, generous holiday allowance, product discounts, sample sales, enhanced family-friendly policies, healthcare support, gym and fitness discounts, cycle to work scheme and electric car scheme. You can find full details of our benefits and perks on our UK Benefits page.
The Interview Process
We want our interview process to feel clear, straightforward, and supportive. If your experience and expectations look like a strong match for the role, here’s what you can expect next:
- Talent Team Intro Call - A 30-minute video call with our Talent Team to get to know each other, talk through the role and your experience, and answer any questions you have.
- Experience Interview - A more in-depth interview (usually online) with the hiring manager to explore your skills, experience and approach, and how these align with the role, our principles, and our ways of working.
- Final Interview - A final in-person interview at our office, focused on deeper discussion and practical application, giving you the chance to meet more of the team and see Pentland Brands in action.
Customer Operations Team Leader in Sunderland employer: Pentland Brands Limited
Pentland Brands Limited is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters creativity and collaboration in the heart of Canterbury. With a strong commitment to employee growth, you will have access to professional development opportunities and the chance to work alongside passionate individuals who share your enthusiasm for design. The company values innovation and provides a supportive environment where your contributions can make a meaningful impact on brand identity.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Customer Operations Team Leader in Sunderland
✨Get to Know the Company Culture
Before jumping into applications, it’s super helpful to understand the vibe at Pentland Brands Limited. 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 Pentland Brands Limited 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 Customer Operations Team Leader in Sunderland
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 Pentland Brands Limited:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Tell us why you want to work at Pentland Brands Limited 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 Pentland Brands Limited!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pentland Brands Limited
✨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.
