At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop a team to drive performance in a large contact centre.
- Company: Join a dynamic organisation with ambitious plans for the future.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and opportunity for impactful work.
- Other info: Exciting opportunity for career growth in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in customer experiences while leading a talented team.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in contact centre leadership and performance management.
6-Month Fixed Term Contract – Maternity Cover
Salary: £60,000
Hybrid: 2–3 days per week in the office
35 hours per week
SF Partners are exclusively partnering with a fantastic business for an experienced Senior Operations Manager to join a large, performance-driven contact centre operation on a 6-month FTC. We are looking for someone who can quickly understand the operation, get underneath the data and identify where improvements can be made – then work through their management team to deliver a genuine and sustainable step change in performance.
You’ll be joining an established organisation at an exciting point in its journey, with ambitious plans for the future. You’ll have the opportunity to make a visible impact while leading an operation that supports customers who can often be experiencing difficult and vulnerable circumstances.
The Role
Reporting into the Senior Operations Manager, you’ll take responsibility for a key area of the customer acquisition operation, leading through approximately 4–6 Team Managers. The operation supports customers from their initial enquiry through assessment and into the most appropriate solution for their circumstances, across both telephone and digital channels.
You’ll have responsibility for driving operational performance, ensuring KPIs are achieved and using data and insight to understand what’s working, where performance can improve and what action needs to be taken.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Leading, coaching and developing a team of operational Team Managers
- Driving performance across a large-scale contact centre/customer operation
- Taking ownership of operational KPIs and ensuring managers understand and deliver against expectations
- Using MI and data to identify trends, performance gaps and opportunities for improvement
- Driving improvements across the customer acquisition and conversion journey
- Developing and implementing performance improvement initiatives
- Ensuring improvements are sustainable and embedded within the operation
- Supporting forecasting, resource and operational planning
- Monitoring customer demand and ensuring resources are aligned appropriately
- Working across telephone and digital customer journeys
- Balancing commercial performance with quality and positive customer outcomes
- Supporting continuous improvement and wider business change
- Building strong relationships with senior stakeholders and other areas of the business
We’re looking for an established contact centre/customer operations leader who can demonstrate where they have personally made a measurable difference to operational performance.
You’ll ideally have:
- Experience leading a large, KPI and performance-driven contact centre or customer operation
- Previous experience managing through Team Managers/people managers
- Strong commercial awareness and confidence working with operational data and MI
- A clear understanding of KPIs, performance management and the levers that drive contact centre performance
- Evidence of delivering measurable and sustained performance improvements
- Experience within an acquisition, conversion or similarly performance-led customer environment
- Strong forecasting, resource planning and operational planning experience
- The ability to quickly understand a new operation and identify where improvements can be made
- Strong leadership and stakeholder-management skills
- The confidence to challenge existing ways of working and implement change
- A customer-focused approach, with the ability to balance performance with delivering the right outcomes
- Experience within financial services, banking, building societies, consumer finance, debt, collections or another regulated environment would be beneficial, but isn’t essential.
We’re equally interested in speaking with strong contact centre leaders from other sectors who can demonstrate the right scale, leadership capability and track record of improving performance.
Looking for someone to start as soon as possible.
If you’re an experienced contact centre leader who enjoys getting underneath the numbers, developing managers and making a measurable difference to operational performance, we’d be keen to hear from you. This would particularly suit someone who can hit the ground running, quickly build credibility with an established team and demonstrate real impact within a 6 month assignment.
Senior Contact Centre Manager in Grantham employer: SF Partners
SF Partners is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, where innovation and collaboration thrive. With a strong focus on professional development, employees are encouraged to grow their skills and advance their careers while being part of a high-performing team dedicated to driving success. The company values operational excellence and provides a competitive salary, making it an attractive place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Contact Centre Manager in Grantham
✨Get Social with Customer Support Communities
Join customer support groups on platforms like Facebook or Reddit. They often share job openings or temp opportunities. Engaging with these communities can help you learn more about the specific skills and experiences employers are looking for, plus you'll meet folks who might know about openings at companies like SF Partners.
✨Leverage Seasonal Hiring Trends
Since customer support roles can spike during busy seasons (think holidays and sales periods), keep an eye out for timelines when companies ramp up hiring. Make sure to apply early and stay active; sending a quick follow-up a week after applying can show your enthusiasm for the role.
✨Flex Your Communication Skills
In customer support, communication is key! Prepare for hypothetical scenarios that test your problem-solving and customer interaction skills. Practising answers to common role-play questions can really help you shine in interviews—trust us, it makes a difference!
✨Make the Most of Job Boards
Use industry-specific job boards like Glassdoor or Indeed to find temporary roles. Don’t forget to set up alerts for customer support positions at companies like SF Partners. The earlier you apply, the better your chances, so keep your finger on the pulse!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Contact Centre Manager in Grantham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Communication Skills:In customer support, top-notch communication is key. Make sure your CV showcases any previous experience where you’ve had to clearly convey information or resolve issues. If you’ve handled customer queries via email or chat, mention it! Let’s see those strong verbal and written skills shine through.
Showcase Problem-Solving Experience:Employers love to see how you've handled tricky situations. Include examples in your application where you’ve tackled customer concerns or had to think on your feet. It's all about proving you can keep cool under pressure and find solutions—something super important in a temporary customer support role!
Tailor Your Approach for Temporary Roles:Since this is a temporary gig, make sure your cover letter emphasises your flexibility and eagerness to dive right in. Mention that you're ready to hit the ground running and are adaptable to new tools or systems—this shows that you understand the urgency often needed in temporary positions.
Proof of Customer Satisfaction:If you’ve got any quantifiable achievements from past customer support roles, like improved customer satisfaction scores or successful project completions, make sure to include them. Numbers speak volumes! This not only shows your capability but also gives us a reason to believe you'll bring that same success to SF Partners.
How to prepare for a job interview at SF Partners
✨Master the Customer Interaction Game
In customer support, we need to showcase our people skills. Prepare for role-playing scenarios where you'll demonstrate how to handle difficult customers or resolve complaints. Think about the types of issues common in SF Partners's industry and how you can respond empathetically and effectively!
✨Know Your Products Inside Out
For a temporary role, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the products or services SF Partners offers. Brush up on key features, common issues, and FAQs. This knowledge will enable you to respond quickly and confidently to customer queries, showing you’re ready to jump in at a moment’s notice!
✨Flexibility is Key - Emphasise Your Adaptability!
Since this is a temporary role, we're looking to convey how quickly we can adapt to new systems or processes. Be ready to share examples of how you've quickly learned new tools or adjusted to changing environments in past roles. Show them you're the go-to person when the pressure's on!
✨Prepare for Quick Conversational Q&A
You might face a rapid-fire round of questions about customer service principles or how you'd handle specific situations. To ace this, think through different customer scenarios ahead of time, and practice your responses to ensure they're concise and impactful. The aim is to demonstrate your quick thinking and problem-solving skills!
