Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and innovate customer operations, ensuring seamless experiences for 4.7 million customers.
- Company: Southern Water is transforming the water industry with significant investments in customer services.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, monthly car allowance, bonuses, private medical insurance, and generous holiday.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team making a real impact on customer satisfaction and sustainability.
- Qualifications: Extensive experience in contact centre management and a proven track record in operational transformation required.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for career progression and personal development.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid working between Worthing (2 days pw) and home. Travel to Doncaster will also be required on a semi-regular basis.
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday - Friday
Package: Competitive salary commensurate to experience + £600 monthly car allowance and bonus up to 30%.
Job Overview
Southern Water are at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry and with over £300 million of planned investment in customer services across the next 5 years, there has never been a better opportunity to lead, innovate and make a lasting impact on 4.7 million customers! This is a newly created role that will lead our Customer Service, Complaints, Vulnerability, Developer Services and Alternative Water Supply teams. This pivotal leadership role is responsible for shaping and executing our customer operations strategy, ensuring seamless and positive experiences across all touchpoints, and will be instrumental in defining and implementing best-in-class customer service practices, leveraging technology and data to enhance our responsiveness and proactively address customer needs.
Our Customer Operations Director will lead the customer service function across in-house teams and outsourced partners, shaping a high-performing operation that improves customer satisfaction, reduces cost to serve, and ensures operational resilience.
Other responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Management of external customer service teams (UK/India).
- Identifying opportunities for innovation and digital transformation in customer operations.
- Implementing automation and self-service solutions to improve customer experience.
- Ensuring compliance with industry regulations, data protection (GDPR), and company policies.
- Driving continuous improvement in customer service processes to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.
- Representing customer operations in executive meetings and strategic planning discussions.
About You
This role is ideally suited to a data-driven operations leader with deep experience in contact centre transformation, resource planning, digital service strategy and continuous improvement. Whilst experience in the Water industry would be advantageous, we recognise the value that having applicants from wider backgrounds can offer. What is essential for this role, is extensive experience in contact-centre management and a strong track-record with demonstrable results in transforming customer operations and delivering a meaningful step change in performance metrics. The ideal candidate will be data-driven and will be able to evidence their success in delivering significant improvements in processes and operational efficiencies. Experience within a regulated industry would also lend itself well to this position.
Package
This role will be full time Monday to Friday with a hybrid approach to working between our office in Durrington, Worthing and home. We also have a contact centre team based in Doncaster so travel here will be required on a semi-frequent basis. We are offering a competitive salary commensurate to experience as well as other benefits including:
- Company and performance-related bonus up to 30%
- £600 monthly car allowance
- Family cover private medical insurance
- Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution
- Life assurance payment equal to 4 times your annual salary
- Health benefits through a Cash Plan
- Two paid community volunteering days a year
- 25 days annual holiday
- Occupational health service
- Study support and funding for job-related qualifications
- Competitive maternity/paternity leave and flexible return to work options
Join Southern Water and see how far your career could progress with a company committed to career progression, training and development opportunities, our customers and the environment.
Why Southern Water?
Southern Water is investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed. You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation. At Southern Water, diversity and inclusion are core values. We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an environment where every individual is empowered to succeed.
Customer Operations Director employer: Southern Water
Contact Detail:
Southern Water Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Customer Operations Director
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in customer service and operations management, especially in regulated industries. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the water sector during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the water industry and customer operations. Attend relevant conferences or webinars to connect with key players and gain insights that could set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully led contact centre transformations or implemented digital strategies in previous roles. Highlight measurable outcomes to showcase your impact on customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Southern Water's current initiatives and values, particularly their focus on sustainability and innovation. Tailor your conversation to align your experience and vision with their goals, demonstrating that you're not just a fit for the role but also for the company culture.
We think you need these skills to ace Customer Operations Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in customer operations, particularly in contact centre management and digital service strategy. Use specific examples to demonstrate your success in transforming customer operations.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for enhancing customer experiences and detail how your data-driven approach aligns with the role's requirements. Mention any experience you have in regulated industries or similar leadership roles.
Highlight Leadership Skills: Emphasise your leadership capabilities, especially in managing teams and driving continuous improvement. Provide examples of how you've led teams to achieve significant performance metrics in previous roles.
Showcase Innovation Experience: Discuss any past initiatives where you identified opportunities for innovation or implemented automation solutions. This will demonstrate your ability to enhance customer service through technology and data.
How to prepare for a job interview at Southern Water
✨Understand the Company and Its Vision
Before your interview, take some time to research Southern Water's mission and recent initiatives. Understanding their commitment to sustainability and customer service will help you align your answers with their values.
✨Showcase Your Data-Driven Approach
As a Customer Operations Director, being data-driven is crucial. Prepare examples of how you've used data to drive improvements in customer operations and demonstrate your ability to make informed decisions based on metrics.
✨Prepare for Leadership Questions
Expect questions about your leadership style and experience managing teams. Be ready to discuss how you've led diverse teams, particularly in contact centre environments, and how you've driven performance improvements.
✨Highlight Your Innovation Experience
Southern Water is looking for someone who can identify opportunities for innovation. Prepare to discuss any past experiences where you've implemented new technologies or processes that enhanced customer service and operational efficiency.
