At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead transformative projects to enhance customer experience and drive innovation.
- Company: Join Zinc, a forward-thinking tech company revolutionising customer service.
- Benefits: Enjoy 24 days holiday, early finish Fridays, and a £1200 annual benefits allowance.
- Other info: Work in a fast-paced environment with a focus on collaboration and creativity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a dynamic role with plenty of growth opportunities.
- Qualifications: Experience in strategy, operations, or customer transformation is preferred.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 95000 £ per year.
Department: Customer Success
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Zinc - London
Reporting To: Tom Jewell
Compensation: £90,000 - £95,000 / year
Description
At Zinc, we're rapidly technologising how we serve candidates, recruiters, and customers, without eroding what makes our service genuinely good. This is a brand-new role at Zinc: part of a small, fast-moving team that exists to accelerate the customer function's ability to continuously improve how we serve customers, through better technology, process, and entirely new capabilities.
You'll report directly to the Chief Customer Officer, and partner closely with the Director of CS, Director of Retention + Expansion, and Head of Ops. Right now, the team's first big mandate is standing up a 24-hour, multi-region outsourced live-chat operation, but that's one project among many. This role exists to take on the big, cross-functional things that currently move too slowly (or don't start at all) because the people who'd need to run them are already fully occupied serving customers.
What's more, you will be a key strategic partner to our CCO Tom, helping to ensure the Customer function strategy is executed across the business. This is a new function with no fixed playbook and no large dedicated team to lean on; you'll build capability mostly through people who don't fully report to you. This is a brand new role with impact that sits across a complex cross-functional group of people and problems. Ambiguity about scope and shape isn't a bug here; it's most of the job in year one.
A meaningful chunk of your time goes into managing the tension between colleagues' day-job commitments and the new work you need from them; this takes real influence and negotiation, not just a project plan. You'll operate at very different altitudes in the same week: deep in a specific vendor negotiation one day, shaping cross-functional prioritisation with the CCO the next.
We are open to diverse backgrounds that can bring transferable skills to this role, but expect the ideal candidate to come from one of the following backgrounds:
- Ex-strategy consultants turned operators
- Startup Operations + Strategy roles
- Customer Transformation Leaders
- People Ops/Experience Leaders
Key Responsibilities
- Lead time-boxed, high-stakes transformation projects that neither the AM nor CS team can resource themselves, starting with outsourcing vendor selection and commercial set-up, with more to follow as the strategy demands it.
- Act as the single point deciding which cross-functional, currently-unowned problem gets tackled next (e.g. the automation gap behind our fastest-growing support-ticket category). Nobody owns this today; you will.
- Stand new capability up, prove it works, then hand it to the relevant delivery team to run as business-as-usual. This team builds and transitions; it doesn't accumulate permanent ownership of everything it touches.
- Pull in Core Ops (via the Head of Ops) as additional project capacity (systems, data, analysis) for the 'how,' while this role owns the 'what' and 'why.' With only a small team of your own, you'll get things done by mobilising others across the org.
- Our CCO Tom - as well as his two Directors - will rely on you to challenge and build their strategic thinking, and then to enable Zinc to execute the Customer Function strategy as the business continues to rapidly scale. You will need a strategic brain, a transparent communication style + executional prowess to nail this part of the role.
- Manage a service experience designer working full-time on new initiatives, plus another team member who will split their time between existing single-owner responsibility and new work for this team. Getting genuine new output from people who are also still running something else is a core part of the job. One team member initially stays managed by the Director of AM until you're in seat, then moves under you.
- Once you're up to speed, you'll scope and hire the team's Maker role yourself, defining what capability the team actually needs rather than inheriting a pre-written job spec. We're deliberately not filling this ahead of you landing.
- Make sure Zinc's customer experience keeps evolving as fast as customer expectations do (voice of customer, NPS, and customer education included) as much a building function as an improving one.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Programme delivery: a track record of landing complex, cross-functional initiatives from scratch, not just running an existing process
- Operational and systems thinking: comfortable directing technical/ops resource (automation, data, dashboards) without owning it directly
- Commercial acumen: able to lead vendor/partner selection and negotiate commercial terms
- Prioritisation and portfolio management: able to weigh and sequence competing cross-functional demands with limited capacity
- Resourcefulness over headcount: genuinely comfortable delivering without a large dedicated team
- Structured problem-solving: able to take a messy, ambiguous problem, diagnose what's actually going on, and turn it into a clear plan of attack quickly
- Executive-ready communication: synthesises complexity into crisp written and verbal recommendations that senior stakeholders can act on
- Business case building: able to size and frame the case for a new investment or capability clearly enough that leadership backs it
- Trusted operator: the CCO and both function directors need to hand you real ownership quickly
- Comfortable with ambiguity: this role will be redefined as it proves itself
- Influence without full authority: most delivery happens through people who don't fully report to you
- Genuine comfort with letting go: building something up and then handing it off is a feature, not a loss
- Strategic and operational range: equally at home thinking about the function's readiness for further rapid scale, and running a specific project day to day
- Fast context-switcher: gets quickly up to speed in an unfamiliar problem area, then moves on once it's landed, without needing years to ramp up
- Bias to action under ambiguity: makes real progress with imperfect information rather than waiting for full certainty
- Builds credibility fast: earns trust and real authority with senior stakeholders quickly, rather than needing to grow into it over time
What we offer
- 24 days holiday + Bank Holidays + your birthday off
- £1200 annual benefits allowance (ThanksBen, from month 2)
- Early finish Fridays (16:00)
- Yearly company retreat abroad
- 30 days to Work from anywhere
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, and Adoption Leave (13 weeks full pay, 17 weeks half pay, then SMP for maternity, 1 month full pay for paternity/adoption)
- Statutory pension with NEST (3% employer, 5% employee)
- Zinc shares, issued through the EMI Scheme
- Unlimited access to Spill Therapy
- Company socials, quarterly team socials
- Free Monday lunches
- Nursery workplace benefit scheme (Yellownest)
- Option to lease an electric car through Electric Car Scheme
- Celebrated Zinc anniversaries
Chief of Staff - Customer employer: Zinc
Zinc is an exceptional employer that prioritises a vibrant work culture and employee growth, making it an ideal place for the VP of People role. With a commitment to scaling while preserving its unique environment, Zinc offers generous benefits such as 24 days holiday, early finish Fridays, and a yearly retreat abroad, alongside a strong focus on professional development and leadership collaboration. Join a dynamic team in London where your contributions will directly shape the future of the company and its people strategy.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Chief of Staff - Customer
✨Get to Know the Company Culture
Before jumping into applications, it’s super helpful to understand the vibe at Zinc. 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 Zinc 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 Chief of Staff - Customer
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 Zinc:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Tell us why you want to work at Zinc 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 Zinc!
How to prepare for a job interview at Zinc
✨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.
