Customer Operations Manager

Western Power Distribution Plc; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days Annual Leave

Pension scheme with employer match

Contributory healthcare for you and/or

Employee Assistance Programme

Free on-site parking

Job summary

National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) is seeking an Operations Manager to lead the Customer Excellence function, overseeing 100+ staff and driving transformation across site and function.

Based at Lamby Way, Cardiff, the role combines office and remote working with a focus on performance and customer outcomes, ensuring compliance and value for money.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in people management and leadership.
• Ability to manage multiple sites and cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder influence skills.
• Experience in transformation and delivering change.

Responsibilities

• Drive high performance against key targets and develop coaching plans.
• Own delivery of financial targets, budgets and forecasts.
• Ensure data protection, security and fraud prevention practices.
• Monitor activity with the Customer Excellence team and address gaps.
• Coordinate reviews with other support services and engage employees.
• Act as senior escalation point for customers and resolve complex issues.

Skills

People management

Leadership

Change management

Stakeholder management

Financial forecasting

Job description

About Us

We're National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the owner and operator behind the electricity distribution systems for the Midlands, the Southwest of England and South Wales. Serving communities of more than 8 million people, our expert teams deliver heat, light and power for homes and businesses.

National Grid employs over 29,000 people worldwide. We are building an inclusive workplace, a place to actively celebrate the cultures, personalities and preferences of our colleagues - who in turn help to build the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future and we are doing this in a fast-moving industry with an increasing focus on tackling climate change, exploring new energy sources that are renewable, low carbon, and improve efficiency to meet demand.

Job Introduction

NGED's ambition is to be the number 1 DNO by engineering a smarter, more sustainable grid; enabling every customer and community to thrive in the new electric era.

The Customer Excellence function works across the organisation to ensure that NGED.

• Delivers strategic improvements in customer excellence and value for money.
• Delivers customer excellence targets and that all customers are treated fairly.
• Serves our PSR customers in line with our regulatory requirements.

Customer Excellence focus includes (but not limited to) fault response and dispatch, general enquiries, connection enquiries and Priority Services Register customers. Central to NGED's Performance contract, the Customer Excellence team ensure the delivery of the customer strategy and drive step-change improvement across the organisation so that we 'deliver for customers efficiency', in line with our vision and Values.

• Listening to our customers, understanding their needs, and ensuring these are addressed.
• Embedding the Customer strategy and a customer-centric culture
• Effective end-to end customer journeys.
• Addressing root cause for complaints and insight led decision making (insight, action, and impact)

An exciting 6-12 month fixed term contract (subject to review) opportunity has become available for an Operations Managers to cover both site and functional responsibility. Reporting to the Head of Contact Centres and working closely with NGED's Stakeholders, you will oversee the delivery of NGED's Customer Excellence strategies, whilst leading people and transformation in an engaging way.

• Action to achieve the incentives, which directly impacts NGED's reputation and financial performance.
• Leadership in excess of 100 plus employees
• Owning and delivering transformation initiatives to Customer Excellence teams to support ED2/3 commitments and plans

The role will be based at Lamby Way, Cardiff, initially it will be office based then would be able to offer a mix of office and home working (a minimum of 3 days in the office).

Main Responsibilities

• Drive high performance against all key targets in your area of accountability, highlighting performance variances/trends, and immediately developing strategies and/or coaching plans to rectify.
• Own the delivery of all financial targets by setting appropriate budgets, controlling spend and creating plans to deliver against financial forecasts.
• Understand the security and compliance requirements, and lead a business culture where data protection, security and prevention of fraud is a priority for everyone in the team, by driving full operational compliance with all policies.
• Work closely with your Customer Excellence team to monitor business, employee, and customer activity, identify any gaps or issues which present risk, and take appropriate action to address them.
• Work in partnership with other support services to co-ordinate reviews and drive a proactive Employee Forum to ensure any engagement issues are identified and resolved.
• Act as the primary senior point of escalation for customers, working with peers across NGED to manage and mitigate operational concerns.
• Utilise experience and judgement to lead, on behalf of Head of Contact Centres, the resolution of complex customer issues, balancing solutions to meet customer needs with a firm understanding of NGED operational parameters and capabilities.
• Lead and develop a high performing team, utilising leadership and coaching experience to ensure the team is appropriately resourced and motivated to deliver high levels of customer service.
• Be responsible and accountable for employee engagement, building and executing strategic plans to develop and engage employees.
• Drive transformation and change in an engaging way, using influencing skills and stakeholder management to improve customer experience, whilst balancing business and people needs.

The Ideal Candidate

You will have extensive experience in People management and Leadership, managing diverse teams with multi-site and cross functional responsibility in a contact centre environment. The ability to communicate effectively to your team with a clear positive and customer focused message along with strong influencing skills and the ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders across the business.

You will be commercially aware, with a background in operational management, transformation with experience of both landing and designing change, driving performance along with motivating others and leading an operation to success.

Familiar with contact centre operational tools, understanding call centre operations, metrics and pricing structures together with experience of financial forecasting and invoicing. You will be able to demonstrate your ability to manage multiple, conflicting interests and deadlines and be able to bring new ideas and innovation to benefit customers and colleagues.

There will be a requirement to travel across different sites therefore a full driving licence is preferred.

About The Company

Joining the UK's leading electricity distribution business means plenty of career opportunities and well-deserved recognition. We reward hard work and encourage ambition. So, as well as a competitive salary, you will also benefit from:

• 28 days Annual Leave plus 8 Bank Holidays
• Competitive contributory pension scheme (we double match your contributions up to a maximum of 12%)
• Contributory healthcare for you and your family
• Support via our Employee Assistance Programme, including musculoskeletal and physiotherapy services
• Free on-site parking at all our main sites

Things you need to know

National Grid Electricity Distribution is committed to safeguarding the interests of the Company, colleagues and customers. This role is subject to a satisfactory Barring Service, (DBS) check, depending on the role different levels of screening and vetting are required. Some roles require a triannual check.

As an equal opportunities employer who is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, we celebrate individual difference and are actively bringing in more employees from diverse backgrounds to build on our inclusive culture.. If you require additional support to complete your online application, please email [e-mail]

Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin.

Recruitment correspondence is usually sent by email, please check your email account including spam/junk folders regularly after the closing date.