Customer Services Director

Bupa; Staines-upon-Thames; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent health insurer is seeking a Customer Service Director to lead the Customer Service Centre and enhance the experience for their UK Insurance customers. Key responsibilities include overseeing demand forecasting, managing an operating budget of £60m, and driving the modernization of customer service from traditional to omni-channel models. The ideal candidate will have extensive leadership experience, strong contact centre management skills, and a data-driven approach. Bupa offers a competitive salary, bonuses, and various family-friendly benefits.

Benefits

Management Bonus Scheme

Car allowance

Private Medical Insurance

Generous pension and life insurance

25 days annual leave

Corporate benefits and discounts

Flexible working

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience in large operational teams.
• Broad experience in contact centre management and strategy.
• Proven resource planning delivery for short and medium term.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Customer Service Centre to enhance customer experience.
• Own demand forecasting and resource planning.
• Oversee funding requests and care pathway processes.
• Drive customer service modernization initiatives.
• Manage an operating budget of approximately £60m.
• Develop and maintain disaster recovery plans.
• Collaborate with Sales, Technology, and Transformation teams.

Skills

Leadership experience

Contact centre management

Resource planning

Omni-channel service transformation

Data-driven decision-making

Communication skills

Building relationships

Job description

At Bupa, there are no shareholders to answer to. We focus on our customers and our purpose: helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. As our Customer Service Director, you'll turn that purpose into action every day - leading the team that supports our UK Insurance customers and makes it simple for them to get the care they need. This is a role with real scale and impact. You'll guide a customer service centre that handles around 4 million contacts each year, oversees accurate processing of funding requests tied to £1.3bn in claims, and steers people to the right care pathway at the right time. You'll also shape supply and demand forecasting and planning across all UK Insurance contact teams, helping us deliver a smooth, joined‑up experience. You'll play a key part in modernising how we serve customers - moving from traditional telephony to an omni‑channel approach (across phone, web, chat and app) - while keeping things clear, human and easy to use.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Customer Service Centre to deliver excellent customer experience, managing performance and operating costs across a high‑volume environment.
• Own demand forecasting, resource planning and day‑to‑day capacity management for UK Insurance contact teams (Customer Service, Provider Management, New Business and Retention).
• Oversee accurate processing of funding requests and adoption of care pathways; ensure fair, first‑time resolution of complaints and appropriate escalation when needed.
• Drive our customer service modernisation programme, improving processes and technology.
• Optimise cost efficiencies and manage operating budget of circa £60m.
• Maintain robust Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery plans.
• Partner with Sales, Technology and Transformation teams at Bupa.
• Deliver board reporting and strategy support, engaging with executive stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience of leading large operational teams within a corporation.
• Broad experience of contact centre management, strategy and board‑level reporting.
• Proven delivery of resource planning (short and medium term).
• A track record of service transformation from voice‑only to omni‑channel models, with a focus on simple, clear customer journeys.
• Ideally financial services sector experience (e.g. banking or insurance).
• Credible, data‑driven decision‑maker with strong commercial and strategic thinking.
• Inclusive people leader who hires, develops and engages diverse talent; comfortable leading large teams and building future capability.
• Clear, confident communicator who can influence at senior levels and build trusted relationships across and beyond Bupa.

We're a health insurer and provider. With no shareholders, our customers are our focus. Our people are all driven by the same purpose - helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. We make health happen by being brave, caring and responsible in everything we do.

We encourage all of our people to "Be you at Bupa", we champion diversity, and we understand the importance of our people representing the communities and customers we serve. That's why we especially encourage applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Bupa is a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. This means we aim to offer an interview/assessment to every disabled applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the role. We'll make sure you are treated fairly and offer reasonable adjustments as part of our recruitment process to anyone that needs them.

Benefits

Competitive Salary, Bonus & Benefits UK / hybrid Permanent, Our benefits are designed to make health happen for our people. Viva is our global wellbeing programme and includes all aspects of our health - from mental and physical, to financial, social and environmental wellbeing. We support flexible working and have a range of family friendly benefits. Joining Bupa in this role you will receive the following benefits and more:

• Management Bonus Scheme
• Car allowance (annual, paid as cash)
• Private Medical Insurance - family cover
• Generous pension and life insurance scheme
• 25 days annual leave - increasing with service
• Corporate benefits and discounts
• Flexible working