Divisional customer service manager

Wates Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Wates Group in London is seeking a Divisional Customer Service Manager to lead the Lambeth Responsive Maintenance customer service function. You will drive excellence across scheduling, administration and resident experience, partnering with operations and client representatives to enhance performance and satisfaction.

Join a pivotal role focused on delivering outstanding service standards, managing complaints, and guiding continuous improvements across a busy social housing contract.

Qualifications

• Experience leading customer service, scheduling or operational support teams.
• Background in social housing, repairs or service-led environments.
• Strong leadership with stakeholder management and performance improvement focus.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop and inspire customer service, scheduling and administration teams.
• Drive a customer-first culture to deliver excellent resident outcomes.
• Monitor KPI performance, analyse trends and identify risks and opportunities.
• Manage customer complaints/escalations with effective resolutions and learning.
• Develop and implement service initiatives to improve the resident experience.
• Collaborate with operational teams to improve productivity and delivery.
• Champion continuous improvement across the contract.
• Build relationships with clients, residents and internal stakeholders.
• Attend and lead customer and client performance meetings.
• Ensure compliance with policies and operating frameworks.
• Lead coaching, mentoring and development activities.
• Support workforce planning to meet service demands.

Skills

Proven experience in leadership

Social housing experience

Stakeholder management

Performance analysis

Complaint handling

Influence & collaboration

Contract performance awareness

Continuous improvement

Job description

Full Time | PermanentAre you an experienced customer service leader looking to make a real impact within social housing?

Divisional Customer Service Manager

Lambeth | WPS

Responsive Maintenance Social Housing Contract

Full Time | PermanentAre you an experienced customer service leader looking to make a real impact within social housing?

We're looking for a Divisional Customer Service Manager to join our WPS Lambeth Responsive Maintenance team and play a pivotal role in delivering an exceptional service to residents, clients, and stakeholders. This is an influential leadership role where you\'ll be responsible for driving customer excellence, operational performance, and continuous improvement across a busy social housing repairs contract.

Working closely with operational teams, planners, supervisors, and client representatives, you\'ll lead a high-performing customer service function that puts residents at the heart of everything we do.

About The Role

As Customer Service Manager, you will provide leadership and direction across customer service, scheduling, administration, and customer experience functions, ensuring exceptional service standards are delivered throughout the resident journey.

You\'ll work alongside operational leaders and key stakeholders to improve service delivery, drive performance, and identify innovative ways to enhance customer satisfaction and contract performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and inspire customer service, scheduling, and administration teams
• Drive a customer-first culture focused on delivering outstanding outcomes for residents
• Monitor, analyse, and challenge KPI performance to identify trends, risks, and opportunities
• Lead the management of customer complaints and escalations, ensuring effective resolution and learning
• Develop and implement customer service initiatives that improve the resident experience
• Work closely with operational teams to improve productivity, communication, and service delivery
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives across the contract
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, residents, and internal stakeholders
• Attend and lead customer and client performance meetings
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and operating frameworks
• Lead performance management, coaching, mentoring, and development activities
• Support workforce planning and resource management to meet service demands
• Produce and present customer service performance reports to senior stakeholders
• Drive consistency and best practice across all customer-facing functions

Essential Experience

What We\'re Looking For

• Proven experience leading customer service, scheduling, or operational support teams
• Experience within social housing, repairs, maintenance, or a service-led environment
• Strong leadership skills with experience managing teams and stakeholders
• Experience analysing performance data and implementing service improvements
• Demonstrable experience managing complaints, customer escalations, and customer satisfaction initiatives
• Ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of contract performance
• Experience driving change and continuous improvement programmes

Skills & Attributes

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical and reporting capabilities
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work in a fast-paced operational environment
• Proactive problem solver with a solutions-focused approach
• Passionate about delivering excellent customer outcomes
• Strong coaching and people development skills
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel

Why Join WPS?

At WPS, we\'re committed to creating thriving communities and improving lives. You\'ll have the opportunity to shape the customer experience across a key social housing contract while leading a dedicated and passionate team.

We don\'t discriminate based on a criminal record; all applications are reviewed on an individual basis against the requirements of the role. Some roles may require additional checks, due to the nature of the work. As a Disability Confident Leader, we offer an interview to applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for the role and opt in to the Disability Confident scheme. Reasonable adjustments are available, please contact us at [e-mail]