Head Of Customer Care

Royal London Group; Alderley Edge; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Royal London is seeking a Head of Customer Care to lead the customer care function across complaints, rectifications, due diligence, agency management and data management. The role focuses on delivering fair outcomes, regulatory compliance and operational excellence in a complex environment.

The post offers strong exposure to senior stakeholders, governance forums and cross-functional collaboration with RLAM, Risk, Compliance and Transformation teams.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience in financial services, ideally in life/pensions or regulated environments.
• Proven track record leading large teams and operations at scale.
• Strong understanding of FCA requirements and customer outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Customer Care function, including complaints, rectifications, due diligence and data management.
• Ensure FCA complaint handling compliance and robust controls across operations.
• Develop and mentor a senior leadership team overseeing ~150 colleagues (in-house and outsourced).
• Oversee vulnerable customers and ensure fair treatment throughout journey.
• Use insights and RCA to identify trends and deliver continuous improvement.
• Represent the function at governance forums and board discussions.

Skills

Leadership

Financial services

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

People management

Data analytics

Job description

Contract type: Permanent
Hiring manager: Sarah Farquharson
Recruiter: Abi Loe
Grade: D
Location: Alderley Park
Working style: Hybrid 50% home/office based
Closing date: 6th November 2026

We are looking for a Head of Customer Care to join Royal London. This is a high-profile senior leadership role responsible for leading Royal London's Customer Care function, spanning Complaints, Rectifications, Due Diligence, Agency Management and Data Management. You'll ensure customers receive fair outcomes, regulatory obligations are met and operational excellence is delivered across a complex and highly regulated environment.

The role offers significant exposure across the business, partnering with senior leaders across Royal London, RLAM, Risk, Compliance, Commercial and Transformation teams. You'll represent Customer Operations at key governance forums and committees, provide reporting and insight to senior stakeholders, and help shape the future direction of a critical function.

This is a unique opportunity to drive transformation and support business growth, creating a differentiated service for customers and advisers while helping the business navigate change, deliver efficiencies and prepare for the future. The role also offers the opportunity to act as deputy to the Director of Customer Operations, providing exceptional visibility and influence across the organisation.

About the role

• Lead Royal London's Customer Care function, including Complaints, Rectifications, Due Diligence, Agency Management and Data Management
• Ensure compliance with FCA complaint handling requirements, financial crime controls and customer due diligence obligations while delivering excellent customer outcomes
• Lead and develop a senior leadership team responsible for approximately 150 colleagues across in-house and outsourced operations
• Oversee vulnerable customer activity, ensuring customers receive appropriate support and fair treatment throughout their journey with Royal London
• Use customer insight, operational reporting and root cause analysis to identify trends, address underlying issues and drive continuous improvement
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across the business, representing the function at key governance forums, committees and Board discussions
• Support transformation, growth and proposition development initiatives while creating a future-focused, efficient and scalable customer care function.

About you

• Significant Financial Services experience, ideally within Life, Pensions or another highly regulated environment
• Proven experience leading complaints, rectifications, remediation or customer care functions at scale
• Strong understanding of FCA complaint handling requirements, customer outcomes, operational risk and regulatory frameworks
• A highly credible relationship builder who can quickly establish trust and influence senior stakeholders across a complex organisation
• A self-starter who is comfortable operating autonomously, taking ownership and making decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience using data, insight and root cause analysis to improve customer and business outcomes
• An empowering leader who trusts their teams, encourages autonomy and develops high-performing leadership teams through a transparent and collaborative approach.

About Royal London

We're the UK's largest mutual life, pensions and investment company, offering protection, long-term savings and asset management products and services.

Our People Promise to colleagues is that we will all work somewhere inclusive, responsible, enjoyable and fulfilling. This is underpinned by our Spirit of Royal London values: Empowered, Trustworthy, Collaborate and Achieve.

We've always been proud to reward employees by offering great workplace benefits such as 28 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays, an up to 14% employer matching pension scheme and private medical insurance.

Inclusion, diversity and belonging

We're an inclusive employer. We celebrate and value different backgrounds and cultures across Royal London. Our diverse people and perspectives give us a range of skills which are recognised and respected, whatever their background.