Specialist - Customer Service

Pearson; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Pearson in Manchester is seeking a Specialist, Customer Support to act as a senior Tier 2 expert behind our UK assessment programme. You will own complex escalations, guide Tier 2 teammates, and help strengthen quality across the service.

The role involves quality assurance, identifying training gaps, and leading Tier 1 and Tier 2 during peak periods. It is a hybrid role with weekend support during peak delivery times.

Qualifications

• Strong customer service experience, including complex queries or escalations.
• Excellent problem-solving and critical‑thinking skills.
• A self‑motivated, curious and proactive approach.
• Confidence providing guidance and support to colleagues.
• Strong communication, organisation and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Experience in education, assessments, awarding bodies, continuous improvement or customer satisfaction is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Own and resolve the most complex customer queries and senior escalations.
• Provide expert guidance and support to Tier 2 colleagues.
• Quality assure Tier 2 work and help maintain consistently high service standards.
• Identify training, knowledge and capability gaps and support improvements.
• Analyse customer feedback and operational issues to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Work across Customer Service, Operations, Technology, Product and Business Analysis to improve customer experience and efficiency.
• Provide operational leadership across Tier 1 and Tier 2 during designated peak‑period shifts.
• Contribute to operational readiness, training, lessons learned and continuous improvement.

Skills

Customer service

Escalations

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Self-motivated

Team guidance

Communication

Organization

Independent work

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Title – Specialist, Customer Support

Description – Be the senior Tier 2 expert behind a high‑profile UK assessment programme, taking ownership of the most complex customer escalations while helping to strengthen quality and capability across the wider support team. You’ll provide guidance to Tier 2 colleagues, identify training and knowledge gaps, and take operational responsibility for designated shifts during peak delivery periods.

Also known in the market as: Senior Customer Support Specialist; Senior Customer Service Specialist; Customer Service Escalations Specialist; Senior Tier 2 Support Specialist; Customer Support Team Lead.

About the Role

You will act as a senior subject matter expert within Customer Support, supporting the delivery of the National Curriculum Assessment SATs programme. Alongside handling complex Tier 2 work, you will take ownership of escalations that require a greater level of expertise, provide guidance to Tier 2 colleagues and help maintain high standards across the service.

You will quality assure Tier 2 work, identify knowledge and training gaps, and work with Business Analysts and other teams to improve service delivery. During peak periods, you will also provide operational leadership across Tier 1 and Tier 2 on designated weekend and bank‑holiday shifts. This is not a formal line‑management role but includes day‑to‑day guidance and support for the wider team.

What You’ll Do

• Own and resolve the most complex customer queries and senior escalations.

• Provide expert guidance and support to Tier 2 colleagues.

• Quality assure Tier 2 work and help maintain consistently high service standards.

• Identify training, knowledge and capability gaps and support improvements.

• Analyse customer feedback and operational issues to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

• Work across Customer Service, Operations, Technology, Product and Business Analysis to improve customer experience and efficiency.

• Provide operational leadership across Tier 1 and Tier 2 during designated peak‑period shifts.

• Contribute to operational readiness, training, lessons learned and continuous improvement.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong customer service experience, including complex queries or escalations.

• Excellent problem-solving and critical‑thinking skills.

• A self‑motivated, curious and proactive approach.

• Confidence providing guidance and support to colleagues.

• Strong communication, organisation and attention to detail.

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.

• Confidence using Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

• Experience in education, assessments, awarding bodies, continuous improvement or customer satisfaction is advantageous.

Location & Working Pattern

Manchester, UK, hybrid. The team generally works together in the office two days per week. The contracted week is 37.5 hours.

During the peak period from May to the end of June, rotational shifts support extended operating hours of 08:00–21:00 Monday-Friday and 08:00–20:00 at weekends. Specialists may take operational responsibility for designated weekend or bank‑holiday shifts, with days off adjusted during the week so contracted hours are not exceeded.

Annual leave during the peak period is restricted except in exceptional circumstances at management discretion.

Why Join Pearson?

This role combines complex customer problem‑solving with the opportunity to have a wider impact on the quality and performance of a nationally significant assessment service. You’ll build on your Tier 2 expertise while developing experience in senior escalations, quality assurance, team capability and operational leadership.

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Who we are:

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to help people realize the life they imagine through learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. We are the world's lifelong learning company. For us, learning isn’t just what we do. It's who we are. To learn more: We are Pearson.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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