Team Leader Customer Contact

New Zealand Government; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pōneke CBD location

Three TEC Days leave

Flexible/hybrid working

Leadership development

Job summary

New Zealand Government's Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) seeks a Team Leader Customer Contact for a fixed-term through to 30 June 2027. Lead a frontline team delivering high‑quality customer service across TEC's investment and careers products, with emphasis on achieving KPIs and timely, accurate responses.

This Wellington-based leadership role requires coaching, performance monitoring, and escalation support, plus driving continuous improvements.

Qualifications

• Experience leading teams in a contact centre or similar customer service environment.
• Knowledge of contact centre technology (Genesys).
• Strong written and verbal communication in plain English.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day team activities and ensure KPIs are achieved.
• Provide coaching, feedback and development to staff.
• Escalation point for complex customer matters.
• Identify process improvements to strengthen service outcomes.
• Foster a collaborative, customer-centred continuous improvement culture.

Skills

People leadership

Customer focus

Communication

Problem solving

Adaptability

Policy knowledge

Relationship building

Tools

Genesys

Job description

Fixed Term to June 2027

Join the Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua whānau. Bring your ability to lead a team that deliver high-quality advice to customers.

The TEC, Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua, is a small Crown agency with a big job to do, ensuring all New Zealanders can gain the skills and the knowledge they need to build a great life and ensure New Zealand thrives.

If you're looking for your why, then come and join us at TEC. We truly believe in the transformational benefits of education and vocational training. We invest $3 billion a year in tertiary education and training and seek to lift the aspirations and skill bases of all New Zealanders.

We're looking for a Team Leader Customer Contact to join us on a fixed-term or secondment basis through to 30 June 2027.

The Team Leader Customer Contact provides hands‑on leadership to a frontline team supporting customers across TEC's investment and careers products and services. Reporting to the Team Manager Customer Contact, you will lead day‑to‑day delivery, support your team to achieve its KPIs, act as the escalation point for complex enquiries, and build capability through regular feedback, coaching and training. You will also help strengthen customer service by identifying trends, risks and opportunities for continuous improvement.

He angitūtanga: About the Role

• Lead and manage the team's day‑to‑day activities, ensuring staff are supported to achieve agreed KPIs and deliver accurate, timely and customer‑focused service.
• Set clear expectations, monitor performance, and provide regular one‑to‑one and small‑group coaching, feedback, training and development.
• Act as the escalation point for team member queries and complex customer matters, stepping in when additional support is needed.
• Identify and implement improvements to processes and practices that strengthen operational effectiveness, customer experience and service outcomes.
• Build a collaborative, customer‑centred and continuous improvement culture, while communicating trends, risks, issues and feedback to relevant teams across TEC.
• Promote effective relationships and communication across TEC so work is coordinated and issues with wider organisational impact are resolved and managed.

He kōrero mōu: What we are looking for

• Experience leading, supporting and developing people in a contact centre or a similar customer service environment.
• Knowledge of contact centre technologies, such as Genesys, and an understanding of relevant policies, best practice, regulations and risk management.
• A strong customer focus and a genuine willingness to coach, mentor and build the capability of others.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information in plain English.
• The ability to remain calm under pressure, adapt to changing priorities and work confidently through ambiguity and time‑sensitive issues.
• Pragmatic problem‑solving and analytical skills, with a proven ability to build and maintain strong working relationships.
• Knowledge of TEC's Careers offerings and Fees Free policy and processes, or a demonstrated ability to quickly learn a new business and its products and services.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What's in it for you?

• Pōneke CBD location
• Three additional (TEC Days) leave days
• The opportunity to enhance your leadership, skills, and experience.
• A range of benefits including flexible/hybrid working. (As this is a Wellington‑based people leadership role, applicants need to be able to attend the office for three days per week. Unfortunately, we're unable to progress applications from candidates who cannot meet this requirement).
• Recruitment remuneration range $110k to 120k. (Appointment in range is dependent on our assessment of the skills and experience you bring to the role.)

The closing date for this role is, 16 September 2026.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact [e-mail].

Applicants must have NZ citizenship or permanent residency to be considered for this vacancy. If you hold a permanent residency visa, please provide a copy with your application.

Prior to the Tertiary Education Commission confirming any offer of employment, we will conduct pre‑employment checks including criminal conviction history and reference checking as a minimum.