Operations Manager

Humankind Group; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Humankind Group is seeking an experienced Operations Manager – Recoveries to lead and optimize call centre recovery operations in a fast-paced environment. You will drive operational excellence, manage large teams, and enhance recovery performance while ensuring top-tier service delivery.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in collections or debt recoveries, strong dialler and CRM expertise, and a proven track record in data-driven decision making, risk management, and stakeholder management.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of senior-level experience in collections, debt recoveries, or related environments.
• At least 10 years of managerial or team leadership experience is highly advantageous.
• Proven experience managing large call centre teams and delivering against operational targets.
• Strong understanding of call centre performance metrics, workforce management, QA, and customer experience.
• Experience with digital collections platforms (SMS, WhatsApp, chatbots, AVM).
• CRM systems and data integration experience.
• BI/tools for reporting (Power BI/Tableau) and data analytics.
• Portfolio performance analysis, KPI monitoring, and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily inbound, outbound, and blended call centre operations.
• Develop and implement operational strategies to achieve KPIs, SLAs, and CX objectives.
• Optimize workflows, resource allocation, and processes for productivity and cost efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with regulations, data protection, and internal policies.
• Design and execute digital collections campaigns across SMS, WhatsApp, AVM, and chatbots.
• Manage dialler configuration, campaign strategies, segmentation, and optimization.
• Use real-time performance data to enhance campaign effectiveness and engagement.
• Drive automation and continuous improvement across collections processes.

Skills

Leadership

Call centre operations

Dialler optimization

Campaign management

CRM integration

Data analytics

Stakeholder management

Compliance knowledge

Process improvement

Risk management

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

CRM platforms

Dialer software

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Operations Manager – Recoveries to lead and optimize call centre operations within a fast-paced collections environment.

The successful candidate will be responsible for driving operational excellence, improving recovery performance, managing large teams, and ensuring exceptional service delivery. This role requires a strategic leader with strong expertise in collections, digital campaign management, dialler optimization, workforce planning, and client relationship management.

• 10+ years of senior-level experience in collections, debt recoveries, or a closely related environment.
• At least 10 years of managerial or team leadership experience is highly advantageous.
• Proven experience managing large call centre teams and delivering against operational and collections targets.
• Strong understanding of call centre performance metrics, workforce management, quality assurance, and customer experience.
• Demonstrable experience in dialler management, campaign optimization, and CRM-integrated collections technologies.
• Experience managing client relationships within an outsourcing or business process outsourcing (BPO) environment.
• Strong knowledge of collections processes, operational controls, compliance, and risk management.
• Experience using data, dashboards, and reporting tools to drive operational performance.
• Digital collections platforms, including SMS, WhatsApp, chatbots, and AVM.
• Dialler configuration, campaign management, and contact strategy optimization.
• Collections and payment technologies, including NAEDO and DebiCheck.
• CRM systems and data integration.
• Business intelligence and reporting tools, such as Power BI and Tableau.
• Portfolio performance analysis, predictive insights, and KPI monitoring.
• Workflow automation, challenger testing, and continuous improvement.
• Risk identification, root cause analysis, and compliance management.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Oversee daily inbound, outbound, and blended call centre operations.
• Develop and implement operational strategies to achieve business targets, KPIs, SLAs, and customer experience objectives.
• Optimize workflows, resource allocation, and operational processes to improve productivity and cost efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with industry regulations, data protection requirements, and internal policies.
• Identify operational risks and implement effective controls and mitigation strategies.
• Oversee the design and execution of digital collections campaigns across SMS, WhatsApp, automated voice messaging (AVM), and chatbots.
• Manage dialler configuration, campaign strategies, segmentation, and optimization to improve contact and recovery rates.
• Leverage real-time performance data to enhance campaign effectiveness and customer engagement.
• Drive automation and continuous improvement initiatives across collections processes.

Performance Management & Reporting

• Monitor operational performance through dashboards, reports, and key collections metrics.
• Analyse trends, identify performance gaps, and implement corrective actions.
• Drive quality assurance, service delivery, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with Business Intelligence, Quality Assurance, and Training teams to enhance operational outcomes.
• Provide actionable insights and performance reports to support strategic decision-making.
• Lead, coach, and mentor Operations Managers, Team Leaders, and frontline call centre agents.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, engagement, productivity, and service excellence.
• Oversee workforce planning, capacity management, scheduling, and performance reviews.
• Drive employee development, retention, and succession planning initiatives.
• Ensure adherence to HR policies, labour legislation, and organizational values.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary escalation point for operational and client-related matters.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships through regular communication, performance reviews, and reporting.
• Work collaboratively with IT, HR, Finance, Training, and other stakeholders to achieve business objectives.
• Manage client expectations and ensure consistent delivery against contractual obligations and service standards.

Collections Technology, Risk & Portfolio Optimization

• Leverage collections platforms, CRM systems, and business intelligence tools to improve portfolio performance.
• Apply knowledge of payment collection technologies, including NAEDO and DebiCheck, to improve payment success rates and reduce failed debit orders.
• Use data analytics and predictive insights to identify risks, recovery opportunities, and portfolio trends.
• Drive workflow automation, strategy testing, and data-driven decision-making.
• Monitor portfolio KPIs and implement strategies to improve recovery outcomes and operational efficiency.
• Strategic leadership and strong people management.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision‑making abilities.
• Commercial awareness and a results‑driven mindset.
• High emotional intelligence and resilience under pressure.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• A commitment to operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.