Key Responsibilities
Operational Performance & SLA/KPI Ownership
- Own and drive SLA adherence across all operational queues and functions, maintaining performance at or above agreed thresholds at all times.
- Monitor real-time and trending KPI data; identify deviations early and implement corrective actions before breaches occur.
- Partner with the Workforce Management function to ensure optimal scheduling, coverage planning, and headcount utilization across shifts.
- Escalate systemic performance risks to senior management with clear context, impact assessment, and proposed remediation plans.
- Lead operational reviews daily, weekly, monthly ensuring data integrity and actionable insight at every level.
Team Leadership & People Management
- Directly manage a team of Team Leaders, providing clear direction, consistent coaching, and structured accountability.
- Conduct regular 1:1s, team reviews, and formal performance appraisals; design and implement development plans for high potential and under-performing individuals alike.
- Foster a culture of psychological safety, high standards, and continuous improvement, where people are empowered to flag issues and contribute solutions.
- Lead with discretion and professionalism in all people matters, particularly where sensitive workflows, disciplinary processes, or confidential information are involved.
- Resolve interpersonal and operational conflicts swiftly and fairly, escalating to HR or senior leadership where required.
Sensitive Workflow Governance
- Maintain strict oversight of all high-sensitivity operational tasks, ensuring protocols, compliance requirements, and data handling standards are consistently upheld.
- Ensure Team Leaders are adequately briefed, trained, and equipped to manage sensitive workflows.
- Identify and mitigate risk associated with sensitive task handling; including data protection, escalation pathways, and exception management.
- Act as the accountable owner for operational compliance within the team's scope, working closely with relevant stakeholders.
Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
- Regularly audit existing processes to identify inefficiencies, quality gaps, or compliance risks.
- Lead structured improvement initiatives from diagnosis through to implementation and measurement ensuring sustainable change.
- Champion innovation within the team; create channels for Team Leaders and agents to surface ideas and operational friction points.
- Document, update, and enforce standard operating procedures SOPs across all queues.
Reporting, Analytics & Decision Support
- Produce and present high quality operational reports and dashboards for senior management, covering performance, risk, workforce, and quality.
- Analyze data trends to support forecasting, capacity planning, and strategic decision making.
- Ensure reporting is accurate, timely, and presented in a format that drives informed decisions at the leadership level.
Stakeholder Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Act as the primary operational liaison between the team and senior leadership, translating strategic objectives into team level actions.
- Collaborate with Support, Quality, Training, HR, and WFM functions to resolve cross-functional issues and improve team collaboration.
- Communicate clearly and consistently; upward to leadership, laterally across peers, and downward to Team Leaders and agents.
- Represent the operations function in business reviews, planning sessions, and project workstreams.
Qualifications & Experience
- Minimum 3 years in an operations management or senior team leadership role, ideally within a contact centre, BPO, or service delivery environment.
- Demonstrated experience managing Team Leaders and driving performance through others; not just as an individual contributor.
- Proven track record of owning and delivering SLA and KPI targets in a high-volume, time-sensitive environment.
- Experience managing sensitive, complex, or regulated tasks with the appropriate level of rigor and discretion.
- Strong data literacy; comfortable working with performance dashboards, conducting root-cause analysis, and presenting findings to senior stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to adapt style and content for varied audiences.
- Proven track record of achieving performance metrics and driving operational improvements.
- Degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field or equivalent professional experience.
- Familiarity with workforce management tools and scheduling platforms.
- Exposure to quality assurance frameworks, compliance requirements, or regulated operational processes.
- Six Sigma, PRINCE2, or equivalent process improvement qualifications