Role Overview
My client is seeking a Customer Service Manager to join a quiet, considered homeware brand. Reporting into senior leadership, you will lead and professionalise the customer service function, embedding a leadership culture, strengthening foundations across people, process and systems, and delivering excellent customer experiences that reflect our brand. This is a senior hire responsible for day‑to‑day business management activities and for driving the strategic changes needed as the business scales.
Hybrid, with some onsite presence (~3 days per week)
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage the customer service team and any PAs/administrative resources; ensure roles, responsibilities and execution are clear and effective.
- Drive business management activities across customer service: operational governance, leadership structure, and decision frameworks that support consistent delivery.
- Shape and implement organisational design and leadership culture for the customer function; advise and work with senior leaders on structure, accountabilities and resource planning.
- Provide strategic support: translate leadership priorities into clear programmes of work and ensure timely execution and delivery.
- Project and resource planning: scope, prioritise and track projects and cross‑functional initiatives affecting customer outcomes.
- Budget tracking and financial oversight for the customer service area; ensure efficient use of resource and deliver against agreed budgets.
- Oversee third‑party relationships and supplier performance where applicable (logistics, contact centre vendors, etc.).
- Ensure operational delivery against service expectations (response times, resolution SLAs, proactive comms) and drive continuous improvement.
- Monitor customer feedback and performance data; use insights to reduce repeat contacts, refunds and complaints and to inform product, packaging and operations teams (e.g., damage‑on‑arrival, installation queries).
- Ensure the PA(s) and support staff are delivering required tasks, and provide coaching and development to frontline and management staff.
Experience & Skills Required
- Significant experience at consultant / senior manager / MD / Head of function level, ideally with advisory consultancy or PMO background; proven experience advising on organisational design and operations.
- Experience working with multinationals or scaling retailers, and familiarity with the interplay between operations, finance and customer systems/data flows.
- Demonstrable track record of driving operational change, creating governance, and delivering against KPIs in a customer‑facing environment.
- Strong programme and project management skills: resource planning, budget control, prioritisation and delivery focus.
- Commercially minded with experience reducing cost‑to‑serve through self‑serve, process improvements and root‑cause fixes.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills; ability to work with senior leaders and across Product, Ops, Logistics and Finance.
- Experience of establishing and monitoring meaningful performance metrics and translating them into actions.
- Previous experience in furniture, homeware or a related retail sector is highly desirable but not essential.
What's on offer
- A senior role within a thoughtful, growing brand with a clear, design‑led ethos.
- Opportunity to shape a customer function and leadership structure at a pivotal stage of growth.
Pay: £40,000.00-£60,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Private medical insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Woking GU21 4XS
