Customer Complaints Operations Manager

Delivers strategic improvements in customer excellence and value for money
Delivers customer excellence targets and that all customers are treated fairly
Serves our PSR customers in line with our regulatory requirements.

Customer Excellence focus includes (but are not limited to) fault response and dispatch, general enquiries, connection enquiries and Priority Services Register customers. Central to NGED's Performance contract, the Customer Excellence team ensure the delivery of the customer strategy and drive step-change improvement across the organization so that we 'deliver for customers efficiency', in line with our vision and Values.

Working with colleagues across the organisation, we do this by

Listening to our customers, understanding their needs, and ensuring these are addressed
Embedding the Customer strategy and a customer-centric culture
Addressing root cause for complaints and insight led decision making (insight, action, and impact)
Effectively managing and developing colleagues responsible for handling complaints and claims

An opportunity is available for a Customer Complaints Operations Manager. Reporting to the Head of Contact Centre, you will lead a team of complaints and claims team leaders/specialists and work closely with stakeholders across NGED and NG.

You will lead on two strategically critical areas for NGED - Customer Complaints and Small legal/financial Claims. This is a critical role as Complaints and Claims are high profile topics with NGED and NG, given the incentives, the significant reputation risk and resulting financial impact.

How we serve our customers helps us fulfil our core requirement to serve all customers fairly, enables us to meet out targets with the regulator, and impacts on the incentives we receive., The location of the role can be flexible and will be agreed with the successful candidate, there will be a requirement to regularly visit our offices in Cardiff and Castle Donington. As part of our hybrid working approach this role offers a mix of office and home working (we anticipate this to be 3 days in the office)., Identify and make visible to stakeholder the root cause of complaints and claims so that insight driven elimination of the issues is the preferred way of working for NGED.
Be a topic leader and a change champion, working in a matrix way across the organisation at all levels from Executive team to front line.
Lead the complaints and small claims team, working closely with the insight team (particularly insight, engagement, customer listening) and Customer Excellence and Operations colleagues.
Using the complaint and small claims journey blueprint, develop and deliver a change plan to significantly improve and standardise how NGED handle complaints and claims. Design a delivery plan securing efficiency, improved reputation and customer scores, reducing risk of financial penalty.
Work with Insights function and key Customer Excellence and customer facing colleagues to understand the root cause of prioritised complaints and the cost to the organisation of not addressing the complaint touchpoint.
Expected results - Deliver customer targets, improve reputation externally, complaints resolution is a primary way of working for NGED.
Effectively line manager and lead the complaints and claims teams to create a High Performing team, delivering appropriate development and coaching plans
Drive employee engagement in the Complaints and Claims teams, whilst managing change and continuous improvement
Identify opportunities to drive financial efficiency whilst improving customer experience, balancing the needs of the customer, business and people

The Ideal CandidateYou will be a recognised leader with strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to persuade and influence. Experience in a similar operations manager role with a focus on leading complaints and claims teams along with a passionate belief in the importance of the delivery of excellent customer experience are essential to be successful in this role.

You will have proven experience exceeding customer goals and scores whilst delivering business efficiency and transformation. Be committed to embedding insight-driven action and agile ways of work, journeys and efficiencies so that these approaches become primary ways of working for NGED in changing how we manage complaints and claims.

An ability to empower, coach, challenge and enthuse others and be able to embed new insight, pilots, actions and behaviours across reporting and non-reporting teams, including Executive Board.

We're National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the owner and operator behind the electricity distribution systems for the Midlands, the Southwest of England and South Wales. Serving communities of more than 8 million people, our expert teams deliver heat, light and power for homes and businesses.

National Grid employs over 29,000 people worldwide. We are building an inclusive workplace, a place to actively celebrate the cultures, personalities and preferences of our colleagues - who in turn help to build the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future and we are doing this in a fast-moving industry with an increasing focus on tackling climate change, exploring new energy sources that are renewable, low carbon, and improve efficiency to meet demand.

National Grid Electricity Distribution is committed to safeguarding the interests of the Company, colleagues and customers. This role is subject to a satisfactory Barring Service, (DBS) check, depending on the role different levels of screening and vetting are required. Some roles require a triannual check.
About The CompanyJoining the UK's leading electricity distribution business means plenty of career opportunities and well-deserved recognition. We reward hard work and encourage ambition. So, as well as a competitive salary, you will also benefit from:

Annual performance related bonus
28 days Annual Leave plus 8 Bank Holidays
Competitive contributory pension scheme (we double match your contributions up to a maximum of 12%)
Annual Share Save plan
Contributory healthcare for you and your family
Support via our Employee Assistance Programme, including musculoskeletal and physiotherapy services
Free on-site parking at all our main sites

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