Customer Services Manager

About the role

Role Summary

Responsible for the management of the Customer Services Team, including the Repairs Service Advisors (Kent), providing leadership and direction to the team members to ensure that a consistently excellent standard of service is provided and maintained.

To plan ahead to deliver business objectives, setting clear goals and supporting the team to meet and exceed agreed targets, including all revenue targets and Key Performance Indicators.

To ensure that the service is delivered efficiently, cost effectively and is accessible to all customers in accordance with agreed service standards.

To act as an advocate and champion of the customer, collaborating effectively across the organisation and championing a culture where everyone understands that they have a role to play in delivering a service that puts the customer first.

Regular travel will be required to sites across our area of operation.

Salary:

£45,407

Hours of Work:

35

Contract:

8 months minimum

Probation Period:

6 months

Notice Period:

1 month

Who are we?

We provide more than 13,000 homes across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Over the years we have invested heavily in our homes and continue to do so as part of the Peabody Group. We promote hybrid working and have more than 300 employees based in various locations across our operating area.

Meet your Manager

Helen Charles, Assistant Director of Customer Experience

What will you be doing?

Role Specific Responsibilities

•To anticipate, plan and introduce change effectively, encouraging the development of a continuous improvement ethos that supports a customer focused culture that gets the basics right whilst aiming for customer service excellence for both internal and external customers.
•To lead staff effectively by training and motivating them to ensure a great customer service experience delivered through effective communication and collaboration with other TCH teams and our customers.
•Work with the Repairs Service Team (Kent) to embed them into the existing customer services team and ensure that their behaviours and approach mirror those of the customer services team and reflect TCH’s ethos and values.
•To ensure full business continuity including use of the telephony systems to their fullest capability ensuring that there is expertise within the team around both systems whilst there are separate communication platforms in place.
•To ensure that the team deals with all customer complaints in line with the complaints policy and process and adhering to the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code
•Ensure effective and accurate customer records are maintained, whilst ensuring adherence to GDPR requirements.
•Ensure that lessons learned from robust reviews of any customer service failures feed into sustained service improvements.
•Maintain the Customer Services Competency Matrix and take full responsibility for knowledge transfer.
•Develop the Senior Customer Service Advisors/ Senior Repairs Service Advisor to take on the day to day running of the team and ensuring only the most complex customer issues are escalated to the Manager.
•To be responsible for the Customer Services/Repairs Service Teams (Kent) in relation to the planning and control of their workload as well as their training, overall performance, providing guidance and direction to ensure enquires and requests are responded to within agreed performance targets for speed, efficiency, and quality.
•To support the transformation of our business and utilise technological advances to meet the changing needs of our customers and drive value and efficiency whilst ensuring services remain equally accessible for those who cannot self-serve.
•To work with HR and the AD Customer Experience to achieve effective recruitment and replacement of employees, to ensure there are correct staffing levels to undertake the required work.
•To be responsible for training, development and support of the Senior Customer Service Advisors, Senior Customer Services and Complaints Officer, Senior Repairs Service Advisor, and the CSA’s/RSA’s by providing effective leadership, developing talent, and addressing any performance issues where necessary.
•To develop, monitor and maintain Customer Service systems and procedures and ensure effective use is made of ICT systems (including CRM) to drive performance and communication for service delivery and ensure that performance monitoring information is fully utilised.
•Keep all relevant policies and procedures up to date and in line with best practice and ensure that systems are being continuously improved by developing an up-to-date knowledge of industry innovations and networking and by ensuring we are capturing and listening to the resident voice to ensure services are shaped to reflect their views and priorities.
•Take an active role in assisting the Assistant Director – Customer Experience to deliver projects, manage relevant budgets, write reports, and ensure the most effective use of resources.
•Maintain and develop internal customer relationships through regular meetings and a greater emphasis on challenging poor performance and embedding the Customer Experience Strategy.
•Ensure call monitoring is undertaken, and constructive feedback is given to staff for individual and team benefit. This will be delivered by regularly reviewing calls and through 1-2-1’s and appraisals, taking action to ensure service standards, performance targets and expected behaviours/values are embedded and reflected in the team’s approach.
•Ensure close collaboration with Joint Venture colleagues to make sure service standards are met and identified issues are addressed promptly.

General

•To adhere to the equality, diversity and inclusion policy and actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.
•Recognise, respect, and promote the different roles and diversity of individuals.
•To actively contribute towards the key performance indicators and professional standards.
•Work in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Law and be responsible for the integrity of personal information you process. This may include identifying anomalies in data and investigating and correcting them where appropriate. Ensure you attend training on data protection regularly.
•To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and relevant EC directives.
•To actively participate in training, attend other meetings, and staff events as required.
•Be an effective member of your team, presenting a positive impression of your section and the Group.
•Take responsibility for recognising and recording customer complaints, however made, and ensure that any complaints allocated to you are responded to within policy requirements.
•Maintain professional curiosity in all interactions with residents, be aware of and report and record any potential safeguarding issues promptly and appropriately.
•Maintain awareness of budget requirements and value for money while delivering your role.
•Consider and highlight any risk to the organisation or individuals whilst delivering your role.
•Consider resident feedback (the resident voice) in all service delivery, using data and insight and actively engaging with residents to understand their needs, views and priorities and tailor services accordingly.
•This role will involve visiting other offices and stock and you will be required to have your own car and full driving licence.

This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required. It is not comprehensive, and it is expected that other duties will be undertaken as this role develops and as may be reasonably expected.

About You

Education & Qualifications

•GCSE or equivalent education with Maths and English - Essential
•Relevant CIH qualification or willingness to work towards - Essential

Key Skills & Competencies

•Proven experience of effective team management. - Essential
•Relevant experience in a busy contact centre environment. - Essential
•Knowledge of contact centre telephony and technology. - Essential
•Good knowledge of IT, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, and in-house databases. - Essential
•Experience of developing and updating policies. - Desirable
•Experience of report writing and monitoring work systems. - Essential
•Experience of setting strategic direction and targets and monitoring performance. - Desirable
•Experience of working with customers and using customer feedback to develop improved services. - Essential
•A proven track record of leading teams providing a variety of services to deliver exceptional levels of customer service. - Essential
•Ability to analyse, interpret and manage information logically and reach sound conclusions. - Essential
•Understand the business environment of TCH and the wider Peabody Group. - Essential
•Ability to organise and manage a varied workload with conflicting priorities. - Essential
•Ability to persuade and negotiate with a wide range of people gaining their commitment and influencing outcomes. - Essential
•Ability to build excellent working relationships and achieve positive outcomes for our customers and the organisation. - Essential
•Able to manage change, lead teams through new organisational challenges, adopt new systems and develop working practices. - Essential
•Experience of performance management and developing individuals and teams to achieve performance targets - Essential

Behaviours

•Assertive, but empathetic, and able to work under pressure. - Essential
•Takes responsibility for leading others and strives to be accountable for the performance of others. - Essential
•Communicates effectively and professionally, projecting a positive impact with all contacts. - Essential
•Contributes to the strategic visions and goals of the organisation. - Essential
•The strength and drive to meet high personal standards and commit to challenging goals and objectives. - Essential
•Customer focussed showing commitment to excellent customer service, actively seeking feedback to drive service improvement. - Essential
•Evaluates and reviews work to meet high standards that consistently meet or exceed expectations. - Essential
•Commitment to driving and supporting digital engagement - Essential

Why Choose Us

• Contributory pension scheme 4% to 10% matched contributions
• Hybrid working
• Free onsite car parking
• Life assurance of 4x annual salary (Terms and Conditions apply)
• 30 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays
• Two volunteer days per year
• Employee assistance programme (24/7 telephone advice, information portal & face to face counselling sessions)
• Corporate eye care scheme providing free eye tests and free VDU glasses or contribution towards VDU glasses
• Extensive annual Staff Wellbeing programme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave provision
• Flexible annual benefits (for dental, healthcare, shopping vouchers, technology etc.)
• Annual flu vaccinations
• Access to an extensive range of corporate discounts on shopping, travel & days out
• Social events, including lunchtime walking, rounders, festive Fridays
• Travel loan

Our Values

Our culture is about the shared values, beliefs and behaviours that determine how we do things, then the ways and systems of working that help to get those things done.

Our new values, principles and behaviours will put customers at the heart and provide the foundation for the culture of the new organisation. Only by delivering a cohesive and customer-focused culture will we be able to achieve our purpose and priorites.

We have taken an inclusive and collaborative approach to developing the following values, working together with colleagues, customers and the Board:

Equal Opportunities Statement

TCH is an equal opportunities employer committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity or paternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, or caring responsibilities.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join TCH.

We are recognised as a ‘Disability Confident Committed Employer’. As part of this commitment, individuals who disclose at application stage that they have a disability, will be invited to interview provided they demonstrate that they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy. Candidates will be asked if they require any support or reasonable adjustments to enable them to fully participate in the recruitment process.

Apply

Internal Applications

Please send a letter clearly demonstrating how your skills and experience meet the criteria contained on the job description and person specification to recruitment@tch.org.uk.

For internal staff only: Please note, if you're currently on legacy TCH, Rosebery, InTouch, Family Mosaic etc Terms and Conditions and are successful in your application, you will automatically be transferred to the new Peabody Terms and Conditions.

Additionally, if you move to a TCH role on a secondment basis, your Terms and Conditions will not change.

If you have any questions, or require further clarification, please speak to HR.

External Applications

Please complete our online application form by clicking the Apply button below. We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward, so we strongly encourage early applications.

Please note: As an employer, Town & Country Housing does not provide sponsorship as a licensed UK employer.

Key dates

Applications Close:

Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Interview Date:

Friday, 8 May 2026