Director of Operations - Customer Service (BPO)
Director of Operations - Customer Service (BPO)
Cape Town, South Africa, ZA, Cape Town,
Role Overview
The Director of Operations is responsible for leading large-scale customer service clients supporting US and UK clients within a BPO call center environment. This role ensures exceptional service delivery, client satisfaction, financial performance, and operational excellence across multiple accounts.
The Director will drive performance across voice, email, chat, and technical customer support channels while maintaining strict adherence to SLAs, regulatory expectations, and customer experience standards typical of US and UK markets.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Excellence
- Lead end-to-end operations for multiple US and UK customer service clients
- Ensure consistent achievement of SLAs and KPIs such as Service Level, AHT, CSAT, FCR, and Quality Scores
- Drive a customer-first culture focused on empathy, resolution, and brand representation
- Standardize best practices across programs to improve efficiency and service quality
Client Relationship Management
- Act as the senior operational leader and primary escalation point for US & UK clients
- Lead Weekly, Monthly, and Quarterly Business Reviews (WBRs/QBRs)
- Translate client expectations into actionable operational plans
- Identify opportunities for account growth, value-add services, and renewals
Financial & Commercial Ownership
- Own full P&L for assigned customer service accounts
- Manage cost drivers including headcount, overtime, shrinkage, and productivity
- Improve margins through operational efficiencies and automation initiatives
- Support commercial teams in pricing models, RFPs, and solution design
Workforce Strategy & Planning
- Partner with Workforce Management to ensure accurate forecasting for seasonal and promotional demand common in US/UK markets
- Oversee recruitment planning to meet ramp timelines and language/skill requirements
- Monitor schedule adherence, occupancy, and shrinkage to balance cost and service
People Leadership & Culture
- Lead Operations Managers, Senior Managers, and support leaders across programs
- Build a culture of accountability, coaching, and performance recognition
- Drive engagement strategies to reduce attrition in high-volume customer service environments
- Develop succession pipelines for frontline and leadership roles
Customer Experience & Quality
- Partner with QA and Training to enhance soft skills, product knowledge, and customer handling for Western markets
- Ensure consistent tone, communication style, and service etiquette aligned with US & UK customer expectations
- Drive root cause analysis on customer dissatisfaction and repeat contacts
Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure compliance with data privacy and consumer protection standards relevant to US and UK clients (e.g., GDPR awareness, PCI-DSS where applicable)
- Oversee information security, call handling standards, and regulatory adherence
- Lead business continuity and disaster recovery readiness
Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Lead Lean/Six Sigma or process improvement initiatives to reduce AHT and improve FCR
- Champion automation, self-service, and AI-assisted support tools
- Use data analytics and VOC (Voice of Customer) insights to improve journey and service outcomes
Governance & Reporting
- Provide executive-level reporting on operational, financial, and CX performance
- Establish governance routines with internal and client stakeholders
- Drive accountability through performance dashboards and action planning
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- SLA attainment (Service Level, Response Time, Backlog)
- Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) / NPS
- First Contact Resolution (FCR)
- Quality Assurance scores
- Employee engagement & attrition
- Revenue, margin, and cost per contact
- Client retention and account growth
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, or related field (MBA preferred)
- 12+ years of experience in BPO/call center operations
- 5+ years leading large customer service operations for US/UK markets
- Proven experience managing 500–1,500+ FTE across multiple accounts
- Strong P&L ownership and commercial acumen
- Experience working directly with international clients and stakeholders
- Knowledge of Western customer service standards and communication expectations
- Lean / Six Sigma certification preferred
Core Competencies
- Customer Experience leadership
- Strategic and commercial thinking
- Advanced data analysis and decision-making
- Executive client management
- Cross-cultural leadership
- Change and transformation management
- Strong presentation and communication skills
Work Environment
24/7 customer service environment supporting US & UK time zones which requires schedule flexibility and availability. Fast-paced, metrics-driven, client-facing BPO setting.
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Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma, BPO, Quality Assurance, QA, Management, Operations, Quality, Technology