Contact Centre Manager

Position Purpose: The Manager Te Paepoto Contact Centre will lead and manage the day-to-day and strategic operations for Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University’s core customer service channels. Te Paepoto, known as ‘the threshold of the university,’ is a key point of contact for the provision of information and advice, and for the resolution of problems, issues and enquiries.

The Manager will lead a cost-effective, agile Contact Centre service that maintains and extends its quality standing and response to enquiries from students (future, current and past), other stakeholders, and points of contact.

The Manager will provide advisory and change management leadership on best and emerging, innovative practice in Customer Experience and Contact Centre delivery across the higher education sector and wider customer service industry.

The Manager will also lead Business Continuity Planning for Contact Centre functions and support its integration and alignment with the University’s Emergency Management response plan.

The Manager will work in collaboration with other key internal stakeholders to continue and extend Tiriti-led practices, and culturally-responsive, inclusive service provision as it relates to Te Paepoto Contact Centre.

Accountabilities

Service and Programme Development

• Set, monitor and evaluate frontline key performance indicators (KPIs) that achieve the goals of the Directorate and University to produce the best possible outcomes for our customers. Provide regular and annual reports on service activities, initiatives and services, including evaluation of effectiveness and impact.
• Lead and manage the frontline contact centre team, including direct and indirect reports, maintaining a culture that is inclusive and fosters wellbeing, achievement of KPIs, and successful working environments.
• Develop and deliver initiatives and work programmes that support the University’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, culturally-responsive, and inclusive practices.
• Maintain responsibility for the customer communication knowledge base. Work with key contacts around the University to ensure the upkeep of content. Develop and explore ways to share knowledge and information across all key university departments/units, students, and stakeholders.
• Deliver university-wide guidelines and processes relating to compliance and service excellence e.g., Privacy Guidelines, Customer Experience Expectations and auditing customer interactions for compliance.
• Undertake regular reviews of business continuity plans, leveraging digital technologies in plan development and contributing to the communication and PIM’s (Public Information Management) response on campuses in emergencies or critical incidents.

Enabling Staff Excellence

• Create an environment within Te Paepoto that is focused on delivering an exceptional customer experience that achieves strategic outcomes, acting as a key influencer across the university for customer service.
• Establish and maintain a strong leadership team in the contact centre that develops people to achieve service quality and professional development goals.
• Report on progress against contact centre service standards and performance, including maintaining a quality assurance programme that facilitates continual improvement.
• Effectively communicate the strategic plan and goals to the wider contact centre team to inform yearly Professional Development Plans.

Strategic Advice and Leadership

• Provide leadership and advice on innovative practices in Customer Experience and Contact Centre delivery in the higher education sector and customer service industry.
• Collaborate with Marketing & Communication, Global Engagement, Future Students, and IT Services on emerging trends and changing practices for Contact Centre delivery.
• Engage with experts in CRM, analytics, and AI to maintain high standards of service excellence and utilize customer data effectively.

Contribution to Special Projects & Research

• Participate in projects as required by the Student Experience team, including IT projects and collaboration with stakeholders across the University to implement and evaluate solutions.

Qualifications and Experience

• A degree qualification in an appropriate discipline is essential. Qualifications in Contact Centre operations and competency in Te Reo Māori are desirable.
• 5 years of leadership and operational management experience in a complex environment, preferably in a customer contact centre role with multi-channel experience and CRM systems.
• Commitment to tangata whenuatanga, te reo Māori, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles is essential.
• Experience in leading change management, process improvement, and demonstrating innovative problem-solving skills is required.

Capabilities

Service Excellence

• Establish best practices for service excellence and promote superior service in diverse environments.

Continuous Transformation

• Develop systems and tools efficiently in response to environmental changes, focusing on CRM, AI, and self-service options.

Communication

• Deliver engaging communications that address stakeholder needs and produce impactful outcomes.

Strategic Thinking and Business Acumen

• Consider operational and fiscal factors to maximize service efficiencies and pursue opportunities for improvement.

Collaboration

• Maintain productive relationships within a multi-cultural environment, contributing to teamwork across functions and locations.

Technical-Skills

• Ensure effective delivery of customer service through best practices, knowledge of emerging technologies, and maintaining brand consistency.