Customer Services Director (0664)

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About Sage Homes

Sage Homes is an innovative Blackstone and Regis business addressing the housing crisis in England by making good homes affordable for people across the country who need them.

Since 2017 we have delivered around 17,000 new homes across affordable rent, shared ownership and social rent for individuals and families. In 2021 Sage Homes became the largest provider of new affordable housing in England, and we continue to deliver high quality affordable homes across the country.

We have invested more than £3 billion into high-quality affordable housing. Our entrepreneurial spirit combined with our technical expertise has got us to where we are today and will enable future sustainable growth.

About the role:

Are you passionate about leading high-performing teams and delivering exceptional customer experiences? At Sage Homes, we're looking for an accomplished Customer Services Director to shape and drive our customer-facing housing management functions, ensuring they exceed expectations and align with our mission to provide high-quality housing management services. Based in our Northampton office, you will develop and embed a comprehensive customer service strategy aligned with Sage Homes' broader organisational goals that seeks to continually improve customer satisfaction and our reputation for service quality.

Your primary focus will be on achieving exceptional operational performance and quality, ensuring the delivery of excellent value for money while minimising costs across our customer service functions. These functions include the customer contact centre, income collection & financial wellbeing services, the community safety team and the housing operations team. Additionally, you will collaborate closely with the complaints handling team to support the effective resolution of complex customer issues.

You will be responsible for enhancing the overall customer experience while maintaining cost efficiency, managing complex stakeholder relationships, and driving continuous improvements in service standards across Sage Homes. As a visible leader, you will ensure that our teams consistently uphold Sage Homes' values and deliver exceptional services to our customers. Reporting directly to the Managing Director of Housing Operations, you will play a key role as part of the Senior Leadership Team. Your contributions will shape Sage Homes' broader corporate strategy, business planning, and strategic risk management. This role also involves significant interaction with the Sage Board and shareholders, providing assurance on performance and aligning initiatives with organisational goals.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead, motivate, and manage the customer facing housing management teams to deliver excellent and efficient service, fostering a customer-first culture.
• Monitor, evaluate, and improve customer satisfaction levels across all services, ensuring timely resolution of customer issues and complaints.
• Set and monitor KPIs to measure and improve the effectiveness of customer service operations, including monitoring and improving ratings on third party sites such as Trust Pilot.
• Analyse customer feedback, surveys, and service data to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Lead projects aimed at service innovation, efficiency improvements, and digital transformation to enhance customer interaction.
• Collaborate with the Executive Team to ensure customer service priorities are integrated into the overall business plan.
• Benchmark performance against industry standards and ensure the association remains compliant with relevant regulations and legislation.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including tenants, government bodies, regulators, and community groups.
• Ensure that Sage Homes provides inclusive services that meet the diverse needs of tenants and service users, including vulnerable and underrepresented groups.
• Engage with external partners and networks to stay informed of best practices and emerging trends in customer service and housing sectors.
• Oversee the recruitment, training, and professional development of the customer service team.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing environment by encouraging knowledge sharing, teamwork, and professional growth.
• Ensure compliance with relevant housing regulations, tenant satisfaction measures, data protection standards (GDPR), and internal policies regarding customer data and privacy.
• Prepare (and present) reports and updates for the Board of Directors and Senior Executive Team on customer service performance and initiatives.

About you:

• Significant experience in a senior customer service leadership role, ideally within the affordable housing sector.
• Strong track record in delivering customer service transformation and driving service improvements.
• Excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage complex issues and resolve problems with a customer-centric approach.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and use insights to shape service delivery.
• Knowledge of digital tools and technologies that enhance customer service delivery.
• Knowledge of relevant housing legislation, customer service standards, and regulatory requirements.
• A confident communicator, you will be comfortable discussing performance drivers with board members and shareholders.
• You are organised and efficient with your time and self-manage, whilst being comfortable asking for help or guidance when you need it.
• You are self-driven, accountable and embrace change and opportunity.
• Pro-active and take a creative approach to relationship-building and problem solving.
• You are decisive whilst working at a quick pace.
• You have a natural customer focus, and it is a consideration in all that you do.
• A full UK Driving License and access to a vehicle for business purposes.

Qualifications:

• A higher education qualification (e.g. Degree) and/or substantial relevant experience.
• Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) qualification or equivalent desirable.

We are committed to ensuring you have the best career here at Sage. As well as regular support and guidance from your manager you can expect to receive a variety of learning and development opportunities to support you as you grow within our business. This includes internally and externally delivered development programmes and opportunities to study for professional accreditations and qualifications.

About the culture:

We truly care about the outcomes we deliver; creating safe and environmentally friendly places for people to flourish. And we're curious, passionate and inventive in the way we create social change.

Sage is a fast-paced and supportive environment where ambitious and proactive employees thrive. People are empowered to use their pioneering efforts to grow themselves and our business.

We are proudly committed to creating an inclusive workplace, where the diversity of our people and their ideas are truly valued and we love to see applicants from diverse backgrounds and different walks of life.