Customer Director FAS - Maximus

Be part of something great

Maximus is a global organisation that specialises in providing health and employment services to millions of people every year. Here in the UK we employ around 5,000 people across the country to deliver services that have a profound impact on people's lives. From assessments and health services to employability programmes and specialist support, we do work that matters with people who care.

Our mission is to help customers move forward with their lives, the customer experience is key to our success. The Customer Director role for FAS is a critical role which is responsible for the end to end customer journey, with the customers we serve as well as the key contact with our commissioner the DWP, our supply chain partners and other suppliers.

This role will lead strategic improvements which will ensure our customers (clients) have a smooth experience in relation to their appointment and assessment process reflected in the customer satisfaction scores.

The role is responsible for managing the performance of the VCC, the Customer Relations Team which includes responding to MP queries, and complaints and the customer experience team.

Closing date 05/04/24

• The post holder will serve as the external face of our Assessments division, championing customer experience and service. As the primary point of contact for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), you'll nurture and enhance the customer relationship. In addition, you will have stakeholders with the Prime Provider in Lot 2 (Capita), other FAS suppliers and our Supply Chain partners
• This role requires a proactive grasp of customer needs and experiences. Engage with charities and chair the Customer Relations Group (CRG)-a coalition of influential voices and charity organisations representing our diverse customer base.
• Represent Maximus at the Customer Experience sub-group within the DWP and other FAS suppliers. Collaborate closely with key stakeholders to influence processes that directly impact the customer. Your insights will drive continuous improvement in our service provision which will be implemented through working collaboratively with the Operations and Clinical Director.
• The role is responsible for managing the team that is responsible for customer service enquires, MP (Member of Parliament) enquiries and complaints are ensuring they are handled and resolved quickly and effectively
• Chair and lead on the engagement of the Customer Relationship Group (CRG) made up of key influencers and charity groups that represent our customer (client) base. The insights gained from these meetings will feed into your plan to drive continuous improvement and work collaboratively with DWP and other suppliers to improve the process for the customers
• Chair and lead the Customer Experience sub group for Maximus and work collaboratively with other suppliers and supply chain partners to influence policy and improvement in customer journey
• Customer Strategy Development: Develop a robust customer strategy that introduces changes to the existing assessment service. Drive improvements in customer experience, ensuring alignment with contractual agreements
• Subject Matter Expertise: Serve as the business expert on assessments and benefits service. Deeply understand policies and best practices used to deliver the service. Proactively engage with customers, their representative groups, key policy makers, and opinion formers.
• Service Level Compliance: Ensure the Virtual Contact Centre (VCC) and front end of the customer experience meet the service levels specified by the DWP. Collaborate with the Connect Division to equip and resource the VCC team effectively. Lead the customer experience and customer relations team, ensuring service levels are achieved and ensuring appropriate support for the team when handle challenging and distressing calls with sensitivity.
• Customer Support: Provide support to customers throughout the assessment process, including appointment attendance and appointment changes.
• Relationship management with Client (DWP) particularly senior representatives accountable for customer service and policy.
• Responsible for developing a customer strategy that introduces changes to the existing assessment service and drives an improvement in customer experience ensuring appropriate impacting is undertaken to ensure change is in line with contractual agreements
• The business expert on assessments / benefits service, deep knowledge of the policies and best practice being used to deliver the service. A proactive understanding of customer needs and experiences eg. engagement with the customer, their representative groups, key policy makers and opinion formers.
• Ensuring the VCC and front end of the customer experience meets the service levels set out by the DWP, through working with Connect Division to ensure the VCC team are fully equipped and resourced to support the demands of the customer supporting them with the completion of their benefit submission, through a dedicated helpline. Supporting customers through the process once an appointment has been made, whether that be attendance to the AC, changing the appointment. Due to the nature of the calls, some of these calls can be challenging and distressing so ensuring the team have the skills to effectively & sensitively handle calls from customers and have the appropriate support to handle the calls.
• Representing Maximus Assessments and engaging with key stakeholders to improve the end to end customer experience through sharing best practice, learning from feedback and proactively making service improvements to benefit the customer journey and experience
• Collaborate with colleagues across Maximus and through other suppliers, to support the Assessment Division aim of being the leading assessment provider in the UK.
• Work collaboratively with Prime provider in Lot 2 to ensure alignment in approach to customer journey
• Leadership and direct line management of personnel within the business for the delivery of specific key customer metrics e.g. customer survey.

Key Contacts & Relationships

Internal

• Programme Director and Senior Leadership Team
• Clinical Standards Team
• Operational Teams
• Customer Teams
• Central Services - eg. IT Technology Teams, HR, Recruitment, Talent and Development, Information Security, PMO
• Country Leadership Team
• Business development team

External

• DWP
• MPs
• Customer (claimants)
• Customer groups
• Key opinion formers
• Policy makers

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Proven senior level experience (3+ years) of leading in a customer centric role.
• Proven capability to lead and influence in a complex multi-stakeholder environment
• Established, values-driven leader, with ability to lead, coach and develop employees
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals at all levels both verbally and in writing
• Educated to a minimum of degree level or equivalent
• Strongly customer focussed with a track record of improvements to customer service.
• Customer focused both internal and external with ability to command respect quickly
• Resilient and able to work under pressure both individually and as a team
• Flexible and proven to be able to respond to moving business demands
• Work flexibly, travel extensively and effectively around the UK

Desirable

• Experience of working in the delivery of government contracts
• Strong Commercial acumen and financial awareness

Individual Competencies

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence across multiple levels.
• Able to work well with others, creating an environment where continuous improvement and high-quality outputs are achieved.
• Strong understanding of data management, with the ability to present data in an appropriate format for multiple audiences.
• Ability to lead a team through change initiatives, maintaining focus and desired outputs.
• Ability to assess risks / interdependencies and mitigate against those
• Ability to work in a fast pace, changing environment
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals at all levels both verbally and in
• Educated to a minimum of degree level or equivalent

EEO Statement

Maximus is committed to developing, maintaining and supporting a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the recruitment process. We know that feeling included has a dramatic impact on personal well-being and are working to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment due to any personal characteristic. Advertisements for posts will include sufficiently clear and accurate information to enable potential applicants to assess their own suitability for the post.

We are a Disability Confident Leader, thanks to our commitment to the recruitment, retention and career development of people with disabilities and long-term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme includes a guaranteed interview for any applicant with a disability who meets the minimum requirements for a job. When you complete your job application you will find a question asking you if you would like to apply under the Disability Confident Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you feel that you have a disability and apply under this scheme, providing that you meet the essential criteria for the job, you will then be invited for an interview. YourGuaranteed Interview application will only be shared with the hiring manager and the local resourcing team. Where reasonable, Maximus will review and consider adjustments for those applicants who express a requirement for them during the recruitment process.