Planning Inspectorate
Customer Operations Manager
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Job Summary
As a Customer Operations Manager, you'll play a key role in delivering high quality, customer focused services that make a real difference to both internal and external customers. You'll be responsible for supporting an excellent customer experience, ensuring services are delivered efficiently, consistently and in line with organisational standards and performance targets.
This is an opportunity to bring together people leadership, operational management and customer service expertise in a role that contributes directly to organisational success. Working closely with senior leaders and stakeholders, you'll use customer insight, data and feedback to identify opportunities for improvement, support service enhancements and help deliver positive change.
If you're passionate about customer experience, service improvement, operational leadership and continuous improvement, this role offers the opportunity to support and develop a successful team while helping to shape the future of customer services across the organisation.
The Planning Inspectorate
The Planning Inspectorate has a long and proud history in ensuring a fair planning system for England. The work we do has a significant impact on people’s lives, the communities where they live and the economy.
We want our colleagues to be able to work more flexibly and more collaboratively, exploring new and innovative ways to improve the way we provide services.
For further information on the Planning Inspectorate, please visit our careers page at Civil Service Careers
Be part of the Operational Delivery Profession (ODP)
This role is part of the Operational Delivery Profession – the largest profession in the Civil Service, with over 290,000 members. ODP professionals are the public face of government, delivering essential services to millions of people every day. As a member of this profession, you’ll have access to a wide range of development opportunities, a supportive community, and a clear framework to grow your career.
To learn more about the Operational Delivery Profession, visit ODP Civil Service Careers Page
Job Description
In this role, you'll lead the day to day delivery of the Customer Team, ensuring customers receive a professional, timely, and consistent service. You'll provide leadership and support to the team, manage performance, oversee service delivery against agreed standards, and act as the senior escalation point for complex complaints and customer issues. Working closely with operational leaders and stakeholders, you'll use customer insight, feedback, and performance data to identify trends, improve services, and enhance the overall customer experience.
You'll be responsible for ensuring effective processes, governance, and controls are in place across customer operations, including records management, data protection compliance, reporting, and risk management. You'll work collaboratively across the organisation to understand customer needs, address service challenges, and support continuous improvement initiatives. As a leader, you'll coach and develop team members, champion wellbeing and inclusion, and create an environment where colleagues can perform at their best.
You'll be accountable for the performance and effectiveness of the Customer Team, ensuring services are delivered to a high standard and contribute to organisational objectives. This includes maintaining compliance with relevant legislation, policies, and procedures, safeguarding organisational data, providing accurate management information and customer insights, and driving improvements that strengthen service quality and customer satisfaction. You'll play a key role in fostering a customer focused culture and ensuring lessons learned from customer feedback are translated into meaningful action.
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Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Internal rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
This role is being advertised at SEO Grade which has a salary of £46,689.
Working Hours
- Standard working week is 37 hours
- Part time at 30 hours or above
- Flexible working hours policy available
Office Attendance
This role is contractually based at our office in Bristol, 10-minute walk from Temple Meads train station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in person attendance, which can vary dependent on the requirements of individual business units - the details of which can be discussed with candidates if invited to attend an interview. Excitingly, we're relocating to a brand new office in December, while maintaining excellent transport links with Bristol Temple Meads station still just a 10 minute walk away.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Significant experience leading customer service and complaints teams, delivering improvements in customer outcomes and operational performance.
- Experience leading, managing and developing teams, including supporting colleagues and maintaining performance through periods of change.
- Significant experience analysing complex information, applying judgement and making informed decisions.
- Experience improving service quality through the use of data, insight and customer feedback to set standards and monitor performance.
- Experience of information and records management, using evidence and data to support service delivery and continuous improvement.
- Experience building effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, working independently and recognising when issues should be escalated.
For guidance on how to structure your application please visit: About the application process, Civil Service Careers
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Developing Self and Others
- Managing a Quality Service
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Significant experience leading customer service and complaints teams, delivering improvements in customer outcomes and operational performance.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £46,689, Planning Inspectorate contributes £13,525 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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- Flexible working options, including flexi-time, part-time, compressed hours and home working if suitable for the role.
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
- 25 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year up to 30 days after 5 years, plus 1 privilege day to mark the King’s birthday. In addition to the normal bank holidays.
- Generous family friendly policies.
- Fast and modern IT kit which utilises Windows 11 and Microsoft 365, enabling seamless working from home and collaboration across teams.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
Application
Complete the online application form on Civil Service Jobs which requires the following information:
- A CV: The CV section lets you share your job history. List your jobs, how long you worked at each, and briefly describe your roles and duties. Make sure to show how your experience matches the essential criteria of the job you're applying for. Type or paste this information into the 'Employment History' box in the online application. You can't attach your CV.
- A Personal Statement (1000 words max): The personal statement lets you explain why you're a good fit for the job in more detail. Use it to show how you meet the essential criteria listed in our advert.
- A Statement against the Lead Sift Criteria (250 words max): This statement should give evidence against the Lead Sift Criteria listed below.
If there are many applications, we might use a lead sift. This means we'll first check if you meet the key requirement listed below. If you don't, we won't review the rest of your application.
Significant experience leading customer service and complaints teams, delivering improvements in customer outcomes and operational performance.
All shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome shortly afterwards.
Interview
If You Are Shortlisted, You Will
- Be asked to attend an interview to have a more in-depth discussion about your experience and suitability for the role
- Interviews will be a blend of behaviour, strength and experience questions
Candidates who pass the shortlist stage will receive full assessment details with their interview invitations.
Other Information
- Shortlist Date: w/c 17th August 2026
- Interview Date: w/c 7th September 2026
Interviews will be held remotely using MS Teams. The interview will not be recorded or retained, other than usual interview protocol and in line with Civil Service Jobs privacy notice.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 9 months from which further appointments can be made.
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