As the Customer Support Services Team Lead your main responsibility is to consistently ensure high levels of Customer Satisfaction. You are responsible for developing the capability and capacity required to support our customers both in the UK and internationally. You will also liaise regularly with Customers, Suppliers and central support functions.

Use your supportability experience and determination to influence and advise the various business functions, engineering, project managers, bid teams, services and portfolio managers, and sales by promoting and implementing ILS activities. In addition, supporting the projects by identifying and managing ILS risks.

Primary Job Purpose

* To provide strong and visible leadership to the Customer Services Support Team and across the Business Unit, developing and executing Customer Support plans to achieve our Customer Satisfaction objectives.
* To support sustainable and profitable business growth by developing team capability and capacity across the Customer Support Services function.
* To promote the brand and products so customers, partners and suppliers value our honesty and integrity, and have confidence in our ability to successfully meet their needs.
* To promote a healthy working environment that will create a high performing team, retain, grow and attract talent.
* To liaise with customers and build relationships. Take ownership of customer's issues and follow problems through to resolution.
* Work with the Customer Support Services function shaping and delivering the business's Customer Service propositions (inc responding to bids/tenders).

Key Responsibilities

* Oversees the function activities and provides leadership to teams responsible for: Product Support and Support Delivery; including spares order management, repairs, service contract management, on-site support, product documentation management, equipment availability, export controls and shipping.
* Own and manage the Service and support ILS responses to Customer Requests for Proposal (RFP), Invitations to Tender (ITT), Statements of Work (SoW), Tender Assessments and Contract Specifications.
* To provide portfolio managers, Campaign managers and BU leadership with ILS insights and inputs to both future and current customer supportability requirements.
* Support business growth as an ILS SME for bids, partnering agreements including planning, pre-contract discussions, product development, project ILS meetings & reviews.
* Ensure that overseas operational requirements are appropriately captured, planned and costed in bids and assures operational delivery in customer projects.
* To provide high levels of confidence in our capability to meet the internal and external customer ILS support requirements.
* Develops service procedures, policies and standards. Drives for relentless improvement of customer support approaches, strategies and products.
* Ensures customer inquiries are investigated and responded to in a timely manner, taking ownership of customers' issues and following problems through to resolution. Liaises with customers as and when required to ensure customer satisfaction.
* Negotiates contracts for services and manages Customer expectations.
* Prioritises Customer Support Services resource allocation.
* Liaises on Customer Support Services matters with other functions within the business such as Engineering, Programmes and Sales, and provides Voice of Customer feedback regarding product sustainability and Customer satisfaction.
* To keep the Portfolio and project managers informed of relevant risks, issues and progress of the ILS functions, escalating appropriate matters for resolution.
* Manage Business Unit risks associated with international deliveries effectively. Properly resource any mitigation, report progress and escalated matters as required. Ensures suitable governance, assurance, business services and processes are in place to manage the international business effectively.
* Always fully complying with published policies and procedures.
* Undertake such other reasonable duties, commensurate with the job holder's experience and qualifications, as may be required for the smooth operation of the business.

Education and Qualifications

*Degree or HND/HNC qualified Knowledge, Skills & Experience
*Experience of bids, understanding customer requirements, estimating costs, and know what excellent looks like regarding bid content such as ILS/IPS plans
*Experience managing teams
*Experience in the service support of low volume, high value, products and systems in a highly regulated environment
*Knowledge and experience of the application of through-life support standards such as DEF STAN 00-600, 00-40, 00-42, Mil Std 217F and KiD
*Good knowledge of MOD support frameworks and experience in their application as a supplier