Senior Manager Customer Success

Location: Manchester

At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.

Permanent

Manchester

Salary: £57,000 - £64,500

Hybrid Working

Lead people. Shape the future. Make a difference to education.

As Senior Manager Customer Success, you'll bring credible, authentic leadership to a significant operational area, leading around 50 permanent colleagues through a team of managers, with an additional 70 seasonal colleagues joining during peak periods, whilst helping shape the future of customer support at AQA.

You'll be part of the Customer Success Leadership Team and will play a key role in shaping how we deliver exceptional support to schools, colleges and learners across the country.

What makes this role different is the level of trust, autonomy and influence that comes with it. You'll be fully empowered to lead your area, make decisions, improve ways of working and build a culture where people can thrive.

You'll inherit a capable team and have the opportunity to provide the steady leadership presence that helps people perform at their best. You'll also play an important role in supporting AQA's future ambitions, including developing our approach as we continue to grow our presence in the vocational qualifications market.

What you'll be doing

• Leading and developing a large customer-facing operation through a team of leaders and managers.
• Creating a high-performing, engaged and supportive culture where people can do their best work.
• Providing visible leadership and direction during both routine operations and critical business periods.
• Managing operational performance, service standards, budgets and workforce plans.
• Supporting and developing managers to lead confidently and effectively.
• Building strong relationships with senior leaders and influencing across organisational boundaries.
• Leading change initiatives and helping teams navigate ambiguity with confidence.
• Identifying opportunities to improve customer outcomes, colleague experience and operational effectiveness.
• Contributing to the wider Customer Success strategy and future direction of the function.
• You'll thrive in this role if you have
• This role will suit someone who has already led large operational teams or is operating at a senior manager level and ready to step into a broader, more influential leadership position.

You'll have

Experience leading sizeable customer service or customer-focused operational teams through layers of management.

A track record of developing managers and building leadership capability in others.

Experience managing operational performance, service delivery, workforce planning and budgets.

The judgement to make informed commercial decisions whilst balancing customer, colleague and organisational priorities.

The presence and credibility to engage confidently with senior leaders and stakeholders.

A calm, pragmatic leadership style and the ability to create clarity, alignment and momentum.

Experience leading teams through change and helping people adapt successfully.

Commitment to developing people, delivering excellent customer outcomes and continuous improvement.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to lead a significant part of AQA's customer operation at a time of growth and change.

You'll join a leadership team that values trust, empowerment and collaboration. You'll have the freedom to shape your area, develop your people, influence strategy and help define the future of customer support at AQA.

Most importantly, you'll have the chance to lead in a way that reflects AQA's values: bringing confidence, care, integrity and ambition to everything you do.

What's in it for you?

Alongside the opportunity to lead a significant operational area and shape the future direction of customer support at AQA, you'll benefit from:

A 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working.

25 days' annual leave, rising to 30 days with service, plus additional Christmas closure days.

A comprehensive benefits package including pension contributions, BUPA healthcare support, wellbeing programmes and volunteering opportunities.

Free on-site gym access and limited on-site parking at our Manchester office.

The opportunity to lead and develop future leaders whilst influencing strategic decision-making across AQA.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At AQA, we're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong and can do their best work. We value the different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds our people bring, knowing they strengthen our culture, decision-making and impact. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone is treated with respect, has access to opportunities to grow and contribute, and feels able to be themselves. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Application Process

• To apply, please submit your CV, a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role, and responses to the application questions.
• Application deadline: Wednesday 28th October 2026, 23:59
• First-stage interviews: Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 10th November 2026.
• Final-stage interviews: In person at our Manchester office and will include a presentation on either 18th or 19th November 2026.
• All candidates will receive a written response on the outcome of their application.

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Recruitment Agencies

We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.

Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.

Full Job Description

Summary

Purpose

The Senior Manager Customer Success is accountable for leading AQA's customer operation ensuring exceptional service delivery for customers at the moments that matter most.

This is a crucial leadership role responsible for delivering results through people. You will lead a large team and create an environment where colleagues feel engaged, empowered, supported and inspired to perform at their best.

You will provide visible, authentic leadership, combining strategic thinking with operational excellence to ensure customers receive a high-quality experience. Through your leadership, coaching and influence you will build a high-performing culture centred on service excellence, accountability, continuous improvement and care.

You will play a key role in shaping the future of customer operations, leading through change, championing the voice of the customer and ensuring AQA continues to deliver outstanding support in a complex and highly regulated environment.Landscape:

As Senior Manager Customer Success, you will operate within a fast-paced and highly visible environment where customer trust, operational resilience and colleague engagement are critical to success.

You will lead a large customer operations function of approximately 50 permanent colleagues and up to 100 seasonal colleagues during peak periods, working through a team of experienced operational leaders.

Reporting directly to the Head of Customer Success, you will be responsible for guiding operational delivery and ensuring that customer and people outcomes are achieved.

Success in this role requires the ability to maintain perspective and composure through periods of operational demand, including exams and results periods, while building confidence and credibility with colleagues, customers and senior stakeholders.

You will work closely with teams across AQA including Customer Success teams, Exams Officer Support, Exam Delivery, Enterprise Technology, Sales & Account Management, Subject Support, Finance, People Group, Risk & Compliance and Senior Leadership Teams to shape customer strategy, drive improvements and deliver organisational priorities.

As part of the customer success leadership team, this role requires a leader with presence, gravitas and integrity; someone who can support and mentor their teams, influence at all levels, navigate complexity, build strong relationships and inspire confidence during both routine operations and critical business moments.

Activities

• Leadership, Culture and People Development
• Lead, coach and develop a team of operational leaders - creating a highly engaged, accountable and high-performing culture.
• Inspire colleagues through visible leadership, clear communication and genuine commitment to their development and wellbeing.
• Create an environment where people feel trusted, valued and empowered to succeed.
• Develop leadership capability and succession pipelines to support long-term organisational growth.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, learning and continuous improvement.

Operational Excellence

• Provide leadership and oversight of day-to-day service delivery, ensuring customers receive an exceptional experience across all channels.
• Ensure service performance, operational targets and customer commitments are consistently achieved.
• Oversee operational improvements that enhance effectiveness, efficiency and customer outcomes.
• Lead decision-making during periods of heightened demand and operational risk.

Strategic Leadership & Change

• Lead with clarity and purpose, translating strategic priorities into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.
• Contribute to the wider Customer Success leadership agenda and support the development of future organisational capability.
• Build external networks and identify industry best practice to continuously strengthen AQA's approach to service delivery.
• Lead teams through organisational, technological and process change with confidence and empathy.
• Build understanding, commitment and engagement during periods of change.
• Support the implementation and adoption of new systems, technologies and ways of working

Customer Advocacy

Champion the voice of the customer across AQA by using customer insight, feedback and colleague expertise to identify opportunities for improvement.

Drive initiatives that improve customer journeys, remove friction and strengthen customer trust.

Stakeholder Leadership

• Build trusted relationships with senior leaders and key stakeholders across the organisation.
• Influence decision-making through insight, expertise and collaborative leadership.
• Represent customer operations within strategic discussions and organisational governance meetings
• Performance and Resource Management
• Ensure effective management of budgets, resources and workforce planning activities.
• Use operational and customer insights to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Oversee governance, compliance and risk management requirements across customer operations.
• To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

Essential Criteria

Experience leading teams within a customer-focused operational environment, with a track record of delivering outcomes through others. You may already be leading large-scale operations through layers of leadership, or be ready to take the next step, demonstrating the leadership presence, judgement, credibility and people-centred approach required to succeed at this level.

A reputation for acting with integrity, authenticity and sound judgement, earning trust from colleagues, customers and stakeholders.

Strong coaching and leadership development capability, with a passion for helping others grow and succeed.

Experience leading teams through periods of change, ambiguity and organisational transformation.

Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including experience working with senior leaders and cross-functional teams.

Demonstrable experience of leadership in contact centre or customer services operations, using performance data, insight and metrics to drive operational improvement and customer outcomes.

Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance customer, colleague and organisational priorities.

A calm and resilient leadership style, with the ability to make effective decisions under pressure.

Excellent communication and engagement skills, capable of creating clarity, alignment and commitment.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience within education, assessment, regulated services or similarly complex sectors.
• Knowledge of customer contact centre operations, workforce management and quality frameworks.
• Experience implementing operational improvement, digital transformation or customer experience initiatives.
• Familiarity with customer service technologies including CRM platforms, workforce management tools, cloud telephony and AI-enabled solutions.
• Experience managing large seasonal or flexible workforces.
• External professional networks or involvement in industry forums and customer service communities.