{"id":2448701,"url":"https://alion.io/job/aqa-senior-manager-customer-success","title":"Senior Manager Customer Success","company":{"id":1791368,"name":"AQA","domain":"aqa.org.uk","url":"https://alion.io/company/aqa-org-uk","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":null},"role":"Customer Success","role_family":"Customer Success","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Manchester, United Kingdom"],"countries":["GB"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":57000,"max":64500,"currency":"GBP","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":85248},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Microsoft Teams","optional":false}],"status":"closed","first_seen_at":"2026-10-13T14:10:53Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-13","last_verified_at":"2026-10-30T14:33:23Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":"2026-10-30T14:33:23Z","days_open":17,"trust":{"level":"not_scored","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":17},"description":"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’sour people who make this happen.\nSenior Manager Customer Success\nPermanent\nManchester\nSalary: £57,000 - £64,500\nHybrid Working\nLead people. Shape the future. Make a difference to education.\nAs 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.\nYou'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.\nWhat 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.\nYou'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.\nWhat you'll be doing\nLeading and developing a large customer-facing operation through a team of leaders and managers.\nCreating a high-performing, engaged and supportive culture where people can do their best work.\nProviding visible leadership and direction during both routine operations and critical business periods.\nManaging operational performance, service standards, budgets and workforce plans.\nSupporting and developing managers to lead confidently and effectively.\nBuilding strong relationships with senior leaders and influencing across organisational boundaries.\nLeading change initiatives and helping teams navigate ambiguity with confidence.\nIdentifying opportunities to improve customer outcomes, colleague experience and operational effectiveness.\nContributing to the wider Customer Success strategy and future direction of the function.\nYou'll thrive in this role if you have\nThis 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.\nYou'll have:\nExperience leading sizeable customer service or customer-focused operational teams through layers of management.\nA track record of developing managers and building leadership capability in others.\nExperience managing operational performance, service delivery, workforce planning and budgets.\nThe judgement to make informed commercial decisions whilst balancing customer, colleague and organisational priorities.\nThe presence and credibility to engage confidently with senior leaders and stakeholders.\nA calm, pragmatic leadership style and the ability to create clarity, alignment and momentum.\nExperience leading teams through change and helping people adapt successfully.\nCommitment to developing people, delivering excellent customer outcomes and continuous improvement.\nWhy join us?\nThis is an opportunity to lead a significant part of AQA's customer operation at a time of growth and change.\nYou'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.\nMost 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.\nWhat's in it for you?\nAlongside the opportunity to lead a significant operational area and shape the future direction of customer support at AQA, you'll benefit from:\nA 35-hour working week with flexible, hybrid working.\n25 days' annual leave, rising to 30 days with service, plus additional Christmas closure days.\nA comprehensive benefits package including pension contributions, BUPA healthcare support, wellbeing programmes and volunteering opportunities.\nFree on-site gym access and limited on-site parking at our Manchester office.\nThe opportunity to lead and develop future leaders whilst influencing strategic decision-making across AQA.\nDiversity and Inclusion Statement\nAt 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.\nApplication Process\nTo apply, please submit your CV, a cover letter outlining your suitability for the role, and responses to the application questions.\nApplication deadline: Wednesday 28th October 2026, 23:59\nFirst-stage interviews: Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 10th November 2026.\nFinal-stage interviews: In person at our Manchester office and will include a presentation on either 18th or 19th November 2026.\nAll candidates will receive a written response on the outcome of their application.\n#PRO22\n#MCRE\nRecruitment Agencies\nWe have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.\nUnsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.\nFull Job Description\nSummary\nPurpose: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.\nThis 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.\nYou 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.\nYou 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:\nAs 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.\nYou 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.\nReporting directly to the Head of Customer Success, you will be responsible for guiding operational delivery and ensuring that customer and people outcomes are achieved.\nSuccess 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.\nYou 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.\nAs 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.\nActivities:\nLeadership, Culture and People Development\nLead, coach and develop a team of operational leaders - creating a highly engaged, accountable and high-performing culture.\nInspire colleagues through visible leadership, clear communication and genuine commitment to their development and wellbeing.\nCreate an environment where people feel trusted, valued and empowered to succeed.\nDevelop leadership capability and succession pipelines to support long-term organisational growth.\nFoster a culture of collaboration, learning and continuous improvement.\nOperational Excellence\nProvide leadership and oversight of day-to-day service delivery, ensuring customers receive an exceptional experience across all channels.\nEnsure service performance, operational targets and customer commitments are consistently achieved.\nOversee operational improvements that enhance effectiveness, efficiency and customer outcomes.\nLead decision-making during periods of heightened demand and operational risk.\nStrategic Leadership & Change\nLead with clarity and purpose, translating strategic priorities into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.\nContribute to the wider Customer Success leadership agenda and support the development of future organisational capability.\nBuild external networks and identify industry best practice to continuously strengthen AQA's approach to service delivery.\nLead teams through organisational, technological and process change with confidence and empathy.\nBuild understanding, commitment and engagement during periods of change.\nSupport the implementation and adoption of new systems, technologies and ways of working\nCustomer Advocacy\nChampion the voice of the customer across AQA by using customer insight, feedback and colleague expertise to identify opportunities for improvement.\nDrive initiatives that improve customer journeys, remove friction and strengthen customer trust.\nStakeholder Leadership\nBuild trusted relationships with senior leaders and key stakeholders across the organisation.\nInfluence decision-making through insight, expertise and collaborative leadership.\nRepresent customer operations within strategic discussions and organisational governance meetings\nPerformance and Resource Management\nEnsure effective management of budgets, resources and workforce planning activities.\nUse operational and customer insights to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.\nOversee governance, compliance and risk management requirements across customer operations.\nTo be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:\nEssential Criteria\nExperience 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.\nA reputation for acting with integrity, authenticity and sound judgement, earning trust from colleagues, customers and stakeholders.\nStrong coaching and leadership development capability, with a passion for helping others grow and succeed.\nExperience leading teams through periods of change, ambiguity and organisational transformation.\nStrong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including experience working with senior leaders and cross-functional teams.\nDemonstrable experience of leadership in contact centre or customer services operations, using performance data, insight and metrics to drive operational improvement and customer outcomes.\nStrong commercial awareness and ability to balance customer, colleague and organisational priorities.\nA calm and resilient leadership style, with the ability to make effective decisions under pressure.\nE...","description_format":"text","description_chars":12711,"description_truncated":true,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Annual leave","Flexible schedule","Hybrid work"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United Kingdom","iso":"GB","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Skill Assessment","Standards & Industry Bodies"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-13T14:10:53Z"},{"event":"close","at":"2026-10-30T14:33:23Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":null,"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":85248,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/aqa-senior-manager-customer-success","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/aqa-senior-manager-customer-success.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-02T06:07:33Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":8803,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-03T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":1791368},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=1791368"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Faqa-senior-manager-customer-success"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Faqa-senior-manager-customer-success"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Faqa-senior-manager-customer-success"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/aqa-senior-manager-customer-success\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Faqa-senior-manager-customer-success"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":2448701}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"aqa.org.uk","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":2448701},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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