Field Service Team Lead (Installations) – Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (Fixed-Term, Minimum 30 Hours/Week)

Type: Fixed-term contract (6 months), 30 hours per week

Work Location: On the road and at customer sites.

Pay:  £20 per hour

Licence/Certification: Full valid UK driving licence (required)

Focal Systems is the industry leader in retail AI solutions. Our mission is to automate and optimise brick-and-mortar retail using deep-learning computer vision. Focal has been deployed at scale with the top retailers in the world. We are looking for smart, creative, and passionate people who love to learn, enjoy thinking critically, share our values, and want to build a great and enduring company.

We have built the next-generation operating system for brick & mortar retail. This OS leverages shelf-mounted cameras that constantly measure the state of the retailers’ shelves and use that information to order quicker and smarter, planogram better, and schedule, direct, train, and manage their staff. We have proven this with major retailers around the world.

Job Description

We are currently expanding our operations throughout the UK and seeking a dedicated Field Service Team Lead to oversee installations for our customers in your area. This role will primarily involve working overnight, managing installations where our product will be installed. As a crucial member of our team, you will assume accountability for the successful installation and deployment of our system, while leading, coordinating, and supporting a team of Field Service Technicians on site. Physical stamina, proficiency with power tools, strong leadership skills, and the ability to meet quality and speed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are essential for this role.

This will be a 6 Month contract position, working a minimum of 30 hrs per week with a possibility to extend beyond the initial contract.

• Night shift work
• Driver's License and Transportation: Valid driver's license and reliable transportation to travel to sites is required.

What You Will Be Doing

• Lead and coordinate a team of Field Service Technicians on site, allocating tasks and ensuring installations run to plan and schedule.
• Installation of camera hardware: mount, connect and configure in accordance with company standards, and oversee the team doing the same.
• Conduct pre-installation site checks and briefings to identify and address potential issues before the installation begins. 
• Act as the primary point of contact for the customer on site, escalating and resolving issues promptly to ensure SLAs are met.
• Review and sign off on completed installations to ensure they meet company quality standards before handover.
• Maintain accurate records of installation activities across the team, including work performed, parts used, and time spent, using company-provided tools.
• Onboarding/scanning products into the system.
• As required, attend and lead installations at various clients during night hours.
• Operate power tools safely and efficiently, and ensure the team does the same, to complete installations.
• Enforce safety protocols and guidelines to minimize risks during installation visits.
• Train, mentor, and support new and existing team members to develop their installation skills and knowledge.
• Maintain a high level of attention to detail across the team to ensure installation tasks meet quality standards.
• Meet or exceed team speed and quality Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) consistently.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors, clients, and team members to provide updates on progress and address any issues or challenges encountered during store installations.
• Adhere to company policies and procedures at all times, and ensure the team does the same.

Requirements:

• Proven Field Service Technician Experience: Previous experience in a field technician role, preferably in field service, installation, construction, or a related field, including some experience leading or supervising others.
• Leadership Skills: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and coordinate a small team to deliver on shared goals under time pressure.
• Strong technical aptitude and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to diagnose and resolve hardware and software issues efficiently.
• Proficiency in using power tools and other installation equipment required for this type of role.
• Physical Stamina: Strong physical stamina to work on feet and perform physically demanding tasks for extended periods (up to 9 hours).
• Detail-Oriented: Excellent attention to detail to ensure installation work meets quality standards and adheres to specifications.
• Time Management: Ability to work well under pressure, prioritise tasks across a team, meet tight deadlines, and ensure timely completion of assigned tasks.
• Communication Skills: Effective communication skills to liaise with supervisors, team members, and customers, providing updates on progress and addressing any issues encountered during installation visits.
• Driver's License and Transportation: Valid driver's license and reliable transportation to travel to sites as required.
• Ability to work nights and weekends

Why Focal Systems

Strong Values and Mission - We are a tightly-knit team with an ambitious mission and a strong set of core values, which define our approach to business and have successfully guided us since inception.

Exceptional Team - We are a team of hard-working, fun-loving professionals from some of the most eminent universities, research labs, and tech companies of our time. We pride ourselves on recruiting exceptional individuals to help us redefine the state-of-the-art.

Outstanding Partners - We work with 10+ of the largest retailers in the world and have a world-class roster of investors, advisors and partners to support & advise us in our endeavors.

What we offer

We care deeply about the health, happiness, and wellbeing of all of our employees. We offer:    

• Paid Time Off
• Pension
• Sick Leave