Core Operations Leader

Reports to:                                                Chief Revenue Officer

Direct Supervisory Responsibility:           Managers: Professional Services and Service Desk Teams (Functions)

Characteristics & Specifications of our Core Ops Leader:

The Elevate Core Operations Leader is a strategic leader responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s core delivery services including service desk and professional services. This role ensures that the critical day-to-day delivery of technical support and engineering meets its mission of delivering exceptional customer service experiences - now and in the future. The leader drives operational efficiency, fosters a positive team culture, and ensures continuous innovation and improvement in service delivery. The position enjoys a wide variety of responsibilities; however, the primary responsibilities are as follows:     

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute strategies for managing help desk and professional services operations to ensure the highest level of client satisfaction.

Operational Oversight: Manage day-to-day operations, ensuring SLA compliance, resource optimization, and consistent delivery of high-quality services to performance targets.

Team Leadership: Lead and mentor teams in the help desk and professional services departments, fostering a culture of teamwork, accountability, and respect. Promote professional growth and development within the team.

Continuous Improvement: Innovate and improve service processes, driving efficiency and enhancing customer experience through the adoption of new technologies, workflows, and best practices.

Customer Satisfaction: Ensure that all client interactions align with the company’s values of serving customers with passion, respect, and professionalism. Proactively address client needs and manage escalations.

Performance Management: Monitor and analyze KPIs, metrics, and service reports to drive operational improvements and meet business objectives.

Collaboration: Work closely with other departments such as sales, client services, and finance to align service delivery with business goals and client expectations.

Budget and Resource Management: Manage the department’s budget and resources, ensuring cost-effective delivery of services while maintaining quality and efficiency.

Innovation and Technology Adoption: Stay up-to-date with industry trends and technology advancements to integrate new solutions and enhance the managed services portfolio.

Key Performance Metrics for Core Ops Leader (examples):

Financial Metrics:

• Gross Profit Margin (Operating Profit): Maintaining or improving profit margins by managing direct costs effectively.
• Budget Compliance: Operating within the allocated budget.
• Cost Savings: Demonstrated reduction in operational costs through process improvements and negotiations with vendors.
• Cost per Support Ticket: Tracks the cost of handling each customer support ticket. The leader is responsible for ensuring service delivery is both cost-effective and customer-centric.
• Customer Retention Cost (CRC): Measures the total cost associated with retaining a customer, including service delivery, support, and relationship management. A balance between CRC and CLV is key.
• Gross Margin on Managed Services Contracts: Reflects profitability of managed service contracts, considering the cost of customer retention and service delivery.

Operational Metrics:

• Customer Onboarding Time: Time taken to onboard new customers, with a focus on minimizing the duration to accelerate revenue recognition.
• Operational Efficiency: Utilization rates of resources, including labor efficiency and technology platform usage.
• Process Optimization: Implementation and impact of process improvements.
• Continuous Improvement Initiatives: Number and impact of continuous improvement initiatives implemented.
• Service Level Agreement (SLA) Adherence: Monitors how well the company meets its agreed-upon response and resolution times for customers. High SLA adherence indicates reliable service delivery.
• Project Delivery Performance: Adherence to project delivery timelines and quality.
• First Contact Resolution (FCR): Tracks the percentage of customer issues resolved during the first contact. High FCR rates are linked to improved customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
• Service Desk Efficiency Metrics: Includes metrics like response time, resolve time, ticket closure rates, and workload distribution, ensuring the service desk team is efficiently addressing client needs.

Customer Satisfaction Metrics:

• Net Promoter Score (NPS): Reflecting customer loyalty and satisfaction with the company's service.
• Customer Retention Rate: Ability to maintain relationships with existing customers.
• Customer Churn Rate: Rate at which customers discontinue services, which should be minimized.
• Customer Issue Resolution Time: Average time taken to resolve customer issues or complaints.
• Customer Effort Score (CES): Measures how easy it is for customers to get their issues resolved, directly impacting satisfaction and loyalty.

Quality Metrics:

• Service Quality Scores: Based on regular audits of service delivery against benchmarks.
• Error Rates: Frequency of service delivery failures or errors.
• Compliance Rates: Adherence to industry regulations and standards.

Team Performance Metrics:

• Employee Satisfaction: Through surveys or other feedback mechanisms, reflecting leadership effectiveness.
• Training Completion Rates: Percentage of employees completing mandatory and growth-oriented training programs.
• Turnover Rates: Employee turnover within the operations team, with a focus on reducing involuntary turnover.

Strategic Initiative Metrics:

• Strategic Project Completion: Successful completion of strategic projects on time and within budget.
• Contribution to Strategic Goals: Contribution of the operations function to the overall strategic goals of the company.

Qualifications (Preferred):

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in a senior operations management role within an IT Managed Services or related industry with ability to operate strategically and tactically within a high-growth environment.
• Technical Expertise: Strong understanding of IT infrastructure, cloud solutions, and service delivery models (ITIL, MSP frameworks).
• In-depth understanding of the IT Managed Services industry and its sales and delivery cycles.
• Proven track record of operational excellence and delivering on key performance metrics. Track record of increased responsibilities and promotions in place preferred.
• Excellent leadership abilities with a focus on talent development and team engagement. Strong alignment with company values, promoting a culture of teamwork, respect, continuous improvement, and a passion for customer service.
• Customer-Centric Mindset- a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences and a demonstrated ability to resolve client issues efficiently.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Strong financial acumen and budget management experience.