At Blackhawk Network (BHN), we’re shaping the future of branded payments - powering reward, incentive, and loyalty solutions across 28 countries and 400,000+ consumer touchpoints. From digital gift cards and eGifts to global employee rewards and customer acquisition tools, our platforms deliver meaningful value to clients and their customers alike.

Learn more at BHN.com

The EMEA Customer Service Department is responsible for providing first and second line customer support for Blackhawk Network products and services via telephone, email, chat, and social media. This is delivered using a blended approach from both our offices across Europe or indirectly using our outsourced partners who are currently Blackhawk Support Services based in San Salvador and Foundever, based in Athens.

We work closely with internal account teams, product and technology, finance, legal & compliance, external partners, and the Global Customer Team in the US. Our Customer Service teams support our continued European expansion based in our offices at Apsley, Swords, Cologne, and Amsterdam. We aim to provide high levels of customer service in an effective and efficient way ensuring we promote the values of our brands and meeting the requirements of our clients and/or regulators while delivering feedback on customer behaviour to help shape business decisions. 

This role reports to the Sr Manager, Customer Service UK, and acts as oversight of the UK Customer Service operational team. Blackhawks UK Customer Service teams support products sold and operated in the UK on behalf of clients who wish to have their customer service based in the UK. This role is accountable for the daily operational delivery of the “Hybrid” customer service support model from our office based in Apsley.

Remit includes working to ensure escalation and retained customer contact tasks are handled to BHN quality and service levels, ensuring contact drivers and product feedback is collated and presented back to the business. Oversight of monthly quality assurance and successful completion of quarterly call & email quality audits is a fundamental part of the role. Additionally, this role will ensure process and knowledge content is regularly reviewed and training is prepared and delivered in an optimal manner. The role also works closely alongside Product, Client Management, Technology, and other Customer Service stakeholders within Europe to share best practice and optimal delivery of Customer Service Delivery.

The post holder will work with the Sr Manger, Customer Service to ensure delivery of service levels from the UK team and will ensure an optimal level of Customer Experience is delivered championing the requirements of GVS Prepaid customers within Blackhawk. The role is also responsible for supporting the provision of management information and data to the GVS Prepaid and Blackhawk Leaderships teams using common reporting tools and methods as required.

This is a full-time hybrid position rotating shift between 8am to 8pm, including every other weekend. There will be a requirement to attend the Apsley office 2 days per week. 

Customer Services and Leadership:

• Leading and motivating the Apsley based Customer Service Team to achieve success through establishing clear expectations of performance, reviewing individual and team progress, and taking proactive action to bring performance back in line where required.
• Recruit, develop, and retain the best available talent and provide coaching, training, and constructive feedback on a regular basis to ensure the team maximises its contributions to the business, and can scale as products and the business grows.
• Create and maintain a culture which attracts, retains, and motivates staff aligning the team to the working practices and company beliefs of Blackhawk Network.
• Ensure processes in place to ensure adequate rostering, management cover and escalation processes to support business operations.

Hybrid Customer Service Model:

• Put in place processes and procedures to ensure the timely escalation of issues between customer services and account, product and technology teams
• Ensure team handle retained CS tasks within appropriate timescales and levels of accuracy.
• Ensure daily operational delivery of UK Customer Service operation meets GVSP and Blackhawk Operating standards, meeting all levels of Service Levels, Quality Delivery and KPI’s
• Ensure adequate training programmes along with knowledge content are in place and regularly reviewed.
• Take Active role in Quality Assurance monitoring and Call Calibration sessions monitoring and feeding back on Service Delivery
• Act as the key contributor to the external Lloyds quality audit of calls and emails, ensuring a green pass and feedback is provided where needed.
• Take active role in feedback, and business review sessions with account teams relating to Customer Service delivery for UK based clients.
• Look for opportunities to optimise service delivery through both Apsley and offshore teams to improve speed of resolution and overall level of service delivery.

Customer Engagement, Satisfaction & Insight:

• Suggest improvements to the Customer Support offering and value proposition, ensuring the Customer Services Team is a fully functioning ‘Insight Engine’, feeding into overall Blackhawk strategy and future products.
• Key stakeholder in the CSAT programme for BHN UK Customer Service ensuring results are collated, analysed, and acted upon by in country team and outsourced providers.
• Liaise with technical, client and product teams on improvements to web journey, customer knowledge base and other opportunities for self-serve to deflect unnecessary contact.

Regulatory, Compliance and Governance:

• Accountable for delivering Customer Service Operational Reporting meeting the requirements of both GVSP and Blackhawk Network
• Ensure Operating Procedures and models are documented and being adhered to.
• Responsible for the ensuring all complaint policies are followed and adequate record keeping and reporting in place escalating root causes of complaints and other areas of customer dissatisfaction.
• Ensure operational and compliance training records are maintained.
• Ensure GDPR requests are actioned from Customer Services as relevant in a timely manner.
• Deliver reporting, analysis and input as required to GVSPE and Blackhawk compliance and governance teams as required.

Wider Blackhawk Network Customer Service Function

• Act as a key senior member of the UK Customer Service team, supporting the Sr Manager, Customer Service and other EMEA CS & Operations senior stakeholder on the delivery of Customer Service-related activities and projects.
• Work alongside colleagues within EMEA Customer Service to share knowledge, best practice and give support when needed.
• Unless required by the regulating authority, ensure UK Customer Service Operations works to the same frameworks, guidelines, and processes in place across EMEA and Global Customer Service Operations.
• Take active role on new projects, rollouts, expansion which impact BHN UK Product and Geographical expansion with regards to BHN UK Customer Service Delivery
• Work with UK & European Colleagues to ensure best value delivered from shared customer service technology solutions.
• Ensure Costs are controlled for UK Customer Service Operation areas of responsibility as part of the wider EMEA Customer Service budget plan.
• Active leader in BAU and Seasonal Peak Season planning and daily operational sessions.

Management responsibilities

• Effectively engage, inform, and lead your team to individual and departmental success.
• Clearly communicate and cascade company policy, standard operating procedures, company, and legislative updates to ensure team are working in line with company best practice and business risk is minimised.
• Work pro-actively with HR to attract, identify, develop, engage, and retain talent to build a high-performance workplace.
• Work with Talent Acquisition to pro-actively attract top talent and accurately assess, select and pre-board and on-board to set new starters up for success.
• Continually develop team by setting relevant and achievable objectives that are in line with departmental and company strategy. Working with HR to review performance throughout the year and encourage a culture of learning and improvement.
• Work collaboratively with Legal and compliance to cover relevant legal and regulatory issues and mitigate risk to the business by ensuring we are operating to and within relevant guidelines, laws, and standards.
• Work in line with best practice and proactively minimise business risk including overseeing and communicating the review and updating of relevant company policies, standard operating procedures, and legislative updates.
• Ensure direct reports with team management responsibility are also achieving/contributing to the above

Skills and Experience:

• Proven experience leading and building Customer Service teams ideally within financial organisation, managing Quality Assurance/KPI frameworks.
• A proven track record of leading customer service delivery, training, and coaching team members to be successful, providing positive ROI and results.
• Strongly customer focussed, providing teams with vision and direction.
• Experience of managing more than 10 direct reports.
• Experience of working in complex organisations, building, and maintaining relationships.
• Organised, and follows through meticulously and holds others to account for delivery.
• Ability to identify trends and develop options to mitigate risks.

We seek candidates who not only demonstrate curiosity and adaptability in emerging technologies but have also successfully implemented and utilized AI tools to enhance their work, improve processes, or deliver measurable results.  Our teams embrace continuous learning and the thoughtful integration of AI to create meaningful impact – for our employees and the future of work.

• Work-Life Balance: 25 days annual leave, birthday time off, and volunteering leave.
• Health & Well-being: Private medical insurance, employee assistance program, enhanced parental leave, and free eye tests.
• Financial Rewards: Group income protection, pension scheme, and exclusive discounts with our bYond card.
• Flexibility & Engagement: Office group activities and support for physical and mental health.
• Recognition: Participate in Flyers, our leading recognition program with financial rewards.

• Hybrid: Typically 2 days per week in the office. We’re open to flexible working arrangements and will consider reasonable adjustments in line with individual needs.

Candidate Journey at BHN:

• Stage 1: Shortlisting of suitable candidates
• Stage 2: Screening Call
• Stage 3: Interview(s) with Hiring Manager(s)
• Stage 4: Feedback/Hired

Join us and be part of a company that’s shaping the future of branded payments. Apply today and take the next step in your career!

Blackhawk Network is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.