Senior Director

The Customer Experience Director is a key strategic and operational leadership role at the RPA. They are part of our executive leadership team and report directly to the Chief Executive. The postholder is responsible for the development, continuous improvement and delivery of excellent customer service to farmers and land managers who access RPA services.
Leading a team of over 300 people, the postholder is directly responsible for our work on customer engagement, insight, improving customer experience and our field teams undertaking advisory visit and farm inspections. They ensure that RPA is able to provide a consistently high-quality service to customers and for seeking and acting on feedback from those who use our services. We are currently seeking to transform our service delivery; to improve the services we provide to customers and to deliver operational efficiencies. The postholder will have responsibility for key elements of our service transformation plan, working closely with other RPA Directors and their teams.
More broadly, the Customer Experience Director is a key strategic and operational leadership role at the RPA. They are a member of the Executive team and will be expected to contribute to wider decision making and leadership of the agency. They will also regularly attend Agency Management Board meetings and engage with our Non-Executive Directors.
Provide leadership and direction to the Customer business area which includes Customer Insight, Customer Experience, Customer Engagement and Support and Regulatory Advice Services.
Strategically lead the delivery and development of innovative, high quality customer focused services, driving improved outcomes through enhanced performance and increased customer satisfaction
Develop our customer insight function to identify opportunities that deliver an improved customer experience.
Support customers with enhanced advice and guidance and develop national and regional engagement strategies to effectively communicate with stakeholders and across the sector.
Champion the use of innovation - new tools, data-driven solutions, and technologies to better serve the customer and increase operational efficiencies.
Develop consistent and well-defined customer journeys across end-to-end services that are effective for customers and efficient for our business. Tailor services to meet our diverse customer needs as we move from being scheme-focused to customer-focused.
Work effectively with the RPA executive management team, Defra colleagues, the Agency Board, external stakeholders and corporate service functions.
Provide leadership and direction to the Customer business area which includes Customer Insight, Customer Experience, Customer Engagement and Support and Regulatory Advice Services.
Strategically lead the delivery and development of innovative, high quality customer focused services, driving improved outcomes through enhanced performance and increased customer satisfaction
Develop our customer insight function to identify opportunities that deliver an improved customer experience.
Support customers with enhanced advice and guidance and develop national and regional engagement strategies to effectively communicate with stakeholders and across the sector.
Champion the use of innovation - new tools, data-driven solutions, and technologies to better serve the customer and increase operational efficiencies.
Develop consistent and well-defined customer journeys across end-to-end services that are effective for customers and efficient for our business. Tailor services to meet our diverse customer needs as we move from being scheme-focused to customer-focused.
Work effectively with the RPA executive management team, Defra colleagues, the Agency Board, external stakeholders and corporate service functions.
Extensive experience of operational customer service in complex delivery environments.
Strong strategic focus with a clear understanding of the wider issues impacting the RPA and Defra and experience in an environment where operational delivery meets policy.
Able to provide visible and engaging leadership to your team, championing an inclusive culture and role modelling the Civil Service leadership statement.
Experience of delivering services for customers in the public sector
Knowledge of the farming and countryside sector.
Managing a Quality Service
Alongside your salary of £81,000, Rural Payments Agency contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please ensure that both documents are free of any identifying information – this will be captured through the online portal, whilst ensuring applications can be considered anonymously.
If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a virtual staff engagement exercise.
Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview
The interview which will ideally take place in person however, we can be flexible and carry out virtually if required.
Managing a quality service,
Please let us know what adjustments we can put in place to help you through the recruitment process if you are disabled.
The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .