Director of Customer Experience

Bristol, Carlisle, Crewe, Exeter, Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Nottingham, Reading, Workington, York Job Summary 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. This includes maintaining effective relationships with those organisations who represent our customers (such as the National Farmers Union, Tenant Farmers Association and Country Land and Business Association among others). 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. Job Description Role Responsibilities 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 Ensuring that the voice of customers influences RPA and Defra’s strategic and tactical priorities. 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. Role Responsibilities 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 Ensuring that the voice of customers influences RPA and Defra’s strategic and tactical priorities. 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. Person specification Essential criteria – to be demonstrated throughout the candidates CV and Personal Statement The selection panel will be looking for the following essential criteria: 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. Ability to lead change as we seek to transform our delivery to improve the effectiveness of interactions for customers and increase efficiency for RPA. Inspiring, confident and empowering leadership, with experience of leading effectively through ambiguity and the ability to solve complex problems and take decisions whilst working at pace. Excellent communication skills with the ability to passionately shape and communicate vision and direction, and build strong relationships with partners and stakeholders. Able to provide visible and engaging leadership to your team, championing an inclusive culture and role modelling the Civil Service leadership statement. Additional Desirable Criteria Experience of delivering services for customers in the public sector Knowledge of the farming and countryside sector. Behaviours We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process: Changing and Improving Managing a Quality Service Seeing the Big Picture Communicating and Influencing 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. Learning and development tailored to your role 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 see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. What You Need To Do To Apply Details of the assessment process and further information Candidates are asked to complete a CV and personal statement (no more than 1000 words) on how your relevant skills and experience meet the essential criteria . Completed applications must be submitted no later than the closing date 29th December 2025 scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Please ensure you allow sufficient time to submit your application. 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. How We Decide Whom To Invite For Interview Shortlisting for interview is made on the basis of merit. The selection panel will assess the evidence presented by all applicants against the advertised essential criteria and the highest rated applicants will be Invited to interview. Applications will be assessed by the selection panel and shortlisted Interviews will be face to face. If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a virtual staff engagement exercise. Assessments The assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview Full details of the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates at the earliest opportunity. Short listed applicants will be offered an informal discussion with the Vacancy Holder. Interview You will be asked to attend a panel interview, in order to have a more in- depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the essential criteria for the role. The interview which will ideally take place in person however, we can be flexible and carry out virtually if required. As Part Of The Interview, We Would Ask You To Prepare And Present a Short Presentation And Will Confirm The Topic In The Interview Invitation. You Will Be Assessed On The Following Behaviours At The Interview Stage Changing and improving, Managing a quality service, Seeing the Bigger Picture, Communicating and Influencing. Other Information Please let us know what adjustments we can put in place to help you through the recruitment process if you are disabled. Candidates who pass the interview criteria but are not offered a post may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months and may be offered similar roles across the department. Defra is committed to ‘name blind’ sifting. That means that identifying characteristics such as your name, gender, age, address are removed from your application until after shortlisting for interview has taken place. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. 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. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above. Security 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. Nationality requirements This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) 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) . This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job Contact Name : SCS Recruitment Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : scsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk