Partner Services Team Role January 2015 Service Delivery Manager Finance, Strategy & Corporate Services Directorate

The Student Loans Company SLC needs to focus on essential organisational change to deliver an effective and efficient student finance service to its customers. This is a transformation during which it is vital that SLC remains stable and sustainable whilst we become a Digital, Customer Focused, Centre of Excellence. Alongside exemplary customer service and agile delivery, there is a longer-term strategy to deliver efficiencies and productivity gains throughout the organisation with a view to realising these benefits as soon as possible. To ensure that SLC can achieve its objectives in a more cohesive, customer-focused way we need to work more collaboratively by taking accountability and, where appropriate, sharing responsibilities, in order to make effective decisions that focus on our Vision, deliver our Mission and reflect our Values. To achieve this we need to work in less complicated structures with clearly understood boundaries. In order to fulfil the Mission, we are strengthening accountability and providing clarity for all roles and responsibilities, but especially those of leadership and management. We expect everyone working at SLC to be in a position to establish collaborative working throughout the Company ensuring a focus on quality and value in service delivery. To achieve our Vision we are designing new structures with the aim of increasing our customer focus with the right balance between front-line and back-office processes but also the flexibility to continuously improve and to innovate. Our Mission We enable our customers to invest in their futures by delivering secure, accurate and efficient assessment, payment and repayment services Our Vision To be valued as a digital, customer-focused, centre of excellence

As a Partner Services Team Member You will deliver value by: Forming a direct, collaborative relationship with stakeholders. This will maximise efficiencies and address change, operational delivery, problem resolution and policy assessments ensuring that: The execution of full end-to-end processes for applications, assessment and payment to students and learners is enabled by dependable, timely and accurate information from service partners The end-to-end processes for payment to Delivery Partners achieve SLC “Pay” commitments The levels of satisfaction from service partners are high enough for SLC to receive support, endorsement and insight to enable continuous improvement The function will: Manage the exchanges between SLC and its Delivery Partners. There are three core service exchanges: a)Services given by Delivery Partners to enable SLC to deliver services to its customer b)Services given by SLC to its partners as business customers c)Delivery of insight and advice to internal and external policy development teams, to reflect the views, concerns and interests of SLC’s business customers. The Partner Services team will operate as a single point of ownership for the following interactions with our business-to-business Delivery Partners (FE LPs, HEIs, HEFCE, SFA,), organisations that partner us in delivering student finance information and guidance, (e.g. HELOA, NCS), representative organisations that advise us (AMOSSHE, BUFDG, NASMA, HELOA etc), awarding authorities that SLC suppliers services to (SAAS, ELBs NHS). The scope of each composite team in Partner Services covers all these groups. These business interactions are: business service delivery interfaces product/service development account management advice and guidance in respect of student finance

Service Delivery Manager Purpose of the role: To manage the delivery of services from SLC’s external Delivery Partners (HEIs, LPs, LCs, ELBs, IAG partners, National Data-Sharing organisations). To create trusted and national expert advisors who provide an excellent technical, advisory and IAG service to business customers (Delivery Partners) incorporating the service management best-practice, utilising account management, help- line, and specialist advice. To plan, deploy and utilise resources, (people, technology, contact channels) to maximise the fulfilment of the needs of SLC’s Delivery Partners. To provide overall direction and leadership to team managers, in accordance with supplier and customer management disciplines To engage with team managers, motivating and inspiring the team to deliver their best and champion a customer focus and continuous improvement culture within the department. To provide line management role for the Partner Services Delivery department, and deputise for the Head of Partner Services Responsible To: Head of Partner Services Management Authority: 3 Direct Report; Service Line Manager, Account Services Manager (FE / HE) Staff : circa 40 SLC Budget Authority: Authority for service delivery budget, sub-set of Partner Services budget, with expenditure limit of £50,000.

Service Delivery Manager Key Responsibilities: Motivate and develop team to deliver results which meet expectations of our delivery partners. Ensure that all staff receive relevant personal and aggregated development to ensure they meet their personal objectives and targets Coach and develop your team managers ensuring that they are equipped to effectively manage their teams Work as a team toward improving Stakeholder Satisfaction and service fulfilment targets. Ensure partners activity is monitored, supported with full advice and guidance and adheres to time, best practice and service obligations, interpreting user insight and performance data to drive excellence in delivery and continuous improvement Ensure partners receive help and support to consistent, complete and accurate standards Maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of the operational interfaces with other operational teams Work towards planning and attaining targets across all targeted areas, including service levels and scorecards, accounting for the complex needs of customers, and deploying resources accordingly, and creating an awareness of performance across your team and discuss how it impacts the customer. Monitor the effectiveness of the department to ensure directorate standards are maintained, targets are met and the department adheres to procedures and regulations, including the Leading the Way framework To act as Business Lead for mandatory and discretionary projects owned by Partner Services. Manage the functions of the Partner Service delivery dept. Contribute as a key member of the Partner Services Division’s management team, and to the Finance, Corporate Services & Strategy directorate. Ensure all staff within the team to have SMART objectives and individual PDPs Deputise for the Head Of Partner Services Work with support partners i.e H.R, Hub, OD&L to balance the needs of the customer and the business Assist in the entire recruitment process for all new employees Ensure all people management activities are carried out in line with the principles of Investors in People (IiP), Leading The Way commitments, and service management standards. Ensure that all practices and procedures are fully compliant with regulations To assist in mandatory or special project teams which will assist in the management of Partner Service’ activities and maximise capabilities and productivity To ensure that new technology and practices are implemented effectively without affecting the levels of customer care provided by the department To own and be responsible for specific business relationships on behalf of SLC, with external organisations, keeping aware of their developments and overseeing response plans in SLC.

Services Delivery Manager Skills, Knowledge and Experience: Educated to degree-level or equivalent Essential experience in overseeing services to and from external service partners Proven successful competencies in people / team management and utilisation Very experienced in people recruitment and development and coaching Highly experienced/proven track record at account / supplier management Good knowledge of student funding and the education sector Excellent relationship management and engagement skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate service interactions with external parties. Very strong planning, and organisational skills Understanding of all contact centre technologies High levels of IT literacy, including an awareness of contact centre technologies. Key Outputs: Partner contacts handled to quality, accuracy and timeliness targets Responses and actions executed in line with define guidelines and timings. Outgoing calls for action delivered to campaign targets and relevant monitoring systems implemented. Contact management and tracking systems Insight and feedback to inform SLC enhancements