Team Lead-Customer Services

ABOUT THE COMPANY

When 1Life launched in 2006, we shook up the insurance industry with our fresh, customer-focused approach – offering

affordable, simple and convenient insurance products direct to South Africans. We have evolved over the years from

being a direct life insurer to becoming a multi-distribution insurer in 2013. We are always innovating, always looking for

ways to meet South Africans’ evolving needs and change lives for the better.

Everything we do is geared towards making it simpler for our customers to make smart choices and to protect and grow

their wealth. Take a look at some of our industry “firsts”:

• the first company to sell life insurance direct to the public online and through our mobi site

• the first life company to launch a USSD policy management service for life policyholders

• the first to introduce HIV testing via saliva instead of blood tests

JOB PURPOSE

Manage a team of Customer Services Consultants to ensure effective delivery of service to all levels of inbound and

outbound client interactions.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations Management: Provide operational support services and sometimes act as first-line supervisor of a

transactional operations area. Involves using existing systems and protocols.

Leadership and Direction: Explain the local action plan to support team members in their understanding of what needs

to be done and  how this relates to the broader business plan and the organisation's strategy, mission and vision;

motivate people to achieve local business goals.

Work Scheduling and Allocation: Assign short-term work schedules to a team of subordinates in order to achieve

expectations while following established timelines.

Performance Management: Monitor the performance of the team; allocate work and review completion, take

appropriate corrective action to ensure timeliness and quality; contribute to formal individual performance management,

appraisal and ongoing individual coaching to maintain service delivery standards.

Customer Service: Act as first-line supervisor of a team providing customer service support, and play a key role in

helping to achieve targets in areas such as productivity or turnaround times. Deal with most complex and valuable

issues. Clients treated according to Treating Customers Fairly principles.

Stakeholder Engagement: Assist with stakeholder engagement by arranging actions, meetings, events, and supporting

materials to promote stakeholder understanding and commitment. Liaise with relevant internal stakeholders to ensure

service delivery, addressing any policy, system or process concerns.

Insights and Reporting: Prepare and coordinate the comprehensive completion of various data and analytics reports.

Present these at management meetings along with recommendations

Personal Capability Building: Develop own capabilities by participating in assessment and development planning

activities as well as formal and informal training and coaching. Develop and maintain an understanding of relevant

external regulation, and industry best practices through ongoing education, attending conferences, and reading specialist media.

Client & Supplier Management (External): Help senior colleagues manage client and customer relationships by using relevant client platforms.

Operational Compliance: Identify, within the team, instances of non-compliance with the organisation's policies and procedures and/or relevant regulatory codes and codes of conduct, reporting these and escalating issues as appropriate.

BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES

Directs Work: Provides direction, delegating, and removing obstacles to get work done. For example, confirms mutual

agreement on accountabilities, fostering strong coordination and minimizing duplicated efforts. Communicates delays or

problems early so others can manage their own work schedules effectively.

*Drives Results**: Consistently achieves results, even under tough circumstances. For example, emphasizes the

importance of results; encourages a sense of urgency in others; challenges poor outcomes or unproductive behaviors.

Provides assistance or encouragement to help others over obstacles.

*Ensures Accountability**: Holds self and others accountable to meet commitments. For example, measures and

tracks team's and own performance, and helps the team learn from success, failure, and feedback. Adheres to, and

enforces, goals, policies, and procedures.

*Interpersonal Savvy**: Relates openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people. For example, recognizes even

subtle social cues and nimbly responds to others' needs and preferences. Helps to defuse difficult interpersonal

situations by showing high levels of tact, sensitivity, and consideration. Builds rapport with ease.

*Plans and Aligns**: Plans and prioritizes work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals. For example,

strengthens alignment and coordination between own work and others', providing well-sequenced activities and exact

time frames. Foresees and resolves many potential bottlenecks and delays.

Situational Adaptability: Adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different

situations. For example, sees even subtle cues to adapt; deploys a wide range of behaviors to stay effective.

Exemplifies flexibility and resourcefulness; responds deftly to a variety of challenges and situations.

*Communicates Effectively**: Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of

the unique needs of different audiences. For example, tailors communication content and style to the needs of others.

Pays attention to others' input and perspectives, asks questions, and summarizes to confirm understanding.

*Being Resilient**: Rebounds from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations. For example, has excellent

composure and professionalism, even in very difficult situations; acts as a steadying force or role model for others.

Skillfully overcomes obstacles, learns from failures, and uses these lessons to improve subsequent efforts.

Builds Networks**: Effectively builds formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization. For

example, draws upon own network to gain insight, build support, and achieve outcomes. Leverages networks to identify

industry experts, explore some best practices, and exchange ideas and knowledge.

Demonstrates Self-Awareness**: Uses a combination of feedback and reflection to gain productive insight into

personal strengths and weaknesses. For example, seeks balanced feedback from others and is receptive to both

positive and constructive views; applies insights from feedback. Knows own strengths and limits and how own style

impacts others.

Action Oriented**: Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and

enthusiasm. For example, takes timely action on important or difficult issues. Identifies and pursues new opportunities

that benefit the organization.

Customer Focus**: Builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer-centric solutions. For example, keeps in contact with customers to ensure problems are resolved, or to improve customer service. Studies customer feedback and emerging customer needs and uses these to determine some creative new ideas.

Instills Trust**: Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity. For example,

demonstrates integrity, upholding professional codes of conduct. Instills trust by following through on agreements and commitments despite competing priorities and by being honest and straightforward.

Manages Conflict**: Handles conflict situations effectively, with a minimum of noise. For example, seeks out a variety of opinions and options; maintains an open mind; takes steps to ensure conflict remains constructive; avoids polarized or unilateral decisions; seeks agreement on critical issues.

Decision Quality**: Makes good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward. For example, knows when to act independently and when to escalate issues. Integrates various inputs, decision criteria, and trade-offs to make effective decisions. Typically makes good independent decisions.

Business Insight**: Applies knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goals. For example, clearly understands how own activities relate to critical business drivers. Monitors business news and market changes for impact on the business or on own expertise area; uses this to shape decisions.

Self-Development**: Actively seeks new ways to grow and be challenged using both formal and informal development channels. For example, creates a development plan that states clear goals and the tactics to achieve them. Gathers information on where to focus. Makes efforts to apply new skills on the job.

General Education:

• Grade 12/ SAQA Accredited Equivalent (Essential)
• RE5 (Essential)
• FAIS Accredited - Minimum 120 credits (Essential); Advanced Certificate/Degree in related field (Advantageous)

General Experience:

• 3 or more years Customer Service experience (Essential); Experience in a Long-Term Insurance environment (Advantageous)
• Managerial Experience: 2 or more years people management experience (Essential)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

*SAQA Accredited Equivalent - it is the onus of the applicant to provide 1Life and its subsidiaries with certified evidence that their qualification(s) meet the equivalent NQF level required for this role at time of application. *Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) competency requirements: FAIS recognised qualifications / Regulatory Examinations / Class of Business Certification and / or CPD according to your DOFA (where applicable). As a registered Financial Service Provider, we are mandated to ensure that all our representatives are and remain fit and proper at all times. By applying for this role, you consent to having your relevant qualification and or accreditation or confirm that you are working towards meeting the competency requirements. You further consent to the relevant information being verified.