Key Skills

Job Description

The Team Lead Customer Service & Operations leads the Customer Service team and owns the end-to-end post-purchase journey, driving operational excellence, continuous improvement and technology-enabled solutions to enhance customer satisfaction, efficiency and overall customer experience. Job Purpose And Role Summary The team-lead Customer Service & operations is responsible for delivering an excellent customer experience across Customer Service and the complete post-purchase journey, from order confirmation through delivery, returns, refunds and exchanges. The role leads and develops the Customer Service team while taking ownership of post-purchase performance and continuous improvement. By combining customer feedback, service data and operational KPIs, the role identifies customer pain points and works cross-functionally with E-commerce, Supply Chain, Logistics, IT, Finance and external partners to improve customer journey. This role ensures that operational service levels are achieved while driving structural improvements that increase customer satisfaction, reduce customer effort and contacts, and improve the efficiency and quality of delivery and returns processes. This role requires strategic thinking to work with the head of Ecommerce on the future of customer service and the post-purchase flow, integrating new technology in the process. The role also remains close to daily Customer Service operations and can perform Customer Service Specialist duties when needed to understand and improve processes. Key Responsibility Areas Team Leadership & Development: Manage, mentor and motivate the Customer Service team and post purchase specialist, providing clear direction, coaching and support to ensure high levels of performance, engagement and job satisfaction. Customer Service Excellence: Establish and uphold standards for customer service excellence across phone, email, chat and social media, ensuring consistent service quality, effective escalation handling and a customer-focused approach. Post-Purchase Experience Ownership: Own and continuously improve the end-to-end post-purchase customer experience, from order confirmation through delivery, returns, refunds and exchanges, with a focus on reducing customer effort and creating seamless experience. Delivery Performance Management: Monitor the customer impact of delivery performance and work closely with Supply Chain, Logistics and Fulfillment partners to address delays, failed deliveries and recurring issues. Ensure appropriate customer communication and drive structural improvements based on root-cause analysis. Returns, Refunds & Exchanges: Oversee the customer-facing returns, refunds and exchange processes, ensuring efficient and accurate execution while identifying opportunities to simplify the journey, shorten lead times and reduce avoidable contacts. Performance & SLA Management: Define, monitor and report relevant Customer Service and post-purchase KPIs and SLAs, including service levels, response and resolution times, customer satisfaction, delivery performance and returns-related measures. Use performance data to prioritize actions and improvements. Customer Insights & Continuous Improvement: Analyze customer contacts, feedback and operational data to identify recurring pain points, bottlenecks and root causes. Translate insights into concrete improvement initiatives that enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with E-commerce, Supply Chain, Logistics, IT, Finance and Marketing to resolve customer-impacting issues and improve the end-to-end post-purchase journey. Represent the customer perspective in relevant operational and improvement discussions. External Partner Management: Manage and evaluate customer-facing performance of relevant external partners, including second-line support and fulfillment partners. Ensure agreed quality standards and KPIs are met and drive corrective actions where required. Training & Capability Development: Ensure the Customer Service team has the product, process and systems knowledge required to support customers effectively. Develop training and coaching based on performance trends, process changes and recurring customer issues. Project & Change Management: Lead and participate in projects that improve Customer Service and post-purchase operations, including process redesign, new tools and technologies, automation and customer communication improvements. Education/Experience Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in customer service, e-commerce, operations, business or a related field. At least 7 years of experience in customer service, e-commerce or a related customer-facing operational role, with at least 1-2 years in a leadership or supervisory position. Experience working with delivery, fulfillment and/or returns processes in an e-commerce environment is highly advantageous. Fluency in English required; Dutch and/or German highly advantageous. Key Competencies People’s Management Proven ability to lead and develop a high-performing team while fostering a positive and productive work environment. Customer & Journey Focus: Strong customer orientation with the ability to look beyond individual contact and improve the end-to-end post-purchase journey. Operational Ownership: Ability to manage service performance while taking ownership of delivery- and returns-related customer outcomes and driving issues to resolution. Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to analyze customer feedback, service data and operational KPIs, identify root causes and translate insights into measurable improvements. Cross-Functional Leadership: Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across E-commerce, Supply Chain, Logistics, IT, Finance, Marketing and external partners. Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and one local language Adaptability & Change Leadership: Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities and leading teams through process and system changes. Key Skills Proficient in customer service software and Microsoft Office Suite. Strong experience with e-commerce platforms, order management systems and customer service tools. Working knowledge of e-commerce delivery, fulfillment, returns, refunds and exchange processes. Ability to define, monitor and interpret Customer Service and post-purchase KPIs and SLAs. Strong organizational, stakeholder-management and project-management skills. Ability to handle customer complaints and escalations with empathy and professionalism while identifying structural solutions.

Core Responsibilities

The Team Lead manages the customer service team and oversees the end-to-end post-purchase journey, including deliveries, returns, and refunds. They drive operational excellence by analyzing performance data and collaborating cross-functionally to improve customer satisfaction and efficiency.

Requirements

Candidates must have at least 7 years of experience in customer service or e-commerce, with at least 1-2 years in a leadership role. A bachelor's degree is required, along with fluency in English and strong analytical and stakeholder management skills.