Branch Manager - Leek Derby Street

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Location: Leek (Derby Street Branch)

Employment type:Full-time, permanent position

Salary: £35,000 - £40,000 (subject to experience)

Working hours: 35 hours per week, worked flexibly.

Reports to: Branch Network Business Development Manager

The Organisation

Leek Building Society is an award winning, highly admired, local mutual building society that is owned and trusted by its members. We were ranked in the top 10 of UK employers in the Inspiring Workplaces Awards 2024, and we're on a mission to become even stronger.

We're a great place to work, with an exceptional culture - in a recent staff survey, 97% of colleagues said that they were proud to work for Leek Building Society. We've been crowned as Staffordshire's Employer of the Year for 2023, and have been recognised as having the best approach to health & wellbeing in the UK in the 2023 CIPD awards. We're also a socially responsible, inclusive employer, deeply committed to ensuring that everyone is supported to perform at their best.

You'll be joining the business at a fantastic time of growth, with a transformational investment in our systems, people and processes to put our customers at the heart of everything we do.

If you've a customer service mindset this could be just the opportunity for you!

Job Purpose & Scope

To lead branches under their responsibility, ensuring the delivery of great customer experiences and desired customer outcomes.

To recruit, develop, and lead their branch team, ensuring that all objectives are achieved to support the delivery of the Society's Corporate Plan.

To be an ambassador for the Leek Building Society brand building and developing relationships within the local community.

To lead by example demonstrating the Society's Values and deliver the expectations set out in branch objectives through the balanced scorecard approach.

Duties and Key Responsibilities

People Management And Leadership

• To agree and document SMART objectives in a timely manner, and hold effective Performance Development Reviews (PDRs) with all line reports, to motivate branch staff to achieve objectives and maximise their potential.
• To observe direct reports in their daily interactions with customers to provide coaching and identify training needs, aimed to continuously improve the customer experience, and promote the Society's products and services.
• Deliver coaching and staff development to the standards in T & C schemes.
• Manage staff in line with the Society's HR policies.
• Manage branch resource levels, including effective management and approval of annual leave, to ensure that the branch can consistently deliver the required customer experience and achieve all core objectives.
• Demonstrate effective delegation to direct reports to effectively manage time, matching skills to tasks.
• Ensure the necessary time is created to coach and develop branch teams.
• To ensure that marginal time is utilised efficiently e.g. proactive outbound contacting, training, branch administrative duties, projects etc.
• Take proactive ownership of self-development

Customer Service

• Plan and lead daily branch meetings to set the expectations for the day.
• Ensure all branch staff are identifying customer needs effectively and positively promoting Leek BS products and services, including mortgages, investment, pensions, protection and home insurance.
• Review and manage any complaints or negative feedback received in a timely manner in accordance with the Leek BS Complaints Process.
• Encourage customers to provide feedback through Smart Money People.
• Conduct customer interviews and serve customers demonstrating to your team 'what good looks like'.
• Ensure that all aspects of the branch operates efficiently, and transactions and administrative duties are carried out accurately, in line with Society procedures.
• Identify and support the continuous improvement of customer experiences through the challenge and development of customer processes

Risk Management and Branch Security

• Embed the expected risk culture, ensuring that staff understand the risks relevant to their role and how these risks are mitigated by the Society's policy and procedures.
• Undertake Management Control checks in a timely manner, escalating any concerns.
• Utilise the Risk Event system effectively to identify, record and analyse incidents and where appropriate, seek guidance on the action required to address the incident, and establish whether amendments to the Society's procedures and controls are required.
• Ensure effective management of all aspects of cash and till control.
• Ensure policies regarding staff/customer safety and security are adhered to.
• Ensure the branch meets all its regulatory requirements, including adherence to the FCA's Code of Conduct.
• Achieve satisfactory Compliance/Audit/Risk reports.

Society Ambassador and Community

• Drive and lead the branch, displaying role model behaviours and promoting a "1 team" culture.
• Be an ambassador for the Leek BS brand within the geographical location of the branch.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key local community groups or charities.
• Ensure that volunteer days are utilised, and activities are promoted internally and externally.
• Enhance the Society's brand profile in the geographical location of the branch by proactive engagement with local schools, business groups, charities, and non-profit organisations.
• Ensure that the branch premises and staff always present a professional image.

Contribution to Overall Branch Network Objectives and Projects

• Undertake a Branch Manager Champion role to support a specific objective/project.
• Make a positive contribution to Branch Manager meetings and workshops.
• Support other branches when required.
• Collaborate with Head Office colleagues to improve overall customer experience and operational effectiveness.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Knowledge

• Good level of numeracy and literacy
• Knowledge of financial services

Experience

• Experience of leading teams that develop customer relationships in a face-to-face environment
• Experience of a customer service environment is essential
• Experience of working effectively as part of a team is essential
• Previous line management experience/team leadership
• Experience of working in a financial services role is preferred

Skills & Abilities

• Passionate about delivering exceptional customer service through leading and developing customer facing teams
• Leading by example
• Determined, resilient and positive outlook
• Ability to work unsupervised and demonstrate initiative
• Strong influencing/ team leadership skills
• Ability to see bigger picture and articulate how the branch contributes to the Society's Corporate Plan
• Ability to identify and address underperformance in a timely manner
• Confidence to challenge where appropriate and contribute to the overall success of not only the branch but also the wider Branch Network
• Demonstrate the ability to coach and develop team members

Other Requirements

• Travel to other business locations when required - this role will provide cover support for our flagship branch, Leek Derby Street
• Flexibility to work outside standard hours from time to time, for example to support Leek BS community activities.

What benefits are on offer:

• Competitive salary rates
• 35 hour working week (full-time)
• Contributory Stakeholder Pension Scheme
• Free Bupa health screening
• Minimum of 23 days paid holiday per annum plus bank and public holidays
• Parental Schemes
• Sick Pay guaranteed for 6 months for major illnesses
• Holiday purchase/sale scheme
• Life assurance of 4 times your annual salary
• Employee assistance programme
• Continuous development opportunities
• We're open to discussing working flexibly

If the above sounds like something you'd thrive at, we'd love to hear from you