Strategic Manager (Service Quality and Insight)
CAP celebrates the value of diversity and our aim is for our workforce to be as inclusive as possible as well as representing the communities we serve. With this in mind, we welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. We are committed to continue building an environment that embraces diversity and includes all.
Please refer to the attached Job Profile for full details of the role.
Job Description
Are you a great people manager, with a passion for using data and policy insight to drive innovation?
Context
CAP's mission is to end UK poverty by equipping churches to reach their communities. We exist to empower and serve churches through exceptional partnerships, delivering impactful debt advice and coaching services. Providing accessible, community‑rooted support to those facing financial and social challenges across the UK. Our approach is centred on empowering individuals by providing holistic support to achieve financial resilience through expert debt advice and tailored coaching products. This approach goes far beyond financial stability, creating lasting personal and relational transformation and contributing to a society where all can flourish. We are committed to fostering strong relationships with our church partners, ensuring a collaborative and effective service that continually improves to meet the evolving needs of local communities.
Purpose
To drive strategic service excellence and transform client lives by enabling Service Quality and Insight to provide actionable insight from data and policy. You will lead both the Policy & Quality and Data & Automation teams, creating a culture of proactive continuous improvement that anticipates operational risks and opportunities. This role ensures that every policy decision and data insight directly enhances the effectiveness of our church partnerships and the financial resilience of the clients we serve.
Reports to: Head of Service Quality and Insight
Direct Reports: Data and automation specialists, Data Insight analysts, Debt Centre Compliance officer, Policy and Research Officers, Debt Help Compliance Manager (Scotland Policy and Research)
Passion
We are passionate about harnessing data and insight to drive positive change. We lead with integrity to create a culture of continuous improvement, where every operational policy and process maximises efficiency, compliance, and client and church satisfaction.
Responsibilities & Accountabilities
Strategy & Leadership
* Strategic Direction and Empowerment: Translate organisational goals into a clear roadmap for Data and Policy. Build a resilient, self‑sufficient team of specialists who proactively identify service bottlenecks and implement solutions. Champion a forward‑thinking culture.
* Team Leadership: Be available for general queries, strategic oversight, advice on operational impact and provide signposting for who to go to within CAP. Ensure stand ups, team meetings and prayers are led effectively.
* Collaboration with Agility and Compliance: Act as a strategic partner to the Product function, collaborating to prioritise development based on operational reality and client and church needs. Work alongside Product Owners and others in Service Delivery to design strategies that ensure smooth adoption and sustained proficiency of new tools. Enable collaboration with the Head of Impact and Head of Compliance.
* Influence & Governance: Enable team members to collate and feed opportunities, risks and learnings to Senior Leadership, and to translate operational insights into actionable strategic recommendations that drive organisational decision‑making.
* Cross‑departmental unity: Actively participate in the wider Service Delivery and CAP management team. This includes working with other Team Managers, taking ownership of decisions pertinent to your area and covering responsibilities as needed.
Impactful Policy Development
* Proactive Compliance & Design: Support the specialists to horizon‑scan for regulatory and legislative changes (FCA, MaPS) and facilitate governance expertise for CAPs services. Ensure new features and processes are developed with upfront regulatory adherence and that all policies maximise the speed and quality of support for clients and churches.
* Liaise with the Senior Head of Services‑Funding and Sector around relevant sector engagement opportunities.
Strategic Data and Reporting
* Data‑Led Innovation & Insight: Lead the team to provide accurate reporting that moves beyond monitoring to prediction. Establish feedback loops with Product Owners and others in Service Delivery to inform user‑centred design of systems and processes, ensuring insights delivered to Service Delivery Hubs help leaders proactively manage workload and resources.
* Narrative over Numbers: Ensure reporting to Trustees and Senior Leadership tells the story of our work and impact, providing the clarity and accuracy required for high‑level strategic investment decisions.
* Reporting: Ensure ongoing FCA, MaPS or funding reporting requirements are met, supporting Senior Leadership requests.
Operational Efficiency and Automation
* Continuous Optimisation: Proactively review Standard Operating Procedures and Google tools to eliminate waste and friction in the service delivery pipeline.
* Quality Assurance: Drive rigorous testing standards that minimise downtime and protect the user experience. Ensure bugs and incidents are clearly communicated and managed efficiently.
Providing support to the department and wider CAP
* Support the Quality and Insight Delivery Manager when needed, by ensuring team members collaborate effectively, or by providing support with their outputs.
* Any other tasks relating to these or other operational functions of the charity that are seen as necessary by your line manager.
Manager Accountabilities
* Team Leadership and Employee Engagement: Lead, mentor, and develop team members to achieve their goals through regular catch‑ups, annual appraisals and performance reviews. Build a positive team culture that boosts engagement and motivation. Hire and onboard new team members.
* Resource and Performance Management: Plan and manage resources effectively to meet business objectives and adjust to changing needs. Set clear expectations, monitor performance, and address any issues with action plans.
* Strategic Alignment and Problem Solving: Deliver department objectives through actionable team plans. Ensure adherence to policies, procedures, and industry standards. Address challenges, make informed decisions, and foster a problem‑solving culture within the team.
* Communication and Change Management: Facilitate clear communication within the team and with wider stakeholders. Guide the team through changes, ensuring smooth transitions and adaptability.
Measurable Outputs
* Team plans are created for each function within the team.
* High retention and engagement scores within the team. Team members are progressing in their personal development plans and taking ownership of key projects.
* Strategic Influence: Senior Leaders and Hub Managers use Service Quality and Insights contributions as a key driver for their resource planning and strategic decisions.
* Compliance by Design: New product features pass regulatory review first time with minimal rework.
* Service Improvement: Measurable reduction in client friction (e.g., wait times, complaints) attributable to policy or process optimisations that the team have fed into.
* Change Adoption: High adoption rates and sustained proficiency scores for new tools and policies.
* Regulatory Excellence: 100% on‑time delivery of FCA, MaPS and funding reporting, data for monthly service health and impact boards and other key meetings. Maintenance of all quality marks and regulatory compliance.
* Strong Stakeholder Unity. Product and Technology teams proactively consult your team on changes before implementation, reducing incidents and rework. Key connections are maintained with the Senior Service Desk Manager, Development and Release Manager & Product Owners. Effective collaboration with Impact and Evaluation and Compliance, ensuring opportunities for development are created for the team.
* Incidents, bugs and issues are communicated and resolved within the expected timeframe.
Skills Required
* A forward‑thinking passion for using data and policy to prevent risks and improve customer outcomes.
* Strong coaching ability.
* Ability to communicate technical information to non‑technical users.
* Excellent communication at all levels.
* Ability to collaborate across teams and departments.
* Good strategic insight and understanding of organisational aims, and an ability to share this with others.
* Skilled in techniques that assist in team strategy (e.g. problem definition, ideation, LEAN methodologies).
* Ability to prioritise time, tasks and attention effectively in a pressured environment.
* Confident decision maker.
* Able to hold a good balance between detail and the big picture.
* Ability to lead a team in actively promoting the cultural values of CAP.
* Ability to develop strengths and skills in others.
* Ability to challenge poor performance.
* High emotional intelligence.
* Capable of maintaining their emotional wellbeing.
Experience
Essential
* Leading change initiatives.
* Using your own initiative and prioritising a team workload to meet deadlines and targets.
* Collaborative leadership that empowers teams and peers.
* Translating complex data into persuasive strategic narratives for senior stakeholders.
Desirable
* Policy development or data analysis.
* Leading and managing a team of staff, including coaching and meeting key objectives or targets.
* Working with external organisations.
* The candidate must be able to give both verbal assent to and practical demonstration of Christians Against Poverty's Statement of Faith and Core Values.
* Must be able to actively participate in prayer and worship, whether individual, small group or corporately, as an expression of their own personal faith and in line with CAPs Statement of Faith.
Safeguarding responsibilities
* A responsibility to ensure a safe environment in which CAP services can be delivered.
* Identifying children and adults where there may be safeguarding concerns.
Following the CAP Safeguarding policy in addressing any concerns appropriately.
Educational Requirements
* A levels or equivalent
Rewards and wellbeing
CAP Offer a Generous Rewards & Well‑being Package, Including
* 6.5% employer pension contribution
* 34 days annual holiday (including flexible bank holidays)
* 1 additional day holiday for each full year of service (up to a max of 5 additional days)
* 2 paid Mental Health days and up to 5 days Family Emergency leave per year
* Paid Revive days to take time out with your team during the year
* Enhanced paid sickness, maternity, paternity and adoption leave
* Access to Employer Assistance Programme
* Gym membership discount
* Hybrid working
* Flexitime from day one (start/finish earlier or later in the day, accrue extra time off & achieve that work/life balance)
plus many more! (see the rewards brochure below under related documents for further information and pro‑rata details for part‑time employees)
Genuine Occupational Requirements
Under the 2010 Equality Act, schedule 9, we have a genuine occupational requirement for all employees and volunteers to be practising Christians.
Contact
For further information, please contact the People & Culture team on 01274 760720 (option 6) or email …
Information on genuine occupational requirements.
Diversity and inclusion
CAP celebrates the value of diversity and our aim is for our workforce to be as inclusive as possible as well as representing the communities we serve. With this in mind, we welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from candidates from black and ethnic minority backgrounds. We are committed to continue building an environment that embraces diversity and includes all.
Safeguarding
All adults working in, or on behalf of the CAP have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults. This includes a responsibility to ensure a safe environment in which CAP Services can be delivered, and identify children and adults where there may be safeguarding concerns and to follow the CAP Safeguarding Policy in addressing any concerns appropriately.
Seniority level
Director
Employment type
Part‑time
Job function
Management and Manufacturing
Industries
Strategic Management Services
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