Team Lead - Customer Services Representative

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets.
Safran is in the 2nd place in the aerospace and defense industry in TIME magazine's "World's best companies 2024" ranking.

Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers onboard intelligence solutions allowing them to understand the environment, reduce mental load and guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, in all environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 13,000 employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.

What do we offer?

Competitive salary
Company performance bonus scheme
Pension scheme - up to 10% employer contribution
Private medical insurance
Comprehensive health cash plan
25 days annual leave + bank holidays
Flexible benefits programme (buy & sell holiday allowance, discounted gym memberships, Maternity/ adoption leave- up to 52 weeks, first 26 weeks at full pay, subsequent 26 at 50% (basic pay) and Paternity/Non-Pregnant Parent/ Co-adopter leave 4 weeks full pay)
Structured training & opportunities to progress

What does the role look like?

We are looking for an experienced Customer Service Leader specialized in the Aftermarket Environment for this position. You will lead the military CSR team to ensure every customer interaction, from quote to delivery, is handled with speed, accuracy, and compliance. We are seeking a proactive leader with exceptional attention to detail, a background in decision-making, and a strong sense of responsibility to own the integrity of the Order Book.

What will your day-to-day responsibilities look like?

Lead and drive a customer-centric culture within the Collins Aftermarket Service Team, ensuring the team prioritizes customer satisfaction and compliance to procedure.
Serve as the primary escalation point for a portfolio of customers in the Aftermarket area, intervening to resolve complex inquiries and operational blocks efficiently.
Manage the team's daily workflow to ensure seamless customer service operations, balancing workloads to meet deadlines and response targets.
Oversee the review of requests for quotation (RFQ), purchase orders (PO), and order review process (both for MRO and Spares) to ensure strict compliance with contractual obligations and export controls before entry into SAP.
Collaborate proactively with internal leadership in production, sales, shipping, and finance to expedite shipments and remove barriers that prevent timely delivery.
Develop documentation and standard procedures to address difficult customer issues, empowering the team to resolve queries independently while knowing when to escalate.
Monitor adherence to agreed-upon schedules and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), providing regular status reports and identifying operational performance issues to the Programmes Lead promptly.
Utilize deep organizational and product knowledge to address complex inquiries and provide personalized follow-up, ensuring the team deviates from scripted responses when necessary to solve the root cause.
Report issues through the Quality, Cost, Delivery, People, Safety (QCPC) procedure and oversee the resolution of complex invoice queries to ensure timely cash collection.
Demonstrate understanding and actively lead continuous improvement (CI) and Lean activities, implementing standard work to drive improvements within the team and processes wherever possible.What will you bring to the role?

Essential skills:

Proven experience in leading or supervising a Customer Service team, demonstrating the ability to manage relationships effectively and attention to detail.
Passion for delivering excellent customer service and effective communication skills, with the resilience to manage difficult stakeholder conversations.
Advanced familiarity with SAP experience in sales and distribution modules (ability to guide the team on T-Codes and troubleshooting).

Desirable skills:

Practical knowledge and understanding of the aerospace industry, particularly with a military focus.
Strong understanding of export requirements, including EUU's (End User Undertakings) and export licenses.
Previous exposure to continuous improvement methodologies and Lean principles, with a track record of implementing process changes