Director Customer Service

To lead and manage the Customer Service function, delivering a consistent, efficient and customer-focused service experience across all supported locations and channels. The role is accountable for delivering the Quality Promises and Customer Service KPIs, including service quality, responsiveness, productivity, resolution and NPS, while building strong customer relationships and continuously improving the overall customer experience. The role drives standardization, performance management, capacity optimization and continuous improvement, leveraging data, technology and automation to build a scalable, high-performing and customer-centric Customer Service organization.

1. Customer Centricity & Relationship Management

• Strong customer orientation with the ability to understand and respond to customer and Area office needs.
• Builds trusted relationships with customers, Area offices and internal stakeholders.
• Able to manage sensitive customer situations and ensure timely, effective resolution of escalations.
• Uses customer feedback, NPS and service insights to drive improvements.

2. Service & Performance Management

• Strong understanding of Customer Service operations, service standards and KPI management.
• Ability to establish clear targets, monitor performance and drive sustained improvement.
• Ensures adherence to Quality Promises, SLAs, deadlines and customer service standards.
• Uses data and performance insights to identify gaps and take corrective action.

3. People Leadership & Development

• Strong people leader capable of leading managers and large, diverse teams.
• Coaches and develops managers and employees to build capability and accountability.
• Creates a high-performance culture through clear objectives, regular performance reviews and constructive feedback.
• Able to support recruitment, succession planning and talent development.

4. Operational Excellence & Capacity Management

• Strong ability to manage workload, capacity and resource allocation across different Customer Service disciplines.
• Identifies opportunities to improve productivity, reduce costs and eliminate operational waste.
• Able to balance service quality, customer experience, productivity and cost.
• Drives standardization and continuous improvement across locations and teams.

5. Problem Solving & Escalation Management

• Strong analytical and structured problem-solving capability.
• Able to identify root causes and develop sustainable solutions rather than addressing only symptoms.
• Takes ownership of complex and high-level customer escalations.
• Provides clear guidance to managers on operational and personnel-related challenges.

6. Stakeholder Management

• Strong ability to work across Area offices, customers, Regional teams, QSC, IT, Business Systems and other functions.
• Builds effective relationships across geographical and organizational boundaries.
• Able to influence without direct authority and align different stakeholders around common objectives.
• Maintains open and transparent communication across departments, Areas and Regions.

7. Change, Process & Digital Transformation

• Drives process improvement, standardization and operational efficiency.
• Works effectively with IT and Business Systems teams to resolve system issues and improve Customer Service processes.
• Identifies opportunities for automation, digitalization and improved customer channels.

• Able to lead teams through changes in processes, systems and operating models.

8. Governance & Service Delivery

• Strong understanding of service governance, SLA management and operational controls.
• Ensures compliance with Customer Service and Documentation manuals, company policies and relevant regulations.
• Establishes clear accountability, governance routines and performance monitoring mechanisms.

• Ensures consistent application of standards across locations while allowing for legitimate local requirements.

9. Business & Industry Knowledge

• Strong understanding of Hapag-Lloyd's products, services and Customer Service processes.
• Good knowledge of relevant shipping, documentation and governmental/regulatory requirements.
• Understands the relationship between Customer Service performance, operational execution, customer experience and business outcomes.

• Achievement of agreed Quality Promises and Customer Service KPIs.

• NPS performance and improvement against agreed targets.

• Strength and effectiveness of relationships with customers and key business stakeholders.

• Customer satisfaction and service quality improvements.

• Productivity and efficiency gains through continuous improvement initiatives.

• Strong employee engagement and leadership capability.

• Delivery of transformation and digitalization initiatives.

• Effective governance, compliance and risk management.

• Positive stakeholder feedback and cross-functional collaboration.

• Customer Centricity

• Strategic & Commercial Thinking

• Operational Excellence

• Data & Performance Driven

• Leadership & People Development

• Stakeholder Management & Influencing

• Change & Transformation Leadership

• Communication & Customer Relationship Management

• Bachelor's degree or Postgraduate in Business Administration, Management, Operations, Logistics, Customer Service or a related discipline.

• Good understanding of shipping and logistics processes, documentation, and relevant trade, customs and regulatory requirements.

• 10+ years of experience in Customer Service, preferably in the shipping/liner industry.

• 5+ years in a leadership/people management role, managing sizeable teams and/or multiple locations.

• Strong experience managing service KPIs, SLAs, quality and productivity.

• Demonstrated experience in NPS/customer experience management and translating customer feedback into improvement initiatives.

• Ability to work in a staggered/flexible manner to accommodate Area and Region time zones and deadlines.

• Proven track record in process improvement, standardization, automation and operational transformation.

• Experience with CRM, workforce management, analytics and customer-service technologies.

• Experience managing customer relationships across multiple countries/markets.