Operations Manager – BPO & Customer Experience
Workster Jobs · Lisbon, Portugal · onsite
Workster is partnering with a leading international technology and customer experience company to recruit an experienced Operations Manager for its operations in Lisbon, Portugal.
In this senior leadership position, you will oversee day-to-day contact centre operations, managing multiple teams and their leaders while ensuring operational excellence, client satisfaction, and the achievement of key performance indicators. You will play a central role in driving service quality, operational efficiency, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
We are looking for a hands-on, results-driven leader with extensive BPO experience, strong people management skills, and the ability to take full ownership of operational performance. This is a fully on-site position, and candidates must already be based in Lisbon.
Your Role- Lead daily contact centre operations, overseeing managers, supervisors, team leaders, and their respective teams
- Take responsibility for operational performance and results across multiple teams and business units
- Recruit, train, develop, and manage direct reports, ensuring effective workforce planning and performance management
- Conduct regular one-to-one meetings with direct reports to review performance, provide coaching, and establish development plans
- Monitor operational KPIs and ensure service delivery consistently meets agreed performance targets
- Manage and maintain client Service Level Agreements (SLAs), implementing corrective actions and improvement plans whenever necessary
- Ensure operational compliance with client contracts, company policies, and established quality standards
- Build and maintain strong client relationships, ensuring clear communication and alignment with business expectations
- Lead regular business reviews, presenting operational performance, service quality, and efficiency reports
- Coordinate weekly operational meetings with department leaders to review challenges, priorities, and upcoming requirements
- Collaborate closely with Training, Human Resources, Quality Assurance, Workforce Management, and Talent Acquisition teams
- Identify operational challenges and implement strategic action plans to improve productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction
- Promote a positive working environment through employee engagement, recognition, coaching, and professional development initiatives
- Manage employee relations matters professionally and support effective conflict resolution
- Contribute to program profitability by monitoring revenue, operational margins, billing, seat utilisation, and employee retention
- Support financial planning and progressively develop responsibility for profit and loss management
- Collaborate with Business Development teams to identify growth opportunities and support visits from prospective clients
- Maintain relationships with strategic vendors and stay informed about developments and best practices within the BPO industry
Your Qualifications- English proficiency at C1 level or higher is mandatory
- Several years of professional experience in BPO or contact centre operations management
- Previous experience within the Portuguese BPO market is highly desirable
- Between 2 and 4 years of progressive management experience leading supervisors, team leaders, or operational management teams
- Proven ability to manage multiple teams and take ownership of operational performance
- Strong leadership skills with a visible, hands-on approach to managing contact centre operations
- Experience monitoring and improving KPIs, SLAs, service quality, and operational efficiency
- Excellent coaching, mentoring, and people development capabilities
- Ability to design and implement performance improvement plans
- Strong analytical skills and experience identifying opportunities to optimise operational processes
- Experience managing client relationships and presenting business performance reports
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence presenting to senior stakeholders
- Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities
- Ability to lead organisational change and maintain performance in a fast-paced environment
- Professional, resilient, and solution-oriented approach to operational challenges
- Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams, including HR, Quality, Training, and Workforce Management
- Previous experience in P&L management, budgeting, or financial performance monitoring is an advantage but not mandatory
- Flexibility regarding working schedules according to operational requirements
- Must already be based in Lisbon, Portugal – this is a mandatory requirement
- Legal authorisation to work in Portugal
The Offer- Fully on-site leadership position in Lisbon, Portugal
- Mandatory requirement to be currently based in Lisbon
- 12-month employment contract
- 180-day probationary period
- Health insurance from the first day of employment
- Performance-based bonus
- Full paid onboarding and training on company operations and the program you will manage
- Comprehensive introduction to internal processes, operational systems, and client requirements
- Leadership development and career progression programs
- Opportunity to manage multiple operational teams and develop senior management capabilities
- Exposure to international clients and complex business operations
- Opportunity to develop financial management skills, including P&L responsibility
- Direct involvement in operational strategy, business reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives
- Collaboration with senior leadership and cross-functional management teams
- Central office location in Lisbon
- Dynamic, multicultural, and performance-driven working environment
- Professional development opportunities within a large international organisation