Candidate Pack for
Director of Customer
Experience

Welcome

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in the role of Director of Customer Experience at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. This is a truly exciting moment to be joining us.
This appointment is part of a wider strategic transformation at the College in preparation for our new five year strategy, brand and website due to launch in 2026
RCS England has been a cornerstone of professional excellence for over two centuries, representing tens of thousands of surgeons, dental professionals, trainees and
students across the UK and internationally.

We are proud of that heritage, but our focus is firmly on the future to create a modern, agile and outward-facing organisation that delivers real value for everyone it serves.
To achieve that ambition, we need to reimagine how we engage with our customers. Whether it is an examination candidate sitting their first examination, a member
accessing learning opportunities, or a fellow drawing on our support at the height of their career, every interaction with the College should feel seamless, empathetic and
inspiring.

We want people to experience RCS England not just as a trusted institution, but as a partner that understands their needs and supports them to succeed. We are now
seeking a Director of Customer Experience to lead a transformation programme that spans every part of the organisation.

You will have the chance to set new standards, introduce innovative technologies, and shape a culture where service excellence is not an add-on but a defining feature of
who we are.

This is a senior leadership role with the potential to make a real impact on how we support our members and stakeholders today, but in how the College is experienced for
generations to come.

We are looking for a leader who can combine vision with practical delivery, who can inspire colleagues and command confidence at every level, and who can champion
change with passion and credibility. If that sounds like you, then this is an extraordinary opportunity to make a tangible difference at the heart of a national institution with
global reach.

Best wishes,

Jackie Weller
Chief Executive

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience The Royal College of SurgeonsAbout us

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is a world-leading professional membership body and registered charity founded to advance the art and science
of surgery. Our purpose today remains firmly focused on improving patient care and supporting the surgical profession at every stage of its journey.

We represent a diverse community of more than 30,000 members in the UK and around the world, including surgeons, dental professionals, trainees, students and the
wider surgical care team. Our staff of over 300 colleagues, working alongside more than 5,000 volunteers, deliver a wide portfolio of education, training, assessment and
support.

Education and training remain central to our role. Each year, we deliver hundreds of courses to thousands of participants, supported by an extensive faculty of expert
practitioners. Our examinations define the standards of surgical training in the UK, while our continuing professional development programmes and fellowships equip
surgeons and surgical leaders to thrive throughout their careers.

Alongside training, our charitable purpose extends into research and advocacy. In 2022/23, we raised nearly £5 million for surgical research and learning initiatives,
awarding fellowships that promote innovation in areas such as robotics, clinical diversity and global health. We also play a significant role in influencing healthcare policy.
Our leadership engages directly with government, the NHS and regulators to shape the national agenda, and our authoritative voice is regularly cited in the media, helping
to inform public understanding of surgical issues.

To learn more about our organisation, please use the links below.
•  Annual Report
•  Current Strategy
•  Our Commitment to Diversity
•  Our Commitment to Sustainability

Our Vision
We want to see excellent surgical care for everyone.

Our Mission
We will achieve our vision by enabling our members, in all their diversity, to deliver excellence in everything they do.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience
The Royal College of Surgeons

Our Values
Collaboration - We embrace our collective responsibilities working collaboratively and as one college.
•  We work together, using our collective expertise and experience to effect positive change
•  We are open, honest and transparent, straightforward in our language and actions, acting with sincerity and delivering on our commitments
•  We take our responsibilities to each other, to patient care and to the environment seriously and we act with this in mind across our work

Respect - We value every person we come into contact with at the College as an individual, respect their aspirations and commitments in life, and seek to understand and
meet their physical and wellbeing needs.
•  We treat everyone we meet with kindness and integrity and we seek to promote these behaviours in others
•  We actively seek a range of views and experiences across our work, and we listen to, and make everyone feel, a valued part of the team

Excellence - We aspire to excellence and success. We share learning from our experiences, apply feedback into practice, and commit to continual improvement.
•  We work hard to be the best at what we do, recognising and celebrating effort and achievement, and reflecting on our work, so we can learn and improve
•  We value and invest in research, education and training to drive excellence and put improvements in surgical practice, dentistry and patient care at the heart of our

work

•  We always seek to learn and discover more, valuing knowledge and scientific evidence, basing our decisions on insights, fact and experience

Diversity and Inclusion
At RCS England, we believe we are only as good as the people we hire. We know that the people we hire come from all walks of life and with that comes different
perspectives. Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging are at the heart of everything we do.

Our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment is evident through the active engagement of our employees in the Staff Council, where their voices play a
crucial role in shaping work life for everyone within the College. Additionally, our staff networks cultivate a strong sense of belonging, while social clubs create a vibrant
community spirit. We actively encourage our team members to openly share their professional and personal experiences, contributing to the evolution of our mindset and
organisational culture.

We firmly believe that embracing diversity goes beyond a moral obligation; it serves as a catalyst for both individual and collective growth. Our unwavering dedication
ensures that our profession and the College lead the way in advancing patient care for future generations. However, we recognise that achieving this goal demands a
collective effort. That is why we are on the lookout for individuals like you. Your unique talents and diverse experiences, acquired through both life and work, are invaluable
contributions that will enhance and complement our existing team. Join us on this journey towards a more inclusive and pioneering future in healthcare.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience The Royal College of SurgeonsOrganogram

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience
The Royal College of Surgeons

Job description

Job title:

Director of Customer Experience

Reports to:

Executive Director for External Affairs and Engagement

Role purpose:
The Director of Customer Experience will lead a programme of change in how the RCS interacts with its stakeholders, driving organisational transformation across the
College.

This role is pivotal in leading a comprehensive redevelopment of the ways in which the RCS provides support and value to all stakeholders, from prospective examination
candidates to long-standing fellows and members. It will identify and implement an approach to customer experience that is innovative, empathetic and aligned with the
College’s values and enabling its strategic goals.

The role holder will serve as a catalyst for change, working alongside the College’s senior leadership team to design and implement a programme of transformation
that positions the College as a customer-focused, digitally-enabled organisation. This role requires a visionary leader who can balance strategic thinking with effective
implementation, driving sustainable change across a range of functions including examinations, membership, and learning.

Main responsibilities:
Customer experience transformation programme
•  Develop and implement a comprehensive College-wide customer service transformation programme aligned with organisational priorities that positions service

excellence as a strategic enabler

•  Define and embed industry-leading service standards across all customer-facing functions including examinations, membership and learning
•  Embed our new brand voice across customer service touchpoints, providing delivery teams with the tools they need to effectively implement this
•
•  Establish how customer service activity can be measured in different functional contexts to inform continuous improvement

Identify ways in which new technologies such as AI can contribute to the delivery of high-quality customer service and create competitive advantage

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience The Royal College of Surgeons

Driving culture change in customer experience
•  Embed and cultivate a culture of service excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement that permeates every aspect of the organisation
•  Frame to a range of stakeholders the role that the highest-standard of customer service plays in the demonstration of the College’s values of collaboration, respect and

excellence
Lead the implementation of a College-wide approach to external communication that emphasises professionalism, support and empathy

•
•  Work with Directors and the Executive Team to frame how this new approach to customer experience can be applied across the organisation’s different functional

contexts

•  Advocate to the wider organisation the importance of effective customer service in achieving the College’s strategic aims, demonstrating how this enables the

achievement of key strategic objectives

Customer experience development and delivery
•

Lead and inspire the College’s Customer Experience team responsible for first-line responses to queries and requests for information, overseeing training, mentoring
and professional development of team members

•  Review the identification of, and lead the implementation of, process improvements to enhance service efficiency and eliminate friction from customer interactions
•  Review and develop the College’s customer experience maps charting the customer journey through interaction with the organisation at different career stages,

ensuring they continuously reflect evolving user needs and drive journey optimisation

•  Oversee the redesign and implementation of customer service policies for application in a range of different organisational contexts
•  Collaborate with functional leads to optimise routine end-user experiences in different areas of activity and provide effective resolution of complex or escalated

•

customer issues
Lead the identification and establishment of clear and achievable customer service KPIs to measure quality, responsiveness and customer satisfaction, using these to
inform regulator reports and insights for the senior leadership team

Technology in customer experience delivery and improvement
•  Apply sector-specific expertise in the identification of emerging technologies and trends relevant to customer service solutions
•  Oversee the implementation of automated customer service tools deployed within the organisation, driving innovation and performance
•  Collaborate with internal stakeholders to optimise performance and continuous improvement to ensure all tools used meet evolving business and customer needs
•  Monitor the performance of the customer service tools and analyse user feedback, identifying areas for improvement, product enhancements and implementing

solutions to optimise efficiency and customer satisfaction

•  Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align product development with broader organisational goals and customer expectations

The role requires an individual who is proactive, innovative, and consistently focused on delivering high-quality customer service products that adapt to technological
advancements and user needs.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience
The Royal College of Surgeons

Person specification

Knowledge and experience
•  Proven experience in a customer service or contact centre leadership role
•  Strong analytical mindset with the ability to use data and insight to drive

continuous improvement in processes and outcomes

•  Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyse issues, identify practical
solutions, and make sound decisions that improve customer experience and
operational efficiency.

•  Practical experience with online customer service tools
•  Experience of delivering customer service in the membership sector (desirable)
•  Proven success in leading service transformation (desirable)
•  Experience implementing brands across multiple teams and touchpoints

(desirable)

•  Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate equivalent professional

experience

•  A recognised qualification in customer service (desirable)

Technical Competencies
•  Experience of implementing automation or AI in the delivery of customer service
•  Experience of working with Microsoft Dynamics 365
•  Experience with email automation and customer journey software e.g. Customer

Insight Journeys, Dotdigital (desirable)

People and Interpersonal Skills
•  Strong ability to lead, manage, motivate, and coach a team to meet or exceed

targets

•  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build credibility,

influence stakeholders and develop collaborative relationships at all levels

•  Demonstrate our organisational values of Collaboration, Respect, and Excellence

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience The Royal College of SurgeonsTerms of appointment

Salary
£80,000-£90,000

Location
Hybrid: 2-3 days in London.

27 days paid holiday + bank holidays and up to 4 college closure days over the festive period & other leave entitlements (carers leave, fertility treatment leave, etc.)

Our excellent benefits package includes:
•
•  Hybrid and flexible working.
•  Enhanced contributory pension scheme
•  Equal access to enhanced parenthood leave
•  A range of staff and peer networks
•  Employee health and wellbeing committed (Healthcare cash plan, menopause friendly, disability confident employer, mental health first aiders, EAP etc.)
•  Retail discount platform
•  Sabbatical and volunteering opportunities
•  Variety of learning and development opportunities

Further information around our benefits can be found here.

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience
The Royal College of Surgeons

How to apply

We hope you will consider making an application. If you have questions about the
appointment and would find it helpful to have an informal conversation, please
contact chris.sharp@starfishsearch.com and we will be happy to arrange a call.
To make an application, please go to https://starfishsearch.com/jobs/rcs-dir-cus-
exp/ and click on the apply now button, with the following prepared:
•  Your CV (no more than three sides).
•  A supporting statement (no more than two sides) that sets out why you think this
role is the right move for you and how you meet the knowledge and experience
criteria.

We would also be grateful if you would complete the Equality and Diversity
monitoring form on the online application process. This form is for monitoring
purposes only and is not treated as part of your application.

Closing date:

Friday 14th November 2025

Preliminary interviews:

w/c Monday 1st December 2025

Final Panel interviews:

w/c Monday 5th January 2026

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Candidate Pack for Director of Customer Experience The Royal College of Surgeons