Customer Service Group Lead, Commerce - Merchant

Join a movement in which everyone can win. We started a movement in which everyone can win - shoppers, retailers, society and every person on our team. To play fair, trust people and reward them for doing the right thing. We see and feel the impact of our work as more and more people gain financial freedom and retailers grow across the globe.
Founded in 2014, in Sydney, Australia, Afterpay has over 11 million active customers globally and more than 64,000 of the world's best retailers around the world including Anthropologie, Revolve, DSW, GOAT, Finish Line, Levi's, Mac Cosmetics, Ray-Ban and many others. Afterpay is on a mission to power an economy in which everyone wins.
Afterpay is completely free for customers who pay on time - helping people spend responsibly without incurring interest, fees or extended debt. Afterpay empowers customers to access the things they want and need, while still allowing them to maintain financial wellness and control, by splitting payments in four, for both online and in-store purchases. Afterpay is deeply committed to delivering positive outcomes for customers. We are focused on supporting our community of shoppers.
We trust in the next generation and share a vision of a more accessible and sustainable world in which people are rewarded for doing the right thing.
The Role
The Customer Service Group Lead - Merchant plays a critical role in managing the success of the SMB CS Merchant Experience function within the Afterpay / Loan Servicing Customer Operations organisation and its support of the overall Commerce business unit. This includes proactive management of product and business change to ensure there is no adverse impact to Merchants and the readiness of our teams, as well as management, to lead the reactive elements where things don't go according to plan.
You'll be responsible for all aspects of running the Afterpay / Clearpay Merchant experience inbound CS teams ensuring inbound contact and complaint resolution to SLAs and quality standards and responding to all elements of process and product change.
You will be accountable for the delivery of service through our internal teams and selected partners ensuring that we tightly manage, review and maintain strong relationships and outcomes for our Merchants and internal stakeholders.
To be a success in the role, you will thrive on complex problem solving, be focused on delivering exceptional Merchant experiences, employ deep industry experience, and will have a keen focus on protecting the Commerce business profitability, reputation, and service experience.
You will report to the Customer Service Channel Lead and be based in either Melbourne or Sydney with hybrid work options.
You Will

• Accountable for service delivery across each of our global Merchant SMB CS teams; meeting overall service levels, compliance and regulatory obligations, ensuring great Merchant experiences, and focusing on maintaining employee engagement and strong partner relationships.
• Coaching and mentoring Team Leaders and executing on our Cust Ops people strategy for the SMB Merchant CS teams
• Own the improvement roadmap and drive improvements in customer satisfaction / quality (CSAT, QA, Complaint reduction) and efficiency (TTR, AHT) across channels by understanding the support needs of our Merchants and building improvement strategies
• Partner with Ops stakeholders such as Quality, WFO, Vendor Management, Content and Learning to deliver on service delivery expectations
• Leverage technology to ensure we are delivering the most efficient and effective service through channel optimisation.
• Partner with the Product teams, to ensure new product delivery roadmaps are delivered with the merchant experience and compliance at the centre of the design and execution
• Proactively review and manage risks & create action plans to support where required to both protect the business and champion merchant experience.
• Identify and drive process improvements and business opportunities, with a high degree of complexity and impact to ensure best in class operations, with a particular focus on cost optimisation, simplification, operations excellence, self service, and merchant experience.
• Achieving high quality, balanced outcomes through solid partnerships with teams/stakeholders such as Product, Risk, Finance, Compliance & Policy teams.
• Ensure harmonisation of process and strategies across like Block Customer Ops teams to drive the best possible merchant experience
• Participate as the Senior Leader Operations Forums and support the overall execution of the Block Customer Ops and Afterpay / Commerce strategy

You Have

• 5+ years contact centre experience; navigating omnichannel environment meeting service levels and partnering with various Ops stakeholders to formulate insights to maintain and improve quality and productivity
• Demonstrated Change management in a high paced, scaling operational environment
• Experience in managing Operations processes/teams across multiple regions/ timezones
• Expert stakeholder managements skills with the ability to partner with teams and department leaders,
• Excellent communication skills across a number of mediums (verbal, written and presentation);
• A self-starter and someone who thrives under pressure;
• Resilient, ability to manage multiple competing priorities and think holistically
• Ability to learn quickly, understand complex processes end to end in Operations, and the ability to manage/influence impacts across multiple programs

Preferred

• A relevant BA/BS degree or related experience
• Deep understanding of regulatory requirements and challenges including licensure obligations
• The global nature of our team will require this role to work flexibly in order to connect to colleagues who operate across ANZ, North America, UK and Partners in the Philippines.
• Remote, global team management experience

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is a proud equal opportunity employer. We work hard to evaluate all employees and job applicants consistently, without regard to identity or other legally protected class. We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page .
Block is a globally distributed company and this role will require working with other employees in multiple time zones. You may be required to perform work outside of normal business as part of this role.
Use of AI in Our Hiring Process
We may use automated AI tools to evaluate job applications for efficiency and consistency. These tools comply with local regulations, including bias audits, and we handle all personal data in accordance with state and local privacy laws.
Contact us at [email protected] with hiring practice or data usage questions.
Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.
Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we're helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.