Customer Operations Manager - EV

Salary:
Competitive Plus Benefits

Location:

London Store Support Centre - Field Based and Home, London, EC1M 6HA

Contract type:
Permanent
Business area:
Finance & Business Development
Closing date: 21 January 2026
Requisition :

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. For a FTSE business, we move incredibly fast. When we’re not handling projects, we’re helping all corners of the wider group with what they’re trying to achieve. And around here, you can see the results of your work as soon as you walk into a store, which gives you a real sense of purpose and responsibility.

Better still, the team around you will listen to your ideas and opinions, and you’ll have every chance to try something new. The sheer scale and complexity of our set-up means there’s always something else around the corner, and we’ll help and support you every step of the way. We’re trusted to get on with it. So get ready to make things happen here.

Smart Charge is a customer ‑ first start ‑ up that launched only two years ago– and it’s already making serious waves in the EV charging industry. Award ‑ winning, powered by Sainsbury’s, and fuelled by 100% renewable energy, Smart Charge is on a mission to remove one of the biggest frustrations in electric vehicle ownership: charging away from home. We’re building a network that’s simple, reliable and genuinely customer ‑ first - and we’re doing it fast.

This is a chance to step into a scale ‑ up at a pivotal moment and play a defining role in shaping how thousands of customers experience Smart Charge every day. As Customer Operations Manager, you’ll sit at the heart of the business, owning the end ‑ to ‑ end customer operation and acting as the true voice of the customer across Smart Charge.

What you'll do

You’ll lead customer support day ‑ to ‑ day, setting direction, driving quality, and embedding a proactive, accountable mindset in partnership with our outsourced front‑line customer support function. You’ll spot patterns before problems escalate, take ownership of issues end ‑ to ‑ end and work cross ‑ functionally to remove friction from the customer journey, often moving at pace and without a playbook.

This is a hands ‑ on role, combining strategic ownership with real ‑ world insight. You’ll influence strategy, improve critical customer metrics, and help shape what “exceptional” looks like in a rapidly evolving category.

You’ll spend time office ‑ based and working from home, but you’ll also regularly visit Smart Charge hubs and sites across the network. Being present on the ground matters - engaging with colleagues, understanding how our chargers are used in the real world, and seeing first ‑ hand how our customers experience Smart Charge.

Smart Charge operates 24/7, 365 days a year. While this is not a shift ‑ based role and your core working hours will be Monday to Friday, there will be occasions where customer issues require visibility, decision ‑ making or leadership outside of standard business hours. You’ll be trusted to use good judgement, step in when it really matters, and help keep things moving for both customers and colleagues.

Who you are

You are a dynamic and customer‑centric leader with a proven track record in managing customer support functions and driving operational excellence with an empathetic leadership style and proactive approach to problem‑solving.

After this role is for someone who thrives on responsibility, brings energy and initiative, and can deliver meaningful change. If you’re motivated by making impact, and are passionate about delivering brilliant customer experiences, this is a rare opportunity to help build the future of EV charging.

• Demonstrable experience leading customer support operations, including driving improvements to customer metrics.
• Proven ability to identify patterns and risks early, escalating and resolving operational issues before they impact the customer experience.
• Evidence of working cross‑functionally to removedia friction from customer journeys, contributing to service improvements in a fast‑moving environment.
• Experience representing the customer voice to influence…