David Clay

As the Head of Service Experience, I led the strategy and execution of customer service initiatives to enhance the overall customer journey and drive satisfaction across multiple touchpoints. My role involves managing and developing a high-performing team, shaping service delivery processes, and ensuring alignment with the Council's vision and customer needs.

Key responsibilities included:

• Leading the design and implementation of customer service strategies to improve service quality and streamline operations.

• Collaborating with cross-functional teams (marketing, product, operations) to create seamless and integrated customer experiences.

• Overseeing customer feedback and data analysis, using insights to drive continuous service improvements.

• Managing the development and delivery of training programs to empower service teams with the skills and knowledge to deliver outstanding customer experiences.

• Monitoring service performance through key metrics (e.g., customer satisfaction scores, resolution times, financial targets) and implementing improvements to achieve targets.

• Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with key clients, ensuring customer retention and satisfaction.

• Driving the development and execution of service policies and standards to ensure consistency and excellence across all customer touchpoints.

• Offered friendly, efficient customer service and handled challenging situations with ease.
• Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.
• Quickly learned and applied new skills to daily tasks, improving efficiency and productivity.
• Successfully delivered on tasks within tight deadlines.

• Assessed technicians' practical skills to ensure competency for evaluations
• Designed and implemented innovative learning systems for candidates
• Mentored candidates in advanced cremation techniques
• Provided part-time support to ensure capacity to meet organisational requirements
• Mentored candidates with 95%+ rate

• To implement strategic direction of project management within services to ensure project delivery of efficiency, that is effective to ensure all needs of service delivery is met
• Keep abreast of legislative changes, professional, managerial and technical developments, and draft any necessary changes in Council's policies, strategies and procedures to reflect best practice
• Ensure that services is managed and maintained dynamically in conditions which are compliant with legislation and have due regard to confidentiality, whilst also delivering highest levels of customer service and satisfaction
• To be designated officer for cremation duties under legislation (cremation regulations 1930)
• To act as designated officer under section 46 and 69 of Public health Act for Mansfield District Council
• To ensure smooth running of crematoria and all associated duties including but not limited to maintenance, repair, renewal of plant, machinery, fitments and grounds
• To ensure all elements meet requirements of FBCA and ICCM regulations
• To review all operational functions to maximise commerciality and income from external sources
• To work with all faith, ethnic and minority groups
• To provide effective and efficient management of all cremation and burial duties undertaken by Mansfield Council
• Ensure all corporate values are met including codes of behaviour
• To deliver fair high quality service inline with all Health and Safety and Environmental policies
• Budget control of expenditure and sound financial monitoring control
• Lead in providing service advice and frontline working development by ensuring that service meets all needs of clients, and other stakeholders that complies with relevant legislation and furthers strategic objectives
• Ensure maintenance of confidential statutory records and production of statistical returns as required

• Company Overview: Calderdale Council - Halifax, West Yorkshire
• Actively contribute and direct strategic development of Council's multi function Service, including all aspects of performance and financial management, and by driving forward long term vision of 'everyone different and everyone matters'
• Devise and implement appropriate customer service strategies to support all council's customers, and stakeholders
• Adopt commercial approach, in line with sensitive nature of service delivery, in order to develop new products that meet needs of clients whilst also offering potential new income streams
• To implement strategic direction of project management within services to ensure project delivery efficiently and effectively
• Lead in providing service advice and frontline working development by ensuring that service meets all needs of clients, and other stakeholders that complies with relevant legislation and furthers strategic objectives
• Ensure that services are managed and maintained dynamically in conditions which are compliant with legislation and have due regard to confidentiality, whilst also delivering highest levels of customer service and satisfaction
• Keep abreast of legislative changes, professional, managerial and technical developments, and draft any necessary changes in Council's policies, strategies and procedures to reflect best practice
• Ensure maintenance of confidential statutory records and production of statistical returns as required
• Ensure that all activities are managed with highest levels of competency and efficiency in line with all statutory guidelines and Legislation including maintenance of areas
• Lead and Drive service and staff performance to ensure that targets and strategic goals are achieved, including income generation of significant high levels of income while managing strict budget
• Ensure needs of all communities, faiths and cultural groups and is delivered in line with Council's equality policies
• Ensure highest levels of Health and Safety within service, including discharge of Council's statutory responsibilities in connection with safety of memorials
• Lead and Strategically Direct project management for services to ensure project delivery efficiently and effectively by setting goals and objectives, defining roles
• To manage, monitor and control activities in order to track progress of projects by identifying risks and implementing necessary changes
• Direct and Lead appropriate grounds maintenance regimes and standards
• Develop and implement effective consultation, promotion and marketing strategies, including engagement with relevant stakeholders

• Assist and direct strategic development of Council's Bereavement Services function, including all aspects of performance and financial management
• Assist Services Manager in management and control of Services Departments and be responsible for all and varied range of managerial, operational and administrative functions
• Ensured that crematoria and burial process is carried out effectively and safely and in accordance with relevant laws and procedures are adhered to
• Ensure that service meets needs of all clients, and other stakeholders in ways that complies with relevant legislation and furthers strategic objectives
• Ensure that service is managed and maintained dynamic and strategic ways in conditions which are compliant with legislation and have due regard to confidentiality, whilst also delivering highest levels of customer service and satisfaction
• Ensure that all activities are managed with highest levels of competence and efficiency
• Ensure service meets needs of all communities and is delivered in line within Council's equality policies
• Ensure highest levels of Health and Safety, including discharge of Council's statutory responsibilities in connection with safety of memorials
• To assist and undertake key supporting roles for Service Management when appropriate
• Processing of orders, invoices etc
• In accordance with S151 Policies and Procedures
• To oversee general administration of facilities ensuring that accurate records are kept and maintained to statutory levels
• Provide on-going training facility to existing staff and act as mentor to newly employed staff and ensure adequate cover is maintained at all times in relation to annual Leave/sickness and ensuring that operational needs of service are met
• To have overall control of day to day sales and details of client requirements under direction of Service Management

• Undertake diverse range of Burial, Cremation and Grounds maintenance within all public realm areas
• Developed work in accordance with best practice and specified standards ultimately set by Council departments
• This includes digging and backfilling of graves, Grounds maintenance in all 40 controlled Cemeteries
• To undertake cremation duties in accordance within Code of Cremation Practice whilst keeping sympathetic and caring role towards Bereaved people
• Provide practical guidance to lower graded staff relating to all types of work within Bereavement Services
• To undertake diverse ranges of Burial, Cremation and Grounds maintenance and Public Realm maintenance and development work in effective, efficient manner
• To undertake ranges of specialist operations requiring high level of Skill, expertise, experience and national certification in accordance with best practice and legislative requirement
• Organise own work load in accordance with service demands to ensure all work is undertaken
• Be fully competent and experienced with plant equipment some of which is of highly specialised nature
• Provide onsite guidance to other members
• Ensure all paperwork, legislative reports is undertaken
• When dealing with chapel and Funeral requirements deal with members bereavement services clients sympathetically, polite and professional manner
• Ensure councils assets/resources are utilised and maintained efficiently
• Be able to interpret operational requirements of service, ensuring attention to detail and undertaking client requests correctly
• Ensure all Health and Safety procedures are adopted and maintained including those in connection with nationally/legislative requirements
• Handled materials carefully to avoid damage or loss.
• Met deadlines by prioritising tasks effectively.
• Identified potential issues, prevented major malfunctions.