QA/QC Team Leader - Operations

About Allica Bank

Allica is the UK's fastest growing company - and the fastest-growing financial technology (Fintech) firm ever. Our purpose is to help established SMEs, one of the last major underserved opportunities in Fintech.

Established SMEs are the backbone of local communities - representing over a third of our economy - yet have been largely neglected both by traditional high street banks and modern fintech providers.

Department Description

Operations in banking like in every other firm is established to carry out all the day-to-day transactions of the business. The Operations function within Allica has wide-ranging responsibilities supporting the customers of all product lines (Commercial Mortgages, Asset Finance, Deposits and Payment Account with aligned card activity), alongside our own internal stakeholders. We are particularly focused on the following, ensuring that the bank always adheres to all relevant Regulatory requirements and our own internal policies and procedures:

• Slick digital account opening, and in life servicing.
• Customer contact via telephony, email and in-app communications.
• Payment and reconciliation activity.
• Treasury operations.
• Customer due diligence through Know Your Customer, Know Your Business.
• Lending pipeline management.
• Quality assurance and control.
• Issue resolution.
• Effective record keeping and data management.
• Support of all change initiatives.

Role Description

Implements and supervises all operational assurance 1st Line activity with a particular focus on the management of risk, operational process quality and efficiency, and customer outcomes whilst always acting in the best interest of customers, employees and other key stakeholders.

• Maintains a robust quality assurance and control framework for Operations.
• Reporting to the Operations Manager, the Team Leader will work closely with them to create an inspiring team environment, with an open culture aligned to Allica's values.
• The role will ensure Allica's customers (Brokers, direct customers and internal customers) receive the standard of service promised, with a clear eye on continuous improvements.
• They will ensure the delivery of team SLAs and quality goals.
• They will provide day to day supervision of the team and support personal development of staff.
• They will provide 4eye check / approval capability for the team.
• Overall to act proactively to ensure the smooth running of team operations and effective collaboration (internally within Operations and more widely across the business).

Reporting to the Ops Assurance and Quality Controls Manager, the QA/QC Team Leader will work closely with them in the management and evolution of a robust 1st line operational risk assurance and control framework.

They will work closely with colleagues across the Operations function (including across site if appropriate) and across other Bank functions to ensure end-to-end coverage of processes and with a strong working and collaborative working relationship required with the 2nd Line Risk and Compliance colleagues. Assisting in the training of staff to complete the quality assurance checks and for overseeing the completion of the checks with a robust sample approach developed to ensure completion to the required standard. Making recommendations for the development and introduction of new and/or enhanced controls as required to reflect the expected values and behaviours of the bank, delivering business performance, good governance, and fair treatment of customers.

Principal Accountabilities

• Support the Ops Assurance and Quality Controls Manager in the review of all key operational processes and procedures to assure that all key failure points are identified and appropriately flagged.
• Ensuring timely reporting of QA metrics - daily, weekly & monthly.
• Leading calibration sessions, discussing the QA monthly analyst scorecards with TLs and managers.
• Deliver appropriate assurance controls and checks to:
• Oversee day-to-day team operations.
• Provide 4eye check / approval capability for the team.
• Motivate team members, recognising high performance and rewarding accomplishments.
• Identify any failure points in the process, or those which could potentially lead to customer dissatisfaction or unfair treatment.
• Validate that the documented procedures are being followed.
• Support the identification of and measurement of the customer experience.
• Identify and minimise any areas of potential operational loss.
• Identify training needs.
• Support, coach and mentor team members to apply knowledge gained to address technical queries and empower decision-making in order to build on their competence and experience.
• Identify themes in Quality Assurance failures and through Root cause Analysis.
• Making sure records are accurately maintained, properly catalogued in accordance with the framework and its procedures and requirements.
• Ensure controls and checks are in place and are being actively managed to ensure all activities including the management of exceptions and reconciliations are completed accurately, effectively and in a timely manner, escalating issues and problems to the Ops Assurance and Quality Controls Manager.
• Support the Ops Assurance and Quality Controls Manager in the management of operational risk and in the promotion and training of risk awareness and through the adoption and cascade of policies, reporting and escalation channels within the Operations team.
• Support the management and minimisation of the key risk of loss or negative impact on the bank's reputation resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people, systems, external events and outsourcing arrangements, ensuring risks are mitigated by awareness of policies and procedures along with robust risk controls.

Personal Attributes & Experience

• Be capable of working in a fast-paced environment, managing complex, competing and alternating priorities with a constant focus on delivery.
• Have resilience and energy for collaborating with others, working flexibly and driving developments rapidly.
• Have confidence, credibility and highly developed interpersonal skills with a 'can-do' attitude.
• Be able to bring people together in a constructive and collaborative way by emphasising a common risk and assurance vision.
• Be a clear and independent thinker, logical, analytical and structured in approach to all business issues.
• Be pragmatic and astute in their dealings with others.
• Experience of front and back office operations and customer call centres.
• Knowledge of change management processes, methods and procedures.
• Proven experience of implementing strategies to identify and mitigate operational risks.
• Strong understanding of risks and controls.
• Experience of implementing and improving the customer experience across multiple customer channels.
• Experience in developing operational assurance and control framework to maximise colleague quality and optimise operational efficiency, whilst controlling and minimising the opportunity for operational risk and loss.

Working at Allica Bank

At Allica Bank we want to ensure our employees have the right tools and environment in which to succeed in their role and in support of our customers.

Our employees are at the heart of everything we do, so our benefits are designed with you in mind:

• Full onboarding support and continued development opportunities.
• Options for flexible working.
• Regular social activities.
• Pension contributions.
• Discretionary bonus scheme.
• Private health cover.
• Life assurance.
• Family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave.

Don't tick every box?

Don't worry if you don't have all the skills or requirements listed on the job description. If you think you'll be a good fit, we'd still love to hear from you!

Flexible working

We know the '9-to-5' isn't right for everyone. That's why Allica Bank is fully committed to flexible and hybrid working. Please let us know what is best for you and, if we can, we will do our best to accommodate.

Diversity

We're a diverse bunch here at Allica, with all kinds of experiences, backgrounds and lifestyles. Our openness and differences make us stronger, and we want everybody to feel comfortable bringing as much of themselves to work with them as they like.