POL00448356
POL00448356
Operations Support Specialist
CF
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The basics
Job Title: Operations Support Specialist
Grade: PO
Post Reports to: Operations Support Team Leader
Division: Retail
Business Unit: Operational Excellence
Budget Responsibility: N/A
Number of Direct Reports: 0
Location: Field based
Purpose of the role
The Operations Support Specialist is responsible for helping our network of over 11,500 branches run
sound operational franchise businesses. This is a field-based role whereby role holders will visit
branches to undertake a range of visit types; critically stock and cash verification, but also covering
operational and matters such as cash management and day to day branch accounting.
As this is a national role regular overnight stays and travel are likely, although work will be scheduled
according to your geographical location.
Measures of success
Your effectiveness and success in the role will be measured by:
- Regular Quality Assurance reviews from Team Leader
- Operational Performance data following visits
- Postmaster sentiment following your visit (from surveys)
Technical skills required:
Highly skilled in Horizon day-to-day operations and back-office accounting. Also, proficiency in
Microsoft office applications.
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Principal accountabilities
Our team exists to support Postmasters, it’s essential that throughout all your day-to-day activities you
embody the ethos of support, coaching and guidance.
Pre visit
Before any visit, you will be expected to familiarise yourself with the contextual history of the branch,
such as reading Stock Check Portal and the visit rationale document, which details the reason for the
visit and the most recent Area Manager visit report. This will build assurance with the Postmaster in
knowing that our central teams are operating in unison, not silo’s.
Post visit
You will be required to submit timely reports providing details of all your visits, this is to ensure other
stakeholders in the business can review findings and provide appropriate and relevant support to
Postmasters. For example, if training needs are identified, these are flagged and submitted as an
intervention to the on-site training team.
Escalation points
You will need to ensure adherence to the Postmaster Complaints Handling Policy, ensuring that any
issues or complaints are flagged up to the Operations Support Team Leaders with the greatest of
urgency.
Visit types:
Risk based Stock Check
Overview: Branch visits usually occur as a result of a request to verify assets in branch. As the
Operational Support Specialist, your role along with a colleague(s), is to explain the reason for the visit
to the Postmaster you will then undertake a cash and stock check and once completed correct the
Branch snapshot position on Horizon. As part of the visit, you will review processes with the
Postmaster and suggest any procedural improvements ie., security deploy the 40-minute safe security
compartment.
Essential behaviours:
It is important that you are prepared for the branch visit, i.e., the reason for the visit and are able to
explain to the Postmaster the reasons and the process clearly and unambiguously.
We won’t know the Postmaster’s current welfare situation, or what’s driven the operational issues that
have led to a Stock Check requirement. You need to be mindful that the Postmaster may be nervous
and worried about the Stock Check when you arrive.
Your interactions with the Postmaster should be friendly and professional ensuring they are engaged
and updated with the progress of the activity. At the end of the Stock Check visit the postmaster should
feel assured that they’ve had the right level of support from you and know the next steps and support
either sign posted or offered
Robbery or Burglary (R&B) Stock Check
Overview: Following a R&B Post Office will need to undergo another stock check to assess the value of
cash and assets stolen. As part of the visit, you will review the security procedures with the Postmaster
and suggest any improvements to mitigate against this happening again. We will do this by (in the most
part) following the Stock Check process.
Essential behaviours: Being the first Post Office representative in branch after a traumatic experience
for Post Office requires a great deal of empathy and emotional intelligence. We need you to operate
with a high degree of contextual awareness and conduct your visit with the utmost professionalism and
compassion. You will also remind the Postmaster and staff that trauma support is available for them.
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Closure Stock Check
Overview: Each closure is unique and will have its own story, however all closures require a stock and
cash count, Horizon corrected, and the cash and stock prepared for dispatch. In addition, and at times
you may go above and beyond, for example, volunteering to take the remaining post awaiting collection
to a nearby branch
Essential behaviours: For many Postmasters this will be an end of an era, they have played a vital role inI
their local community over this time. For our Postmasters this is a life changing moment, and they will
be sharing memories, thoughts and a few tears as their time working for us comes to an end and they
deserve our sincerest thanks and plaudits for their contribution as Postmaster.
Occasionally you may be required to close a branch following a suspension or termination of a
Postmaster, therefore a degree of sensitivity and tact would be required.
Operational Excellence / Support visit
Overview: Due to the nature of our work, there may be times when the branch visits are not local to
your location, in these cases we will provide you with data showing branches that are underperforming
operationally. For example, a branch may have excess cash, inconsistent cash declarations or other
operational issues. In these cases, you will work with the Area Manager to recommend branches to visit
in your Area. Upon visit, you use your interpersonal skills to remind the Postmaster why these matters
are important to them and give appropriate support on how to complete such tasks or signpost to a
relevant stakeholder
Essential Behaviours: We want the Postmaster to feel completely informed about the reason for your
visit, you will articulate to the Postmaster that this visit is designed as a preventative measure to support
them to reduce the likelihood of robbery, risk of mis-accounting or potentially in some cases product
removal. You will need to use a consultative and supporting approach whilst ensuring guidance is
landed clearly and articulated in a way which reflects the best interests for the postmaster.
Adhock tasks
You may from time to time be asked to assist with adhock administrative tasks, such as call support or
being a product or process champion. Essential Behaviours: Being a team player. Volunteers may be
sought on occasion to assist the direct and wider team.’
Strategic Partners (SP): Whilst it’s perceived that most work will be conducted in independent
franchises, you will also visit our branches run by our SP’s. In these circumstances, its important that
you are mindful of how these differ to Postmasters. For example, the people working in the branch are
employed by the SP’s and are likely to be receiving different forms of comms/MI engagement from the
Post Office. You will therefore need to tailor your approach around the individuals in the branch. In
addition, you may occasionally be required to engage with the Post Office SP team to translate
messages back to SP’s headquarters.
- Skills and core competencesResponsibility for ‘owning’ personal development, completing a
personal development plan and ensuring that any training needs are discussed with your Team
Leader
- Ability to communicate complex issues
- High levels of professional integrity, being proud of what you do and the desire to support
Postmasters who need assistance
- Be able to “read” situations understanding how your actions or findings may be impacting
Postmasters
- Bea listener, some Postmasters may have (or may be having) staff issues, be struggling with a
certain aspect of running a branch, or simply may be going through a hard time personally.
You'll need to ensure you are sign-posting where support is available.
- Meticulous attention to detail with your work, ensuring visits are conducted correctly
-__ Flexible, in regard to your day-to-day role and travel arrangements.
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Willingness to continuously improve yourself and attend training for behaviours and day to day
competencies of the role
Unrelenting adherence to team standards.
You will be completely clear and transparent.
You will need to use a consultative and supporting approach.
Conduct your visit with upmost professionalism and compassion.
Explain to the Postmaster the reasons and the process clearly and unambiguously.
Your interactions with the Postmaster should be friendly and professional ensuring they are
engaged.
You will need to ensure adherence to the Postmaster Complaints Handling Policy.
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