Team leader, hardship (sa)

Job Description

About the role – Permanent, Full-time & hybrid role, based out of our Adelaide Head Office. When our customers are experiencing financial difficulty, our Customer Assist team is there to provide practical support, guidance and solutions that help them regain financial wellbeing.

Team Leader, Hardship

We're seeking an experienced and people-focused leader to step into our new Team Leader, Hardship position, leading a high-performing team of Hardship Officers to deliver customer-first outcomes while ensuring compliance, operational excellence and sustainable financial solutions.

Reporting to the Manager, Customer Assist, you will lead a team responsible for assisting customers experiencing financial hardship and vulnerability. You'll drive team performance, coach and develop capability, manage escalations, and ensure hardship solutions are both meaningful for customers and commercially responsible.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading and developing a team of Hardship Officers to deliver exceptional customer outcomes.
• Coaching, mentoring and building team capability through ongoing support and real-time feedback.
• Managing team performance, productivity and quality assurance activities.
• Assessing hardship applications and making sound lending and hardship decisions within delegation.
• Managing escalated customer complaints and complex hardship matters.
• Driving compliance with legislative, regulatory and internal policy requirements.

About You

• Proven leadership experience within hardship, collections, or customer assist functions in financial services.
• Strong understanding of financial hardship legislation, industry obligations and regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated experience coaching and developing high performing teams.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• Experience driving operational efficiency, quality outcomes, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience managing escalated and complex customer situations.

Why You'll Love Working With Us

People First Bank – our new brand – says exactly what we're all about: people. We're committed to supporting and growing our team and creating an outstanding work environment.

You'll have access to financial and lifestyle benefits to support your success and individuality:

• Flexibility and hybrid working arrangements.
• Wellbeing support with our Employee Assistance Program, wellbeing leave, mental health app, and mental health ambassadors' program.
• Enhance your salary with discounts on banking, health insurance, and shopping across Australia.
• Advance your career with training, study support, and project opportunities.
• Competitive leave benefits that empower employees to take time for themselves and loved ones.
• Make a difference with paid volunteering, Workplace Giving, and diverse community initiatives.
• Be recognised for your contributions through our peer-driven recognition program.

A Bit About People First Bank

In March 2023, People's Choice and Heritage Bank merged to form Heritage and People's Choice Limited – Australia's leading mutual bank. We are now on an exciting journey to bring together our products, services, and technology under a single brand – People First Bank.

We have over 700,000 customers and 1,900 employees, with dual head offices in Adelaide and Toowoomba, an Australian-based contact centre and branches across five states.

With a vision "To deliver positive change through banking", People First Bank serves members and contributes to the community, while offering an inclusive, flexible work environment. We're big enough to make an impact; but agile enough to influence and do interesting work.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion and support candidate requests for adjustments to enable everyone to equitably participate in our selection process.