Jayne is a seasoned leader with 30 years in the Contact Centre industry, navigating its evolution from basic terminals to cutting-edge cloud solutions.
Her career spans pivotal roles at BT, where she honed her operational expertise and spearheaded transformative projects in the public sector – such as launching the UK’s first 24/7 local government Contact Centre and leading the Department for Work and Pension’s shift to virtual services. As Head of Customer Contact at the Charity Commission, she championed digitalisation, ensuring smoother online processes for trustees.
Now Director of Operations at Liberata, Jayne has driven a major service transformation, leveraging the Genesys Cloud to enhance omnichannel customer access and colleague development. A CCA Women in Leadership award winner, she has led teams to multiple industry accolades and actively mentors aspiring women leaders. Beyond work, she’s a proud mother and grandmother, dedicated to inspiring the next generation.
How did you land your current role? Was it planned?
I have worked in senior operational roles for many years and joined Liberata, one of the UK’s leading providers of business process outsourcing and support services, in August 2022 as the Deputy to the Head of Customer Services. Within two months I was fortunate enough to be promoted to the head of customer services role.
Liberata has recently been through a programme of change – focused on improving the services that we deliver to our clients, and their end customers. Through this journey of transformation, we have established best practices for operational support. I now lead the implementation of these strategies across our business as a Director, ensuring that our service delivery continues to evolve and improve.
What are the key roles in your field of work, and why did you choose your current expertise?
My first experience in the Contact Centre industry was with BT in the mid-90s when the sector was just beginning to embrace new technologies – including PCs on desks, intranet access, and softphone systems. This early exposure provided me with a solid foundation in all aspects of Contact Centre operations, from management to forecasting and reporting.
Over the years, I have been privileged to hold transformational roles within the public sector, including positions at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Charity Commission. These roles were groundbreaking at the time due to the scale of the customer base, and the ambitious digital transformation strategies aimed at shifting service delivery from face-to-face interactions to telephony and online platforms.
This experience gave me a fantastic opportunity to harness technology to drive meaningful change, delivering better, more efficient services to customers while ensuring responsible financial management of public funds. I have worked in Contact Centres since 1994, and transformation has been a common thread in every role I’ve held. I have a passion for improving service delivery, and inefficiencies or poor customer experiences genuinely frustrate me.
I also have a strong ethos of continuous improvement. Every single day, I strive to ensure that my teams and I are performing at our absolute best in everything we do.
Did you (or do you) have a role model in tech or business in general?
I wouldn’t say I have a single role model, but I’ve definitely been influenced by the example set by my parents. My dad, despite running a successful business, went to night school to gain further qualifications. My mum balanced raising four children with part-time jobs, ensuring our family thrived. They instilled in me a strong work ethic, ambition, and – most importantly – the freedom to choose my own path.
In the business world it is important to learn from the experiences of others. Within my work, I fully embrace being a “service delivery geek” and with that I’m constantly analysing and bringing both good and bad examples of service delivery back to my team to learn from. Whether it’s an inspirational role model, or, examples of good and bad behaviours in your field, there is always something to be gained from others.
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
I take immense pride in my work within the public sector, particularly my contributions to transforming services to improve accessibility and efficiency for citizens around the clock.
I am especially proud of the work I’ve done to support vulnerable members of society, whether in child protection or, more recently, in assisting citizens facing financial difficulties. Knowing that my efforts have made a tangible difference in people’s lives is incredibly fulfilling.
What does an average workday look like for you?
As an early riser, I start my day with 30 minutes of planning – reviewing my diary and organising my priorities. My first meeting is always with my team, where we align on the day’s objectives and discuss any risks that need mitigating.
Working in an agile, real-time environment means no two days are ever the same, and adaptability is key. I rely heavily on technology to stay organised, using my digital calendar and various tools to ensure I remain efficient and responsive.
Post-pandemic, our team has become more virtual, leveraging technology like Teams and SharePoint to collaborate effectively. On days when I work from home, I am mindful of maintaining a healthy work-life balance – scheduling time for a walk with my dog, proper lunch breaks, and moments to reset and recharge.
Are there specific skills or traits that companies look for in your field?
Working in this space requires a mindset of continuous improvement and curiosity – always questioning how things can be done differently and better. Technology provides increasingly sophisticated insights and reporting, but true innovation comes from having an agile and enquiring mind that seeks to push the boundaries of service delivery. Over the past 10 to 20 years, I’ve seen firsthand how these insights have evolved, but it’s those who remain curious and proactive that make the biggest impact.
In Contact Centre service delivery, AI, automation, and cloud-based technologies have become the norm. These tools are now standard in how we approach and deliver services, but the human element remains crucial – particularly when designing AI-driven solutions that flag when a human agent is needed, such as in cases involving vulnerable customers. In sectors like the public sector, the complexity of service delivery presents an additional layer of difficulty, and therefore requiring a nuanced understanding of AI’s role in enhancing – not replacing- human decision-making is an important skill to have.
Have you ever faced barriers to learning and development in your career, or has the tech sector been supportive?
In my current role, technology and service delivery go hand in hand – we live by the ethos of “think service tech.” As a result, we are encouraged to push boundaries, leverage the full potential of our technology, and continuously upskill.
That being said, in previous roles – particularly within very large organisations – I sometimes lacked the autonomy to influence change, which in turn slowed down my own development.
Have you ever faced insecurities or anxieties in your career? How did you overcome them?
From a personal perspective, I’ve faced challenges as a woman in the industry, including imposter syndrome, which is a topic that comes up frequently in mentorship discussions. While progress has been made, understanding what drives and motivates individuals remains key to creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace.
As a mother of three, I found it challenging to balance family responsibilities with my career aspirations, particularly in my children’s younger years. There were roles I didn’t apply for because I felt I couldn’t fully commit to them at that time.
With the rise of flexible and remote working, I now realise that I may have had more opportunities available to me if those options had existed earlier in my career. However, I don’t dwell on that – I focus on what I have achieved and what’s still ahead.
What advice would you give to someone feeling overwhelmed when starting their career?
Self-awareness is key – be kind to yourself, recognise your strengths, and identify areas for growth. No one is perfect, and that’s okay! We are all a work in progress. Looking back over the past decade, I can see how much I have grown, and I continue to embrace new learning opportunities.
I am also a strong advocate for mentoring – both as a mentor and a mentee. I highly recommend having a mentor outside of your organisation who can provide invaluable, impartial support and guidance.
Additionally, setting clear goals with your line manager and maintaining regular progress check-ins can prevent feelings of overwhelm.
Lastly, engage with industry forums and professional groups. The support network available today is far stronger than it was ten years ago – take advantage of it!
What advice would you give to women aspiring to advance their careers in technology?
There is room for everyone in tech, and your gender does not define your capabilities.
Technology is vast and ever-evolving. My own children laugh at the fact that I struggle to get a printer to work, yet I am responsible for managing millions in service delivery through technology-driven platforms.
Your career path won’t always be linear, therefore it’s important to remain open to change. I’ve taken sideways moves and even a career break to support my family. It wasn’t part of my original plan, but it was the right decision at the time. I later returned to work, initially taking a step down, but was able to progress quickly due to my experience and skills.
Flexibility is essential. The tech world moves fast, so embrace the journey and go with the flow!
