Pod Leader

Job Description This role sits within our Centre of Excellence - the engine room where SmartPA's strategy comes to life - and is dedicated to one of our key client accounts, a global tech leader. As a Pod Leader, you'll lead a small, dedicated team of up to 7 people, known internally as a “pod.” You'll be responsible for the day-to-day running of your team's work, making sure it's delivered to a consistently high standard, on time and in line with our client's expectations. You won't be doing this in isolation - your pod is part of a wider group dedicated to this client, so you'll work closely with other team leads, quality assurance, and automation colleagues, as well as management above you and your team below you. You'll also be one of the friendly, familiar faces the client sees regularly. Alongside managing your team, you'll build genuine relationships with client contacts, keep them updated, and be the person they know they can rely on. This role suits someone who enjoys leading and coaching a small team, thrives in a fast-paced environment, is comfortable with technology, curious about how AI can make work better, and takes real ownership of getting things done well. Key Responsibilities and Skills This is a hands-on leadership role where people, delivery and continuous improvement all matter equally. Leading Your Team Leading and motivating your team to consistently deliver high-quality work, on time Overseeing your team's day-to-day work from start to finish - balancing workloads and setting clear priorities Keeping an eye on team capacity and making sure agreed service levels are consistently met Working closely with your peer team leads, QA and automation colleagues to solve problems and keep improving how the account runs Developing Your People Directly managing, coaching and supporting your team members so they can do their best work and grow professionally Encouraging good ways of working and consistent standards across the team Innovation & Smarter Ways of Working Spotting where automation or AI could save your team time or make their work more accurate Clearly briefing our technical automation and AI colleagues on what your team actually needs Helping your team adopt new tools and changes smoothly when they're rolled out Tracking Performance Keeping track of service levels, team capacity and delivery using our internal tools Working with the Service Delivery Lead to review performance, celebrate what's going well and flag any risks early Being the first point of contact when something needs fixing, and taking quick action to sort it Working With the Client Being an approachable, trusted contact for the client - running check-ins, onboarding new users and answering day-to-day questions Working smoothly across SmartPA teams so communication stays joined-up and everyone's working toward the same goals Skills An experienced people manager who's just as comfortable coaching a team as they are keeping daily workflows organised and running smoothly. You take pride in the quality of your team's work, build trust easily, and genuinely enjoy finding better ways of doing things. You'll thrive in this role if you: Lead calmly and confidently, even when things get busy Are a natural people manager who builds trust and gets the best out of your team Are highly organised and confident managing several workstreams at once Have a data-driven mindset and a good eye for detail Are a strong problem-solver who takes quick, sensible action when issues come up Enjoy spotting smarter ways of working and can explain what you need clearly to technical teams Experience We hire for mindset as much as background - a strong sense of ownership and a willingness to learn go a long way. Essential Experience leading, managing and developing a small team in a busy, fast-paced environment. Confident building relationships with external clients as well as internal teams A track record of managing workloads, hitting service targets and reporting on how your team is performing Experience coaching team members and managing performance Comfortable using digital tools and workflow platforms - our client works exclusively within Google Workspace Strong organisational skills, including experience overseeing quality standards and handling escalations A good grasp of how to prioritise and track team workloads Able to spot opportunities for automation and work with technical teams to bring them to life Desirable While not essential, the following would be advantageous: Experience leading a team as part of a larger, multi-layered client account Experience in, or alongside, high-growth tech accounts or fast-paced service delivery environments Hands-on experience using AI tools to make team workflows easier We value transferable skills and diverse career paths, so if your experience doesn't align perfectly but you can demonstrate strong leadership and organisational capability, we still encourage you to apply. Work Remotely Yes Schedule Monday-Friday, 9am - 5.30pm Job Type Full-time, permanent What's in it for you? We're ambitious about where we're going and we're looking for people who want to grow with us. We believe in rewarding talent and supporting your growth, so as part of your package you can expect: Competitive salary 33 days holiday Flexitime (core hours: 10:00–16:30) Remote: full time remote work Ongoing development and career opportunities Department incentives Employee Assistance Programme (including access to counselling services, finance support, legal support, etc.) A genuinely positive, people-first culture How to Apply Our recruitment process typically includes: CV and cover letter review Online skills assessment Two-stage interview process Please ensure your cover letter clearly demonstrates how your experience aligns with the role. We are human-centred, tech and AI-enabled, and we welcome the appropriate use of AI throughout the recruitment process. Where assessments, scenarios or presentations form part of the process, AI can be used to support your work; however, the ideas, thinking and approach behind your submission must be your own. We want to understand how you think, and you should be prepared to discuss and expand on your work during interview. If you're looking to join a forward-thinking organisation where you can develop your career and make a meaningful impact within a global client environment, we'd love to hear from you. Please note: we receive a high volume of applications, so sometimes it can take us a little longer to get in touch. We welcome enquiries to our [email protected] inbox. About us SmartPA delivers world-class, human-centred, tech-enabled PA and business support to organisations of all sizes across the globe. By combining smart systems, streamlined processes and exceptional people, we help our clients accelerate their growth and scaling plans. From ambitious SMBs to global corporations, our client portfolio has included organisations such as Google, Clarion Events, BBC and Krispy Kreme, all of whom rely on us as a trusted extension of their teams. We pride ourselves on delivering a service that is professional, proactive and dependable — but what truly sets us apart is our people. Our team is ambitious, supportive and passionate about what we do, and many of our colleagues have built long-term careers with us from a wide range of professional backgrounds. As a female-founded business built on collaboration, trust and shared success, we champion career development, flexible working and meaningful progression. We believe in creating an environment where people feel supported, valued and empowered to grow.