OVERVIEW:

The Office of the Illinois Secretary of State is seeking an experienced Contact Center Manager. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing and enhancing the operations of the Illinois Secretary of State’s contact center. The role provides strategic leadership in service delivery, operational efficiency, and the implementation of technology-driven solutions to enhance customer experience.
This leader will be responsible for managing a high-volume contact center and leading initiatives to improve customer service, streamline processes, and enhance self-service capabilities. The role requires extensive experience in contact center management, digital transformation, and process improvement within a complex service environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership
• Establish and execute Contact Center long-term vision, driving innovation, efficiency, and customer-centric service delivery
• Collaborate with executive and departmental leadership, ensuring alignment with broader agency goals
• Lead change management efforts to modernize contact center operations and enhance customer experience
• Technology & Innovation
• Serve as product owner, in partnership with IT, to enhance IVR and self-service capabilities to reduce call volume and improve customer experience
• Identify opportunities to improve reliability of Contact Center hardware and software, including relevant use of outside vendors
• Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations regarding customer data privacy, security, and accessibility
• Operational Excellence
• Oversee performance metrics (e.g., abandonment rates, wait times, first-call resolution) to ensure efficiency and responsiveness
• Drive continuous process improvements to reduce wait times, optimize call flows, and enhance customer experience
• People & Workforce Management
• Lead a team of 150+ agents and supervisors, fostering a high-performance and customer-focused culture
• Design and implement employee training, coaching, and career development programs to improve skills and engagement
• Optimize workforce planning through forecasting, scheduling, and workforce management tools
• Identify and implement automation opportunities to streamline operations and enhance agent productivity
• Stay at the forefront of emerging contact center technologies and best practices, advocating for strategic advancements that improve both customer and employee experiences

Required Skills and Qualifications:
-
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Communications, Operations Management, Information Technology or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in contact center operations, with at least 2 years in a leadership role managing teams of 50+ agents or handling 1 million+ calls per year
- Strong leadership and people management skills with the ability to drive engagement, change management, and performance optimization
Preferred Qualifications:
-
- Proven expertise in AI-enhanced IVR, chatbot deployment, workflow automation (RPA), and CRM integrations
- Knowledge of workforce optimization software and cloud-based contact center platforms
- Public sector or government agency experience with knowledge of customer service compliance regulations (ADA, FOIA, data security)

Application Process:

• Please visit https://ilsos.applytojob.gov/apply to apply by completing the online application; you may also upload a resume, or other attachments as needed.
• Preference will be given to Illinois residents in the hiring and selection process, in accordance with the Illinois Secretary of State Merit Employment Code.
• Questions regarding this posting or Illinois Secretary of State employment practices may be directed to Job Counselors at our Personnel offices in Chicago (312-793-5515) or Springfield (217-782-4783).

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Applicants must be lawfully authorized to work in the United States.
Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital or veteran status, or the presence of a non-job-related medical condition or disability.
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• Strategic Leadership
• Establish and execute Contact Center long-term vision, driving innovation, efficiency, and customer-centric service delivery
• Collaborate with executive and departmental leadership, ensuring alignment with broader agency goals
• Lead change management efforts to modernize contact center operations and enhance customer experience
• Technology & Innovation
• Serve as product owner, in partnership with IT, to enhance IVR and self-service capabilities to reduce call volume and improve customer experience
• Identify opportunities to improve reliability of Contact Center hardware and software, including relevant use of outside vendors
• Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations regarding customer data privacy, security, and accessibility
• Operational Excellence
• Oversee performance metrics (e.g., abandonment rates, wait times, first-call resolution) to ensure efficiency and responsiveness
• Drive continuous process improvements to reduce wait times, optimize call flows, and enhance customer experience
• People & Workforce Management
• Lead a team of 150+ agents and supervisors, fostering a high-performance and customer-focused culture
• Design and implement employee training, coaching, and career development programs to improve skills and engagement
• Optimize workforce planning through forecasting, scheduling, and workforce management tools
• Identify and implement automation opportunities to streamline operations and enhance agent productivity
• Stay at the forefront of emerging contact center technologies and best practices, advocating for strategic advancements that improve both customer and employee experience