Head of Customer Complaints Intake

Overview:

The Head of Complaints Intake supports the day‑to‑day operation and ongoing improvement of the escalated complaints intake process. This role blends hands‑on process work with coordination across partners to help improve consistency, quality, and efficiency of intake activities across multiple channels. The position focuses on documenting and improving intake workflows, supporting system enhancements, and ensuring complaints are accurately captured and routed in line with established procedures and regulatory requirements. The role works closely with partners across Risk, Compliance, Technology, and the business to support intake operations, adoption of updated processes, and ongoing performance monitoring. Complaint intake is an important operational function that supports regulatory compliance, accurate complaint data, and effective downstream handling in a highly regulated environment.

1) Complaint Intake Operations & Process Improvement (Initial Focus)

• Support improvements to the complaint intake process by helping move intake activities from manual handling toward more consistent, rules‑based processing where appropriate.

• Document and review existing intake workflows to identify inefficiencies, risks, and control gaps, and support updates that simplify intake steps and improve consistency.

• Assist with the configuration, testing, and rollout of intake system enhancements, working closely with technology, data, and operations partners.

• Help gather and document business requirements for intake enhancements, participate in user testing, and provide feedback to ensure solutions work as intended.

• Support efforts to reduce unnecessary manual intake steps, duplicate controls, and reporting as system capabilities and processes are updated.

• Help define and document basic intake rules and exception criteria to support consistent routing and handling of complaints.

• Partner with Risk, Compliance, and policy owners to review intake‑related procedures and standards, ensuring updates remain compliant with regulatory requirements.

2) Operate the Intake Function (Ongoing)

• Support the day‑to‑day operation of the complaint intake process, helping ensure complaints are received, reviewed, prioritized, and routed consistently to the appropriate Complaint Handling Areas.

• Monitor intake documentation to help ensure complaint information is complete, accurate, and categorized appropriately to support reporting and downstream review.

• Track and report on basic intake performance measures, including: Timeliness of intake processing, first‑pass accuracy, rework and exception volumes, SLA adherence

• Review intake trends and performance data to identify opportunities for process improvements, system enhancements, or additional guidance.

• Ensure intake activities support downstream processes such as quality review, root cause analysis, and issue tracking by maintaining clear and consistent intake records.

• Work with partners in Compliance, Risk, Legal, Audit, Technology, and Customer Advocacy to support regulatory responses, issue reviews, and intake‑related process updates.

• Assist with the review and handling of complex or sensitive complaints as needed, particularly during exception handling, backlog remediation, or process changes.

• Follow established operational risk controls, internal procedures, and regulatory requirements, and support timely resolution of audit or compliance findings related to intake.

3) Change Support & Adoption

• Support training and communication efforts related to intake process changes and system updates to help ensure processes are understood and applied consistently.

• Document intake procedures, job aids, and reference materials to support consistent use of intake tools and processes across channels.

• Engage upstream complaint sources (e.g., branches, contact centers, executive offices) to address recurring intake documentation or quality issues and reinforce standard intake practices.

• Provide feedback from users and partners on intake challenges or usability issues to support ongoing process and system improvements.

4) Team Support & Collaboration

• Support the intake team’s day‑to‑day activities by assisting with workload coordination, process questions, and documentation needs as processes evolve.

• Help identify training or guidance needs related to intake quality, exception handling, or updated procedures, and escalate observations as appropriate.

• Collaborate with peers and partners to promote consistent intake practices and a respectful, inclusive working environment.

Scope of Responsibilities:

The complaint intake function supports complaints received through multiple channels, including:

• Regulatory agencies

• Executive offices

• Bank business units

• Contact center

• Branch network

• Customer surveys

• Social media and other digital channels

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directly supervise a team of approximately 3-5 Intake Specialists.

• Support workload coordination, coaching, and day‑to‑day guidance, with team responsibilities evolving as intake processes and tools are updated.

Education and Experience Required:

• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent work experience

• 3+ years of experience in customer service, complaint management, customer advocacy, operations, compliance, risk management, or a related role within banking or a regulated industry.

Education and Experience Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Business Administration, Finance, Risk Management, Compliance, Legal Studies, Operations Management, or a related field.

• Experience working cross‑functionally with Compliance, Legal, Audit, Risk, Technology, or business partners.

• Background supporting operational controls, data quality, and end‑to‑end process execution.

• Comfort interacting with senior stakeholders and executive offices on intake‑related matters.

• Experience supporting or coaching staff in a workflow‑based or operational environment.

• Experience improving manual processes and supporting system or workflow enhancements in a regulated environment.

• Background in Legal, Compliance, Risk, Retail Banking, Operations, or related functions.

• Experience supporting regulatory inquiries, audits, or examinations.

• Exposure to project coordination, process improvement, or system enhancement initiatives.

Key Competencies:

• Strong organizational and documentation skills.

• Sound judgment in regulated environments.

• Ability to analyze data and identify practical process improvements.

• Clear written and verbal communication skills.

• Comfort working across teams and functions.

• Ability to manage ambiguity while following established procedures and knowing when to escalate.

Success in This Role Looks Like:

• Complaint intake processes are applied consistently across channels, with improved use of standard tools and procedures.

• Manual intake effort is reduced over time through better use of existing system features and process improvements.

• Intake records are generally complete and accurate, supporting reporting, review, and downstream handling.

• Basic performance measures show improvement in intake timeliness, accuracy, and reduction in rework.

• Older or duplicative intake steps are reduced as processes are updated and clarified.

• Partners and stakeholders experience fewer intake‑related issues or delays as processes become clearer and more consistent.

• The intake team spends less time correcting basic intake errors and more time supporting exception handling and quality review.

Work Model & Office Location:

This is a hybrid role requiring four days in-office per week. Eligible candidates must live within reasonable commuting distance to either office below:

• 1100 Wehrle Drive, Williamsville, NY 14221

• 850 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604

Anticipated Travel Requirements:

• Employees in this position should be prepared to travel at least once per quarter within the M&T Bank east coast footprint.

• Travel may occur more often than this and is based upon the needs of the business and projects assigned.

M&T Bank is committed to fair, competitive, and market-informed pay for our employees. The pay range for this position is $74,600.00 - $124,400.00 Annual (USD). The successful candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, and experience will inform their specific compensation.

Location

Williamsville, New York, United States of America