Call or Contact Center Manager
SOC 11-3012.00 · ESCO 1439 · OSCA 172131
Role snapshot
Overview
Manages a team of customer service agents, setting performance targets, monitoring call quality, and implementing process improvements to reduce wait times. Uses workforce management tools to forecast demand and schedule shifts across multiple communication channels. This role focuses on optimizing operations, enhancing customer satisfaction, and developing team members to meet service level agreements.
Ensures efficient and high-quality customer service delivery, directly influencing customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and operational cost-effectiveness. Improves agent productivity and retention through effective leadership and training.
On the job
- Oversee daily operations of the call or contact center, ensuring service level agreements are met
- Set performance targets for agents and conduct regular performance reviews and coaching sessions
- Analyze call data, customer feedback, and operational metrics to identify areas for improvement
- Implement process changes and new technologies to enhance efficiency and customer experience
- Manage staff scheduling, training, and development to maintain a skilled and motivated team
Tools & technology
Average salary
Job outlook
StableDemand is steady. This is an established role with consistent hiring across sectors.
Education & training
Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a related field, or extensive experience in contact center operations.
AI impact outlook
Note — this is our current view. AI is moving fast, so we revisit these ratings.
Show how this was assessed Hide the detail
Note — this is our current view. AI is moving fast, so we revisit these ratings.
Show how this was assessed Hide the detailWhy this role received this rating
Core task exposure
moderate
How much of the role’s important work could AI perform?
AI can analyze call data, optimize schedules, and monitor performance, taking over significant analytical and administrative burdens.
End-to-end automation
low
Can AI complete the work without substantial human involvement?
While operational planning can be AI-assisted, the human elements of coaching, conflict resolution, and strategic leadership cannot be fully automated.
Adoption pressure
high
How likely are employers to introduce AI into this work?
Contact centers are highly motivated to adopt AI for efficiency, cost reduction, and enhancing overall service quality through data-driven insights.
Human dependence
strong
How much does success depend on human judgement, relationships and accountability?
Success is highly dependent on effective human leadership, coaching, motivation of staff, and the ability to make strategic decisions based on human insights.
Protective — a higher rating lowers the overall score.
Role adaptability
strong
How easily can the role evolve as AI takes on more tasks?
The role can highly adapt by evolving into a strategic leadership position focused on optimizing AI tools, fostering human talent, and developing future service strategies.
Shown for context — not part of the score.
What AI may take on
These are the parts of the role most likely to be automated or significantly accelerated.
- Analyzing call data and operational metrics to identify trends
- Optimizing staff schedules based on forecasted demand
- Automating routine performance report generation
- Identifying training needs through AI-driven call quality analysis
- Forecasting staffing requirements based on historical data
- Managing workflow distribution to agents
Where people remain essential
These parts continue to depend heavily on human judgement, relationships and accountability.
- Conducting personalized coaching and performance reviews
- Motivating and inspiring a team of human agents
- Resolving complex inter-team conflicts and disputes
- Developing long-term strategic plans for service improvement
- Implementing and managing large-scale process changes
- Handling escalated human resource issues
- Ensuring team morale and well-being
How the role may evolve
Leveraging data for strategy. Leading people for performance.
The manager's role will shift from supervising daily operations to a more strategic function, utilizing AI for analytical support while focusing on human capital development and complex problem-solving.
Strengthen your future fit
- Strategic leadership and change management
- Advanced data analysis and interpretation
- Human-centered coaching and mentorship
- Expertise in contact center technology and AI integration
- Cross-functional collaboration and communication
- Assessment horizon
- 3–7 years
- Confidence
- High
- Last reviewed
- August 2026
- Methodology
- v1.0
This assessment reflects current AI capabilities and expected adoption patterns. Actual impacts will vary by industry, employer and the way each role is performed.
Career pathways
WHERE YOU COULD GO
CURRENT ROLE
Call or Contact Center Manager
Retail & Customer Service
ADJACENT MOVES
STARTING POINTS
Who thrives here
Interest profile
enterprising · CES
Individuals who enjoy leading teams, organizing processes, and providing support to others, while focusing on efficiency and achieving business goals, tend to excel in this management role.
Personality characteristics
Organized
Systematically manages team schedules, performance targets, and process improvements to ensure smooth operations.
Communicative
Effectively leads a team, provides clear feedback, and collaborates with various stakeholders to achieve service goals.
Supportive
Coaches and mentors team members, fostering a positive work environment and helping agents develop their skills.
Adaptable
Implements new technologies and process changes, responding effectively to evolving customer demands and business needs.
Composed
Maintains calm and effectiveness when handling high-pressure situations, customer complaints, or staffing challenges.
Best for
- Individuals who thrive in dynamic, people-focused environments with a strong emphasis on operational excellence
- Leaders who enjoy coaching and developing others while driving measurable improvements
Watch out for
- The role can be fast-paced and demanding, requiring constant problem-solving and decision-making
- Managing a large team often involves handling interpersonal conflicts and performance issues
A week in the life
A representative working week for a Call or Contact Center Manager — where the deep work, meetings, and admin actually land.
Real people. Real results.
Thousands of people
can't be wrong.
Frequently asked questions about Call or Contact Center Manager roles
What does a Call or Contact Center Manager do?
A Call or Contact Center Manager manages a team of customer service agents, setting performance targets, monitoring call quality, and implementing process improvements to reduce wait times. Uses workforce management tools to forecast demand and schedule shifts across multiple communication channels. This role focuses on optimizing operations, enhancing customer satisfaction, and developing team members to meet service level agreements. Ensures efficient and high-quality customer service delivery, directly influencing customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and operational cost-effectiveness. Improves agent productivity and retention through effective leadership and training.
How much does a Call or Contact Center Manager earn?
A Call or Contact Center Manager earns a median of $95,000 per year in the US, typically ranging from $65,000 to $130,000.
What qualifications do you need to become a Call or Contact Center Manager?
To become a Call or Contact Center Manager, bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a related field, or extensive experience in contact center operations.
What personality suits a Call or Contact Center Manager?
Call or Contact Center Manager roles tend to suit people who are highly conscientious — precise, organised and strong on follow-through (Conscientiousness 80/100) and outgoing — energised by people, visibility and quick social contact (Extraversion 72/100). The traits that matter most in the role are Organized, Communicative, Supportive and Adaptable. Systematically manages team schedules, performance targets, and process improvements to ensure smooth operations. On interests, Call or Contact Center Manager maps to a CES Holland Code profile — individuals who enjoy leading teams, organizing processes, and providing support to others, while focusing on efficiency and achieving business goals, tend to excel in this management role.
Who does a Call or Contact Center Manager role suit?
A Call or Contact Center Manager role is usually a strong fit for these reasons. Strong Conventional affinity: the role rewards structured thinking, data analysis, and process optimization. High Enterprising and Social scores indicate a fit for leading and developing teams and interacting with people. Focus on efficiency and performance targets aligns with a results-oriented mindset.
What are the downsides of being a Call or Contact Center Manager?
Call or Contact Center Manager roles come with trade-offs worth weighing up. The role can be fast-paced and demanding, requiring constant problem-solving and decision-making. Managing a large team often involves handling interpersonal conflicts and performance issues.
What is the work environment like for a Call or Contact Center Manager?
Work as a Call or Contact Center Manager is mostly office-based with hybrid arrangements common, semi-structured — a mix of set processes and self-directed work and high exposure to clients or stakeholders. Around 35% of the week is focused deep work.
What skills do you need to be a Call or Contact Center Manager?
Core skills for a Call or Contact Center Manager include Team leadership and coaching, Performance management, Process improvement, Data analysis and reporting and Customer service excellence.
How do you become a Call or Contact Center Manager?
Common entry routes into Call or Contact Center Manager roles include Contact Center Team Lead, Customer Service Supervisor and Operations Coordinator.
What career progression is there for a Call or Contact Center Manager?
From a Call or Contact Center Manager role, common next steps include Senior Contact Center Manager and Director of Customer Operations; lateral moves include Operations Manager.
What is the job outlook for Call or Contact Center Manager roles?
The outlook for Call or Contact Center Manager roles is currently rated stable. Demand is steady. This is an established role with consistent hiring across sectors.
Will AI replace Call or Contact Center Manager roles?
Traitstack rates automation risk for Call or Contact Center Manager roles at 45 out of 100, which is moderate. AI will deliver deep insights from call data and streamline scheduling, empowering managers to lead agent development and resolve complex interpersonal challenges. AI is most likely to take on analyzing call data and operational metrics to identify trends, optimizing staff schedules based on forecasted demand and automating routine performance report generation. Conducting personalized coaching and performance reviews, motivating and inspiring a team of human agents and resolving complex inter-team conflicts and disputes stay with people. Leveraging data for strategy. Leading people for performance. That score measures how much of the work could change, not the likelihood the job disappears. It is Traitstack's current view, revisited as AI capability moves.