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Nkulu Phiri

@nkuluphiri

General Manager and Operations/Customer Experience leader driving service excellence, cost savings, and high-performance teams.

Zimbabwe

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What I'm looking for

I’m seeking a General Manager/Director role within Southern Africa where I can deliver operational excellence, elevate customer experience, manage complex stakeholders safely, and drive measurable cost and service improvements through high-performance teams.

I’m a dynamic operations and customer experience leader with over 15 years of senior management experience in large-scale, multicultural environments. I’ve served as General Manager for major UK stations, including East Croydon, delivering operations for 30M+ passengers annually and leading under pressure with a focus on operational strategy and stakeholder management.

I’m recognized for building high-performing teams and driving measurable results—improving customer satisfaction by 17% in the Spring 2018 National Rail Passenger Survey and reducing operational delays by 15% through smarter staff deployment models. I oversee safety and compliance in complex, high-risk environments, manage large budgets (£10M+), and have delivered efficiency savings while maintaining service standards. I also strengthened workforce performance, reducing sickness absence to below target and raising staff engagement to 73% (vs. company average 62%), alongside union negotiation to introduce multi-skilling and save £100K annually.

Since 2019, I’ve also been a Founder & Senior Leader at Kingsway International Christian Centre Zimbabwe, establishing the organisation from inception and leading strategic planning, governance, and compliance. I’ve secured $250K in donations and grants to launch and sustain the “This Is Life” outreach programme—delivering 7,500 food hampers, a 40-foot container of clothing for 4,000 people, and medical outreach for 1,000 beneficiaries—while developing and mentoring volunteers and staff through leadership training and pastoral care.

I’m now seeking a General Manager / Director role within Southern Africa to deliver transformative results in complex, customer-focused industries—bringing operational excellence, crisis and risk discipline, and people-first leadership to every setting.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Founder & Senior Leader

Current

Kingsway International Christian Centre

Jan 2019 - Present (7 years 5 months)

Established and led the organisation from inception, building volunteer partnerships and governance to ensure operational sustainability. Secured $250K in donations/grants and launched the “This Is Life” outreach, distributing 7,500 food hampers and supporting 1,000+ beneficiaries.

Operations Leadership Stakeholder Management Volunteer Management Change Leadership Community Outreach Risk Management

General Manager - East Croydon

Southern Railway (GTR)

Jan 2015 - Jan 2019 (4 years)

Managed day-to-day operations across 22 stations serving 30M+ passengers annually, overseeing customer service for 1M+ weekly travellers. Increased customer satisfaction by 17%, reduced operational delays by 15% through staffing model changes, and maintained safety and compliance in a high-risk environment.

Customer Experience Management Workforce Scheduling Stakeholder Management Continuous Improvement Service Excellence Performance Management

General Manager - Station Areas

Southern Railway (GTR)

Jan 2011 - Jan 2015 (4 years)

Led operational delivery across 52 stations and 320 staff, responsible for safety, customer service, and service performance. Negotiated union agreements to enable multi-skilling (saving £100K annually), reduced sickness absence below target (9.5 days/employee), and increased staff engagement to a record 73% (vs 62% average).

Operational Excellence Health & Safety Management Workforce Management Stakeholder Management Performance Improvement Employee Engagement

Station Group Manager - Purley

Southern Railway (GTR)

Jan 2010 - Jan 2011 (1 year)

Directed operations for 23 stations and 100 staff, improving passenger satisfaction and service delivery. Delivered the “First to Last” staffing project to improve reliability and oversaw the introduction of automatic ticket gates at key stations.

Regional Operations Leadership Service Delivery Workforce Planning Passenger Experience Process Improvement Program Delivery Stakeholder Management Change Management

Duty Station Manager - Purley

Southern Railway (GTR)

Jan 2008 - Jan 2010 (2 years)

Supervised 60 staff and daily customer operations, ensuring consistent service standards. Supported the project team implementing Oyster Pay-As-You-Go and led Purley station redevelopment, achieving National Rail Awards Best Travel Plan recognition.

Team Leadership Customer Service Project Support Travel Planning service reliability

Early Career - Southern Railway

Southern Railway (GTR)

Jan 2001 - Jan 2008 (7 years)

Progressed from Platform Assistant to Sales Team Leader, gaining end-to-end experience in customer-facing station operations. Built foundational capability across service delivery, customer handling, and operational execution.

Customer Service Sales Leadership Team Support Service Delivery