Salary range: £21,189 - £24,948 pro-rata, per annum (Grade 4-6 Progression)
Work location: County Hall, Oxford
Hours per week: Flexible up to 37 hours per week
Contract type: Permanent
Vetting requirements: This role is subject to a Criminal Records Check.
Closing date: Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis as and when received. The advert will close once we are able to fill the positions.
Interview date: To be confirmed
We are looking for a polite and caring individual who can efficiently perform and adapt to a continually changing environment. A conversational member of staff who is open-minded and who looks forward to engaging with team members as well as customers in a welcoming and supportive manner.
- Are you an effective listener & do you have excellent verbal communication skills with a wide range of people and the ability to deal empathetically with difficult or upsetting conversations whilst remaining professional?
- Do you have a demonstrable ability with regards to computer skills, including excellent work processing capabilities, proficiency with email, internet applications, databases, and MS office?
- Do you have the capability to support the needs of staff as well as customers regarding communication, resource management and facility operation?
- Do you have a genuine interest and desire to help others and an understanding and empathy towards the needs of others?
- Do you have previous experience working in Customer Service?
If you think yourself capable of these duties and would like the opportunity to build a career and develop your skillset, we would love for you to join us.
Our friendly Customer Service Advisers are the first point of contact with members of the public, partners, agencies and other teams and services, handling enquiries via a variety of channels and signposting to information and services appropriately.
The Customer Experience Function supports the empowerment, independence, and self-serving ability of our customers.
Our vision is ‘to provide excellence in Customer Service to the residents and visitors to Oxfordshire.’
We are looking for new colleagues to work for our new Customer Service Centre in Oxford. This Centre is dedicated to supporting customers in various sensitive circumstances and ensuring that their needs are met without any inconvenience. We are always learning and daring to do things differently by continuously improving our services and support for our residents and visitors.
The successful candidate will be first point of contact across Oxfordshire and will be expected to deliver an efficient and effective service to customers whilst maintaining a high standard of customer service. You are also responsible for ensuring that all relevant County policies and procedures are adhered to, and concerns are raised in accordance with these policies.
Other duties will include answering queries from Webchat and providing face to face support to visitors and residents of Oxfordshire from our reception area at County Hall.
Daily Duties
- Answering customers enquiries by phone, email, and social media.
- Processing customer applications for our services and assessing their eligibility for them against a range of statutory duties, guidelines and Council policies.
- Looking up information for customers on computers and either resolving their enquiries or providing them with other sources of information as necessary.
- Searching, reading and entering customer details and enquiries into a range of database systems.
- Other duties will include answering queries from Webchat and Social Media and providing face to face support to visitors and residents of Oxfordshire from our reception area at County Hall.
It really is true that every single job role here contributes to bettering the lives of the people in our county - we want to do this for our employees too. We are proud of our strong flexible working culture, including the opportunity for flexibility on working hours and the use of technology to support agile working. We offer some of the best learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development.
We have a generous holiday allowance which rises as you remain in employment with us up to 32 days, as well as giving you the option to buy additional holiday. You will also have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contributions of up to 19.9% of your salary; a range of local and national retail discounts; and a host of enhanced family friendly policies including carers leave and paid time off for volunteering.
Please click here to view the Job Description and Selection Criteria
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Lucy Dewar, Team Leader on Lucy.Dewar@Oxfordshire.gov.uk or 07949 251608.
To apply, please complete an online application form by clicking either of the Apply Now buttons at the top and bottom of this advert. This includes a section asking you to explain how you meet the selection criteria, as specified in the job posting. You may attach a cover letter and/or CV to your application form, however it is not mandatory.
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If you experience any technical difficulties whilst completing the application form, please contact the Recruitment Team using Recruitment Application Enquiry Form.
Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support and safe spaces for staff.
Our commitment to safeguarding
Our Organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.
We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.
Guaranteed interviews
As a Disability Confident employer we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.
We are open to discussions about flexible working.
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