Customer Service Officer

Lake Macquarie City Council; Newcastle-Maitland; On-site; AUD 79,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12% superannuation

Initial temporary 6-month contract

Full-time 35 hours per week

Office-based, Monday to Friday

Learning and development opportunities

Wellbeing initiatives (gym discounts,E

EAP support

Job summary

Lake Macquarie City Council is seeking a Customer Service Officer to be the first point of contact for residents, handling inbound calls and email inquiries. The role is office-based, full-time 35 hours per week, with option for a part-time arrangement that fits school hours, Monday to Friday.

You will develop knowledge of council services, resolve issues efficiently, and contribute to improving service delivery while working in a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• Typing speed 45 wpm with 95% accuracy.
• Strong computer skills across standard business apps (MS Office, Outlook, Teams).
• Experience in customer service in call centre, admin, retail or similar; Certificate III or higher.

Responsibilities

• Handle inbound customer calls and provide clear, accurate advice.
• Resolve enquiries by asking effective questions and using problem-solving skills.
• Record customer information and service requests accurately in council systems.
• Work within a structured Customer Service Centre team and stay updated on council processes.
• Build knowledge of council services and contribute to continuous improvement.
• Foster relationships with internal teams and stakeholders.

Skills

Typing 45 wpm

Microsoft Office

Customer service experience

Strong communication

Problem solving

Adaptability

Education

Certificate III+

Tools

Outlook

Teams

Telephony tools

Job description

Are you working in a contact centre or a customer facing role, Love helping people? Good on the phone? Keep calm when things get busy? We’d love to hear from you.

We’re recruitingCall CentreCustomer Service Officers as the first point of contact for our customers Monday–Friday only (no weekends or public holidays). This is a great opportunity for candidates who enjoy problem-solving, variety rather than repetitive script reading, learning new systems, and communicating clearly over phone and email in a fast-paced environment.

LET’S EXPLORE THE JOB

What you'll be doing:

• Handle inbound customer calls, providing clear, accurate advice and assistance across Council services and operations.
• Proactively resolve customer enquiries by asking effective questions, understanding customer needs and using sound problem-solving, negotiation and conflict management skills.
• Use Council’s knowledge systems to provide consistent information and achieve timely resolutions.
• Navigate multiple systems while accurately recording customer information and service requests in line with Council standards, processes and policies.
• Work as part of a structured and supportive Customer Service Centre team.
• Develop and maintain a strong knowledge of Council services, processes and customer service expectations.
• Champion the customer experience and contribute ideas that support continuous improvement, better service delivery and team performance.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal teams and stakeholders.

Read the position statementhere and learn more about this exciting opportunity.

LET’S HEAR ABOUT YOU

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A minimum typing speed of 45 words per minute, with an accuracy rate of 95% or higher.
• Strong computer skills, including intermediate capability across standard business applications such as Microsoft Office, Outlook and Teams, with the ability to confidently work across multiple systems, applications and telephony tools.
• Previous experience in a customer service role, such as a call centre, administration, retail or similar, or a Certificate III or higher in a relevant qualification.
• The ability to efficiently manage a high volume of customer enquiries while maintaining accuracy, professionalism and a strong customer focus.
• Excellent communication and listening skills, with the ability to explain information clearly, professionally and confidently to a diverse range of customers and stakeholders.
• Sound problem-solving, negotiation and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to remain calm and professional when dealing with challenging situations.
• The ability to learn quickly and adapt to new technology, systems and changing processes.

LET’S REVEAL THE PERKS

• Competitive salary from $78,934 to $91,735 per year plus 12% superannuation
• Initial Temporary 6-month Contract
• Full-time: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with shifts rostered between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm. Or Part-time: 20 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with hours suitable for school hours.
• Office-based, Monday to Friday.
• Learning and development opportunities
• Supportive, empowering, and collaborative work environment
• Wellbeing initiatives including discounted gym memberships, social club, flu vaccinations, EAP support, and more

We know it is our people that will shape the future of our city. That’s why we’re passionate about providing a workplace that empowers our staff to be creative, innovative and bold. When you join the team at Lake Macquarie City Council, you join a group of people with a commitment to make our city even better. We’re proud of our city and the work we do, and we know you will be too.
We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workforce. We believe that a diverse network of employees, which truly reflects the people it serves and represents, is best equipped to understand and meet the needs of our community. We welcome and encourage applications from all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, the LGBTIQ+ community, refugees and people with disability. We understand the skills and attributes veterans can bring to our Council.

Lake Macquarie City Council
126-138 Main Road, Speers Point, NSW 2284
Box 1906, Hunter Region Mail Centre, NSW 2310