Customer Advisor

Dorset Council; Dorchester; Remote; GBP 13,000 - 15,000; Part time

Job summary

Dorset Council's Ukraine Response Team is recruiting a Customer Advisor to help Ukrainians and host families access essential services across Dorset. The role focuses on providing guidance, coordinating support, and handling enquiries with sensitivity.

You'll work primarily remotely, with occasional attendance at Dorchester offices as needed. This fixed-term, part-time position offers a chance to contribute to community resilience and rebuild lives.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering excellent customer service.
• Strong communication and listening skills to support diverse groups.
• Ability to work sensitively with people undergoing significant change.

Responsibilities

• Act as a key point of contact for Ukrainians and hosts, resolving enquiries and coordinating support.
• Help customers access Dorset Council services and information.
• Work across the Ukraine Response Team and Resettlement Team as needed to support multiple programmes.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Sensitivity to diverse communities

Ukrainian/Russian language (advantage)

Job description

About the role

The Ukraine Response Team forms part of the wider Resettlement Service and is committed to supporting people displaced by the conflict in Ukraine as they build safe, stable, and independent lives in the UK. Working closely with Ukrainian guests, host families, local communities, and partner organisations, the team provides advice, guidance, and practical support throughout the resettlement journey.

What you will be doing

As a Customer Advisor, you will be a key point of contact for Ukrainians and their hosts, helping to resolve enquiries, coordinate support, and ensure individuals can access the services they need. The role requires a customer‑focused approach, strong communication skills, and the ability to work sensitively with people who may be experiencing significant change and uncertainty.

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful difference, supporting individuals and families as they rebuild their lives, develop independence, and become part of their local communities.

As part of a flexible and responsive service, the postholder may work across both the Ukraine Response Team and the wider Resettlement Team, supporting a range of resettlement programmes and customer groups in line with service priorities and business needs. This collaborative approach helps ensure the continued delivery of effective, person‑centred support to those seeking to establish new lives in Dorset.

The team works primarily remotely, using a range of digital systems and communication channels to support service users across Dorset. However, occasional attendance at Dorset Council offices in Dorchester and travel within the county may be required to support operational needs, meetings, training, and team collaboration.

About you

We require Customer Advisors who are passionate and proactive about delivering excellent customer service and who have the ability to help a wide range of customers access our services. The ability to speak Ukrainian and/or Russian would be a considerable advantage, but is by no means essential to the role.

In the “Relevant Experience” section of the application you will be expected to explain how you meet the criteria for this role listed on the person specification. When explaining how you meet the criteria, please give examples that clearly demonstrate your skills, knowledge and experience.

Working at Dorset Council

You will have the opportunity to build your career in a modern, flexible and inclusive organisation, and this is an exciting time to join – at the start of our journey together.

Dorset Council uses generic job descriptions and person specifications and therefore the job title in the attachments on the right may differ from the job title in the advert. Further specific information may be provided in a context statement where relevant. You will be unable to view the job description and person specification forms after this vacancy has closed. We cannot accept CVs in place of an application form as we require the same range of information from all our candidates.

Further Information

For an informal chat about the role, please contact [e-mail]

Interviews are expected to take place week beginning 12th October 2026. This role is for 22.5 hours per week, and will be fixed term until 31st October 2027.

• a fixed‑term appointment, or
• a secondment opportunity for existing employees.

Candidates seeking appointment on a secondment basis should note that release from their substantive post is subject to management approval and operational requirements.

Posts requiring DBS clearance

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex‑offenders.

This post requires you to have access to sensitive information and will be subject to an Enhanced Criminal Records Check. Please refer to our policy on the employment of ex‑offenders for further information.

This role is UK based and your Right to Work will need to be established as part of the appointment process.

For more information regarding Dorset Council’s rewards and benefits click here. For further information regarding Dorset Council’s commitment to Equality & Diversity click here. Dorset Council is committed to making our recruitment process barrier‑free, and as inclusive as possible for everyone.

About Us

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.