Customer Care Officer

Gateshead Council; Gateshead; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a Customer Care Officer to be the main point of contact for customers during works on their homes. The role involves providing excellent customer service, liaising with various teams, and supporting vulnerable individuals. Candidates should have customer service experience, strong communication skills, and a valid driving license. This position offers flexible working hours and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Competitive Salary

Outstanding Pension Scheme

Generous Annual Leave

Flexible Working Hours

Hybrid & Flexible Working

Learning & Development Opportunities

Health & Wellbeing Support

Cycle to Work Scheme

Exclusive Discounts

Qualifications

• Current driving licence and access to a car or mobility support.
• Experience in a customer-facing role, including resolving complaints.
• Ability to manage workload independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a point of contact for customers, keeping them informed.
• Liaise with internal teams and agencies to meet customer needs.
• Arrange support for vulnerable customers and maintain accurate records.

Skills

Customer service experience

Ability to communicate effectively

Organizational skills

Problem-solving skills

IT proficiency

Job description

Overview

Join the team that puts people at the heart of construction. Gateshead Council values ambition, creativity, and a healthy work/life balance, with flexi-time and hybrid working across many roles and a full suite of employee benefits.

Your service matters — help us shape great experiences after the build. Our construction colleagues have significant responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of one of the region’s largest property portfolios, including responsive and planned repairs, cyclical maintenance, emergency out-of-hours repairs, fire and building safety, disabled adaptations, asset improvement, stores, purchasing and waste, call handling and customer support. This is a high-performing front-line team with a vital role in ensuring safe living and working conditions for residents and employees of Gateshead.

We have exciting opportunities for Customer Care Officers to join our team, delivering on the promises we make to our customers.

What You'll Get To Do

• Be the main point of contact for customers throughout works to their home, keeping them informed of planned works, addressing queries, and ensuring issues are resolved swiftly.
• Liaise closely with operational delivery teams, associated agencies and other services to meet customer needs.
• Arrange necessary support for vulnerable customers to minimise stress and inconvenience.
• Provide excellent customer service to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Identify and highlight any issues that may delay delivery of works (e.g., dirty or cluttered properties) and work with other services to address concerns in a coordinated way.
• Maintain accurate records in required systems (e.g., NEC, Agresso, Advance Dynamic Resource Scheduler).

What You'll Bring

• A current driving licence and access to a car or mobility support.
• Experience in a customer-facing role, including resolving complaints professionally.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with internal teams and external partners.
• Initiative and sound judgment to identify issues, negotiate solutions, and support vulnerable individuals.
• Ability to manage workload independently and as part of a team, meeting deadlines under pressure with strong organisational skills.
• Understanding of relevant housing legislation, equality and diversity principles, and IT proficiency in daily tasks.

What’s In It For You

• Competitive Salary: fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme: Local Government Pension benefits.
• Generous Annual Leave: 28 days rising to 32 days after 5 years (2 fixed by the Council), plus up to 10 extra days can be bought.
• Flexible Working Hours: Up to 26 flexi days per year (subject to business needs).
• Hybrid & Flexible Working: Flexible and hybrid options to support work-life balance.
• Learning & Development: Training, development, and progression opportunities.
• Health & Wellbeing Support: Access to gym discounts and mental health resources.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Tax-efficient programme to save money and stay active.
• Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice: Through the VIVUP platform for discounts and salary sacrifice on white goods, electronics, and more.

Our commitment to you

We are an equal opportunities employer and aim to create a culture where our people feel a sense of belonging, are respected, and empowered to do their best work. We embrace diversity and demonstrate equality for all, welcoming applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

How To Apply

You can apply online using the link below. The form will ask for details about your career history, skills, experiences and qualifications. Be as detailed and specific as possible, paying particular attention to any relevant aspects of the role.

If you have questions about your application, please contact our recruitment team. As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. In high-volume recruitment, we may prioritise those who best meet the essential criteria based on the information provided. The Council also reserves the right to close the vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria to ensure a fair process. Early applications are encouraged.