Customer Contact Centre Advisor

Independent Office for Police Conduct; Sale; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service pension

Flexible working options

Wellbeing support

Staff networks

Job summary

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is seeking a Customer Contact Centre Advisor to be the first point of contact, delivering accurate information to external customers and stakeholders, and upholding professional standards. You will handle telephone information, respond to correspondence and complaints, and contribute to high-quality service.

You will work within a defined framework to meet performance targets, be involved in a structured recruitment process, and have opportunities

Qualifications

• Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate with people at all levels and be patient and diplomatic.
• Experience in a customer focused information handling environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide a responsive service to customer queries and complaints via phone, email, letter or online form.
• Direct direct complaints to the appropriate police force or authority with minimal handling.
• Identify high profile matters and advise on appropriate escalation with the Customer Contact Centre Manager.
• Establish customer needs and provide information on the IOPC process or signpost to other agencies.
• Respond to comebacks, complaints and MPs' letters, taking ownership of calls to reduce contact.

Skills

Oral communication

Written communication

Customer service

Resilience

Diplomacy

Tools

MS Office

Database systems

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Introduction:

The Independent Office for Police Conduct exists to investigate complaints fairly and thoroughly. The IOPC has the power to initiate, carry out and oversee investigations. It is also responsible for monitoring the way complaints are handled by local police forces.

As Customer Contact Centre Advisor within the IOPC you can expect to work in a progressive and dynamic organisation with declared and strong core values. The work will be fulfilling and offer considerable opportunities for personal growth and satisfaction.

As a Customer Contact Centre Advisor, you will be welcomed into a dynamic and inclusive customer focused team working representing the IOPC as the first point of contact to the organisation, presenting a professional image providing accurate advice and information to a range of external customers and stakeholders. The IOPC

is on a journey to develop its culture, perspectives and ethos to support the organisation's core outcomes and this is your opportunity to enter into the varied world of IOPC customer service, allowing you to develop your mindset and approaches to contribute to improving the police complaints system in England and Wales.

Working as part of the Customer Contact Centre you will have a spectrum of responsibilities that encompass all elements of the contact centre. This will include providing a responsive telephone information service, responding to correspondence and complaints received from a range of external parties, including members of the public, police forces, MPs, solicitors and other agencies.

You will be expected to support the delivery of excellent customer service, providing the best possible experience with the approach of 'getting it right first time' to manage customer expectation and to reduce avoidable contact. The complexity of enquiry or complaint will vary as will the demand of work at any one time. You will work within a defined framework and fulfil individual targets to maximise contribution to team and directorate performance.

We'll assess you against these Executive Officer (EO) Level behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, to find out more.

Throughout the recruitment process we will also assess your Experience, Strengths, Technical Skills and Values.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete 4 Sift Questionsbased on the essential criteria.

If successful following sift, you will be invited to attend a 2 stage process, including a written assessment and a Success Profiles interview.

Written Assessment dates are anticipated to take place during the W/C 14th September.

Interview dates are anticipated to take place W/C 28th September.

Main Responsibility

• Provide a responsive service to a range of customer queries and complaints ensuring prompt resolution of issues received by phone/email/letter/online form.
• Process direct complaints received from members of the public to the appropriate police force or authority with minimal handling and representation.
• Be alert to and identify high profile matters and matters of public interest, and direct complaints that it may be appropriate not to forward to the force because of exceptional circumstances, and draw these to the attention of the Customer Contact Centre Manager.
• Establish customer needs and provide appropriate information - which may range from advising on the role of the IOPC, the process for making a complaint or appeal to more general requests for information or signposting to other agencies
• Respond to comebacks, complaints, MPs' letters and other correspondence.
• Take ownership of calls, queries and complaints, seeking to resolve issues to reduce subsequent contact providing the best possible experience for the customer

Please refer to the Job Description for full role responsibilities.

The Ideal Candidate

The Ideal Candidate:

Essential

• Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills
• Confidence and ability to communicate with people at all levels
• Ability to be patient, resilient, sensitive and diplomatic when dealing with the public and stakeholders
• A capacity to conduct enquiries, obtain information and to use sound judgement to reach conclusions

Experience

• Proven relevant experience of working in a customer focused advice or information handling environment
• Experience of dealing with challenging people over the phone
• Experience of responding to customer queries and complaints in writing

Skills and Abilities

• Good organisational skills and ability to manage own workload
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and database systems

We believe that diverse perspectives contribute to a more innovative and dynamic workplace. We actively encourage applications from individuals who are typically under-represented or disadvantaged in society. This includes women, people from ethnically diverse backgrounds, parents and carers, and disabled candidates, including neurodiverse candidates.

We are committed to providing equal opportunities for all applicants and creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and supported.

The role requires standard DBS clearance

National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Reasonable Adjustments:

The IOPC is a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used.

Please refer to our Reasonable Adjustment guidance document linked to this job advert on how to access Reasonable Adjustments with us.

Package Description

What we Offer:

• 27.5 days paid annual leave (increasing with service to 32.5 days)
• The option to buy, sell, or carry over annual leave is reviewed each year and offered when possible
• Voluntary Health Cash Plan provided by BHSF
• Civil Service pension
• Civil Service maternity leave package
• PAM employee assistance programme
• Access to Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) membership
• Cycle to work scheme
• Opportunity to enjoy the latest home and electronics in a more affordable way provided by Vivup
• Car Leasing Scheme
• Staff Networks focussed on each of the protected characteristics - run for staff, by staff: Enable Network, Age Network, Welsh Network, Pride and LGBTQ+ Network, Sex and Family Network, Race, Religion and Belief Network
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Additional Information:

Any move to the Independent Office for Police Conduct from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Although we are currently unable to guarantee a longer or more permanent contract, if the role can be extended or made permanent, the successful post holder may be offered the role first without further interview.

In line with the IOPC recruitment and Selection Policy, we recommend that the internal colleagues make an early application within the first seven days, so that we can see if there is enough interest within the organisation to keep the role internal for the full advert live period. We will review the number of applications after the first seven days and the role may be advertised externally after this period. Please see the Recruitment and Selection Policy Guidance, which is available on the Hub, for further information.

In performing this role, you will have exposure to distressing material which will likely be impactful, traumatic and challenging. Given the nature of the work, you will also have contact with individuals who are experiencing extreme distress. The IOPC recognises this and offers all staff a range of wellbeing provisions, including TRiM (Trauma Risk Management), peer-to-peer support, a dedicated Wellbeing Advisor, and access to free confidential counselling. All staff are strongly encouraged to proactively access and engage with the support available. If you would like to speak about this element of the role with somebody already doing similar work at the IOPC please contact [e-mail] and this can be arranged.

Rydym yn croesawu ymgeiswyr i ymgeisio am rolau trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg fel eu dewis iaith.

About the Company

Be yourself:

The IOPC is committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity in everything we do. Our vision is to be, and to be seen as, a leader in inclusive employment and services, demonstrating this ethos in everything that we do.

• Being a Disability Confident employer, the IOPC is dedicating to removing the barriers for disabled people to thrive in the workplace. Please refer to our Reasonable Adjustment guidance document linked to this job advert on how to access Reasonable Adjustments with us.
• Our Staff Networks are constantly working to make the IOPC the leaders of inclusive employment, from our Allyship Programme to Welsh Language Standards and our Know the Line Policy

Working Conditions

The IOPC operates a hybrid working policy which requires all staff to work an average of 40% of their contractual hours at their office base (or another office for business reasons). Office attendance time includes in-person training, meetings with stakeholders ..