Customer Service Officer

West Sussex County Council; North Bersted, Willenhall; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Laptop provided

25 days annual leave

Local government pension

Discounts via staff platform

Job summary

West Sussex County Council is seeking a Customer Service Officer to deliver high-quality, customer-focused support across phone, email, social media, letters and online forms. The role combines office and home-based work, with regular travel to Council sites and a requirement to work across multiple systems.

The successful candidate will develop broad knowledge across services, responding to diverse needs, with comprehensive training and ongoing development to support a flexible, resilient

Qualifications

• GCSE level or equivalent (or comparable experience).
• Experience in a customer service environment, handling enquiries and prioritising contacts.
• Proven ability to deliver high standards of customer service and professionalism with empathy.
• Strong IT and keyboard skills with MS Office, social media platforms and other systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; ability to explain information clearly.
• Strong interpersonal and active listening skills; build positive relationships.
• Ability to communicate sensitively with diverse customers, including non-native English speakers.
• Discretion in handling confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Deliver excellent customer service and resolve majority of enquiries at first contact.
• Respond to enquiries promptly, meeting service standards and response times.
• Handle confidential and sensitive information with care, supporting vulnerable customers.
• Build positive relationships with customers, officers, and partner organisations.
• Record customer information accurately and maintain records per GDPR and policies.
• Process customer payments and ensure accurate transaction recording.
• Identify safeguarding concerns and carry out referrals or warm transfers.
• Work across multiple systems while maintaining accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Prioritise competing demands while remaining calm and professional.

Skills

Customer service

IT skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Active listening

Handling confidential information

English language support

Education

GCSE level or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Social media platforms

Job description

We are looking for a professional, motivated, and customer focused individual who enjoys helping people and solving problems.

In this frontline role, you will deliver excellent customer service, providing timely and effective solutions to a wide range of enquiries across phone, email, social media, letters, and online forms.

Salary: £30,515 to £33,119 per annum

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full Time (37 hours per week) *Shifts range from 8:00am to 6:00pm.

Location: Durban House, Durban Rd, Bognor Regis PO22 9RE. Due to the temporary closure of Durban House, you will be based at Tradewinds Business Centre, Heath Place, Heath Pl, Bognor Regis PO22 9SL. (Hybrid and Flexible Working)

Interview Date: Wednesday 11 November, Thursday 12 November and Friday 13 November 2026.

This is a hybrid role, and the ability to work effectively across both office and home-based environments is a requirement. The role involves regular telephone contact, managing competing priorities in a busy environment, and periods of sustained desk-based work.

Regular attendance at your designated base office is mandatory, alongside home working in line with agreed working arrangements. The role also requires occasional travel to other West Sussex County Council sites across the county. As some locations may not be easily accessible by public transport, flexibility to travel is essential. Pool cars and bikes are available for business use.

Working arrangements will be discussed as part of the recruitment process; however, candidates must be able and willing to meet the hybrid working requirements of the role.

About the Job

As a Customer Service Officer, you will play a vital role in delivering a high quality, customer focused service that aligns with our Customer Promise and supports West Sussex residents, Council officers, and partner professionals.

As a multi-skilled team member, you will develop broad knowledge across a variety of services, ensuring customers receive accurate and compassionate support.

Through comprehensive training and ongoing development, you will build the knowledge and skills needed to confidently respond to diverse customer needs and contribute to a flexible, resilient service.

No two days are the same in our Customer Service Centre. You'll thrive in a fast-paced environment where every interaction is an opportunity to make a positive difference. Key responsibilities include:

• Deliver excellent customer service, aiming to resolve the majority of enquiries at the first point of contact across a range of West Sussex County Council services.
• Respond to enquiries from residents, professionals, and colleagues promptly and professionally, meeting agreed service standards and response times.
• Handle confidential and sensitive information with care, including supporting customers who may be vulnerable or presenting with mental health needs.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with customers, Council officers, and partner organisations to ensure effective service delivery.
• Accurately record customer information and maintain records in line with GDPR requirements and Council policies.
• Process customer payments and ensure transactions are recorded correctly.
• Identify and elevate safeguarding concerns and service issues appropriately, following relevant policies and procedures.
• Recognise when specialist support is required and carry out effective referrals or warm transfers to ensure customers receive the right assistance.
• Work confidently across multiple systems while managing customer interactions, maintaining accuracy and engagement in a fast-paced environment.
• Prioritise competing demands effectively, remaining calm, professional, and customer-focused when dealing with complex situations and sensitive enquiries.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent, or able to demonstrate comparable experience.
• Experience in a customer service environment, handling enquiries, resolving issues, and effectively prioritising customer contacts.
• Proven ability to deliver high standards of customer service and professionalism, including managing sensitive or complex situations with empathy.
• Strong IT and keyboard skills, with experience using Microsoft Office applications, social media platforms, and other systems to support service delivery.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex or technical information clearly and effectively.
• Strong interpersonal and active listening skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with customers and colleagues.
• Ability to communicate sensitively and professionally with a diverse range of customers, including vulnerable individuals, those with mental health needs, and people for whom English is not a first language.
• Skills to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion, professionalism, and integrity.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please download the job description and person specification .

Rewards and Benefits

We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.

• A laptop and mobile will be supplied if applicable to your role.
• You will benefit from 25 days annual leave, rising to 28 days after 5 years' service (pro rata for part time) plus the opportunity to buy additional leave and an excellent local government pension scheme.
• A range of discounts give our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform.

For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is 147.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to right to work within the UK, satisfactory references, and a health check.

Any candidates wishing to apply for this position, who would require sponsorship can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the post by assessing their circumstances against criteria specified on thegov.uk website.

Equity, inclusion, accessibility and diversity is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all cultures, ethnicities, identities, backgrounds and lived experiences, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application helppage.