Customer Service Specialist

Somerset Council; Taunton; Hybrid; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

LGPS pension

Hybrid working

Health and wellbeing support

Volunteer opportunities

Job summary

Somerset Council is seeking a Customer Service Advisor to join our front-line team in Somerset. The role involves handling enquiries via telephone, email, webchat and face-to-face, supporting services including Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Revenues & Benefits, Housing, Waste and Planning.

You'll deliver excellent customer service, use specialist knowledge to support colleagues, and contribute to service improvements.

Qualifications

• Strong customer service experience is essential.
• Excellent listening, questioning and problem-solving skills are required.
• Experience handling sensitive or challenging situations with empathy and good judgement.
• Ability to work across multiple systems and manage priorities.
• Collaborative approach to support colleagues and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Resolve enquiries and help customers access services.
• Provide accurate advice across council services.
• Support and coach colleagues on complex enquiries.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and digital services.
• Build relationships with service teams to improve communication and delivery.

Skills

Customer service experience

Active listening

Empathy and resilience

Multisystem work

Collaborative approach

Job description

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Salary: Grade 13 - £26,847 to £29,071 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37 hours per week
Closing Date: 11th October 2026

Location: These positions are based in Shepton Mallet only. Please note that these roles are not based in Taunton, and successful candidates will be required to work from one of these locations.

About the Role

Our Customer Contact team is the front door to Somerset Council, providing vital support to residents, businesses, partners and visitors across a wide range of council services. The team plays an important role in helping people access the right information, advice and support, ensuring customers receive a professional, responsive and positive experience whenever they contact the council.

As a Customer Service Advisor, you'll be at the centre of delivering essential customer services across Somerset. Acting as a first point of contact, you'll handle enquiries through telephone, email, webchat and face-to-face interactions, supporting services including Adult Social Care, Children's Services, Revenues & Benefits, Housing, Waste, Planning and many more. You'll deal with a diverse range of enquiries, some of which may be sensitive or complex, requiring sound judgement, resilience and the ability to adapt your communication style to meet individual needs.

Alongside delivering excellent customer service, you'll use your specialist knowledge to support colleagues, contribute to service improvements and help ensure customers receive the right support at the earliest opportunity.

This is a rewarding role where you can make a genuine difference to people at important moments in their lives while being part of a supportive and collaborative team.

How You'll Make a Difference

• Deliver excellent customer service by resolving enquiries and helping customers access the services and support they need.
• Provide accurate advice and guidance across a wide range of council services, ensuring customers receive timely and effective solutions.
• Support and coach colleagues on more complex enquiries, helping maintain consistent, high-quality service standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, information and digital services, contributing to a better experience for customers and greater efficiency for the council.
• Build strong relationships with service teams across the organisation to improve communication, share feedback and enhance service delivery.

What You'll Bring

• Strong customer service experience with the ability to communicate confidently and professionally with a wide range of people.
• Excellent listening, questioning and problem-solving skills, enabling you to understand customer needs and provide effective solutions.
• Experience of handling sensitive or challenging situations with empathy, resilience and good judgement.
• The ability to work across multiple systems, manage competing priorities and maintain accurate records.
• A collaborative approach, with the confidence to support colleagues, share knowledge and contribute to continuous improvement.

Why Join Us?

At Somerset Council, we're a progressive organisation committed to improving lives and shaping better services for our communities. Based in one of England's most beautiful counties, it's a great place to build your career and enjoy an excellent quality of life.

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising to 28 days after 5 years' continuous service, with the option to purchase additional leave.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), one of the UK's most enhanced and secure pension schemes.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements to support work-life balance, where service needs allow.
• Health and wellbeing support, including access to confidential employee assistance services.
• Paid volunteering opportunities, helping you make a difference both inside and outside of work.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. We are only able to proceed with candidates who already have the right to work in the UK without the need for visa sponsorship.

Please note that appointments will normally be made at the starting salary point of £26,847 per annum.

This is a customer-facing role, and the successful applicant must be able to speak fluent English, in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016.

We believe diversity makes us stronger and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences, whose unique perspectives help us better serve the people of Somerset.