Customer Services Officers

Leeds City Council; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government body in Leeds is seeking a Senior Administrative Assistant to manage back-office tasks and support a team. Responsibilities include processing parking tickets, maintaining relationships with colleagues, and ensuring adherence to council policies. Applicants should possess strong customer service skills, the ability to work under pressure, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Hybrid working conditions are available, with emphasis on teamwork and communication.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.
• Demonstrated experience in handling customer service interactions.
• Strong capacity for problem-solving and offering solutions.

Responsibilities

• Process Penalty Charge Notices and assist with administrative tasks.
• Maintain effective relationships with internal and external colleagues.
• Participate in training and development activities.

Skills

Excellent customer service

Numeracy and literacy skills

Interpersonal communication

IT literacy

Job description

Parking Services CSO team undertake the administrative duties in the back office for the department. Supporting our internal and external colleagues within the department as well as other departments (highways, community hubs). By being responsible for the processing of Penalty Charge Notices (parking tickets) Bus Lane Enforcement as well as Moving Traffic Offences citywide. As a department we take in excess of 50,000 calls a year as well as administer over 15,000 permit applications and undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade. Shared Services consists of employees in the Business Support Centre, Business Administration Service and Contact Centre. These services provide administration support activities to a wide range of teams and services across the council. We help the council to streamline operations by redesigning processes, reviewing models of delivery to enable better sharing of resources and exploiting existing or introducing new technology to modernise the way we work. Our staff use a range of computer programmes and systems to support services which include those working with teams based across the council in a number of different administration roles. The role involves hybrid working (home/office dependant on service need), potentially working face‑to‑face with customers and working within the council boundaries as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with high levels of accuracy for tasks such as checking documents and recording numerical and alphabetical information.
• Identify problems and areas for improvement and offer solutions.
• Support staff and develop new team members.
• Use initiative and judgement where appropriate, providing outcomes and solutions for customers from a range of options.
• Work on your own, manage your own workload and use your initiative to adhere to time scales and deadlines.
• Carry out a range of administrative duties.
• Collate data and use it to produce reports.
• Understand legal business, financial, audit, confidential and operational requirements of the service, and the impact on its day‑to‑day work.
• Maintain effective relationships with other Leeds City Council staff, Elected Members, members of the public and other partnership organisations as appropriate.
• Work flexibly moving within service areas, working at different locations depending on service demand.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti‑discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equal opportunities of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
• As a Senior Administrative Assistant you will be required to: answer telephone calls in a contact centre environment, work under pressure and to strict deadlines, possess experience in a customer service role or similar, work with bespoke systems, and evidence the right to work in the UK if required.

Qualifications

Qualifications demonstrating ability in numeracy and literacy or equivalent knowledge. Well‑developed interpersonal and communication skills with a wide range of people including face‑to‑face, telephone and written communication skills. Includes the processes for dealing with varied information with a range of audiences.

Knowledge Required

• Knowledge of the applications, systems and IT programmes utilised by the service and being able to accurately record and retrieve information.

Experience Required

• Experience of working on your own and using your initiative to adhere to timescales and deadlines.
• Experience and understanding of the importance of providing excellent customer services.
• Experience dealing positively with challenging situations.

Behavioural & Other Characteristics

• Committed to continuous improvement.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council Equality and Diversity Policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under Health & Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development.
• Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct.

Desirable Requirements

• A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays.
• Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements.
• A clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities.
• A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.
• If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.