Customer Support Representative - Helpdesk

UPP; Reading; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 16,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Pension

Life assurance

Enhanced family leave policy

Training

Volunteer/personal development days

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

UPP is seeking a part-time Helpdesk and General Office assistant for a 0.50 FTE role with a rolling 7-day rota, 16:30-21:30. The role involves first-line support, service request handling, and administration across on-site facilities and resident services.

Responsibilities include monitoring systems, coordinating with sub-contractors, generating reports, and maintaining accurate records. A customer-focused approach and UK driving licence are essential, with flexibility for additional hours

Qualifications

• Experience in a helpdesk/customer service environment.
• Excellent telephone manner and writing skills (phone and email).
• Ability to monitor and interpret data and maintain attention to detail.
• IT literacy with MS Office (Outlook, Excel, Word) and familiarity with database applications.
• Good organisational skills and ability to prioritise work.
• Working knowledge of good office practice.
• GCSE Mathematics and English (A-C).
• Full UK Driving Licence.

Responsibilities

• Provide a professional, customer-focused first point of contact and keep accurate records.
• Liaise with the University client, sub-contractors, URSL staff and residents as needed.
• Assist managers with on-site activity coordination and admin.
• Monitor Building Management Systems and Lift Monitoring System and respond to alerts within agreed timescales.

Job description

Part Time Position 0.50 fte 16.30-21.30 on a rolling rota covering 7 days

Helpdesk and General Office Duties

• Provide a professional and customer focused first point of contact, keeping accurate records and responding appropriately to all requests, in line with Company procedures and required response times
• Liaise, as necessary, with the University client, sub-contractors, URSL staff and residents
• Assist the relevant manager(s) in the co-ordination and administration of on-site activities
• Monitor the Building Management Systems and Lift Monitoring System, reacting as appropriate to any alerts within agreed timescales

Helpdesk Administration

• Answer, input and allocate service requests accurately and in a timely manner and direct the appropriate personnel or sub-contractor to undertake tasks required
• Operate a computer-based facilities management database (currently QFM) monitoring all reactive work and planned maintenance
• In line with the Service Level Agreements, make decisions regarding service delivery and the priority of work, monitoring and escalating issues where appropriate
• Fully maintain and update helpdesk records in an accurate and timely manner for both reactive and planned incidents
• Assist in the production of day to day operational reports/performance statistics and monthly management and client liaison reports
• Work closely with the helpdesk management team to proactively manage service events to minimise service event failures and unavailability

Customer Service

• Assist management with the online and telephone customer service auditing process, ensuring feedback is gathered in a professional and timely manner
• Liaise with Group Residence Managers, their staff and Maintenance to ensure residents are fully updated with the progress of their request, i.e. awaiting parts and temporary fixes

Outside of normal office hours, provide additional services, to include:

• Emergency cleaning
• Check ins and late arrivals
• Room temperature checks

General

• Identify improvement opportunities for the site and work in line with the Company ISO 9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001 commitments ensuring compliance and service excellence is achieved
• Undertake training as required
• Be responsible for signing out for, securely maintaining and returning safely, items such as keys, swipe cards and door access equipment
• Be prepared to work additional hours as and when the need arises, especially during the main student arrival and departure weekends
• Be flexible in providing cover at other halls, as required
• Other duties as commensurate with the post

Health and Safety

• Follow company procedures and practices in respect of health and safety
• Undertake any health and safety related training that is required in relation to the role
• Undergo First Aid at Work training to administer first aid out of office hours to staff and residents
• Issue “site safety rules” out of office hours to sub-contractors
• You have a duty to ensure that you work safely and do not endanger yourself or anyone else by what you do, or fail to do, in the course of your work. You must cooperate with UPP on health and safety matters and comply with all UPP and local rules, and not interfere with or misuse anything provided for health, safety and welfare

Person Specification

Skills, Experience, Education and Personal Qualities - Essential Criteria

• Previous helpdesk/customer service experience, working in a customer focused environment
• Excellent telephone manner and writing skills with the ability to communicate effectively (especially on the phone and via e-mail) with a wide range of people
• Ability to monitor and interpret data and have excellent attention to detail
• IT literate with good practical ability in MS Office (Outlook, Excel, Word etc) and database applications
• Good organisational skills and ability to assess and prioritise work
• Working knowledge of good office practice
• GCSE Mathematics and English Grade A-C
• Full UK Driving Licence
• Good interpersonal skills preferably gained in a customer-focused environment
• High level of personal discretion and tact especially when dealing with sensitive and/or confidential material
• Ability to work well with staff at all levels, to contribute as a team member
• Good command of English
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Ability to remain calm and professional under pressure
• Willingness to work flexibly

Skills, Experience, Education and Personal Qualities - Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in a Facilities Management environment
• Experience of working with Service Level Agreements
• Experience of working with a helpdesk database
• Experience of working in the higher education sector
• Ability to work both within a team and unsupervised
• Experience of making decisions within guidelines
• Educated to ‘A’ level or equivalent
• Valid Emergency First Aid at Work Certificate

Offers of employment are subject to satisfactory vetting, inclusive of employment referencing covering the past three years and you may be subject to additional vetting and barring checks to ensure your suitability for the role, which could include completing a basic DBS.

In return, we are offering a busy and interesting environment to work in with a competitive salary and a great benefits package which includes 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, pension, life assurance, enhanced family leave policy, training, two paid volunteering or personal development days and cycle to work scheme. Check out our website for more information about UPP, our culture and benefits.

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• pension
• life assurance
• enhanced family leave policy
• training
• two paid volunteering or personal development days
• cycle to work scheme

UPP welcome all applications and recognise the value of having a diverse and inclusive culture, which reflects the communities we work with and has a positive impact on our people, our student residents, and our university partners.

We understand all disabilities, impairments and conditions are unique, so please advise us of any adjustments which would support you through our recruitment process and also help you to thrive at work.

Our core values of Innovation, Sustainability, Community, Partnership and Respect, are fundamental to our culture and summarise what is important to our business and our people.