Specialist Customer Service Officer

Oxfordshire County Council; Oxford; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Oxfordshire seeks a Specialist Customer Service Officer to provide first-contact support for residents. You will be responsible for addressing inquiries, processing referrals for adult social care, and managing sensitive situations with professionalism. The role requires excellent communication skills, a strong desire to help, and experience in customer service. This position offers hybrid working with training opportunities and generous benefits including annual leave and pension contributions.

Benefits

Flexible working culture

Great learning and development opportunities

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Experience in handling challenging conversations by phone and email.
• Ability to manage workload across multiple channels.
• Confident in making decisions independently and when to escalate.

Responsibilities

• Respond to customer enquiries via phone, email, and web referrals.
• Make outbound calls to follow up on enquiries.
• Identify safeguarding concerns for appropriate escalation.

Skills

Customer service experience

Effective communication

Problem solving

Patience

Education

Minimum of 5 GCSEs (Grades A*-C / 4 or above)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Digital communication tools

Job description

Make a Difference Every Day

Are you passionate about helping others and making a real impact in your community?

We’re looking for Specialist Customer Service Officers to join our dynamic Contact Centre team, the first point of contact for a wide range of essential services across Oxfordshire. At the heart of our Customer Experience Function is a commitment to empowering residents, helping them stay independent, and supporting them with confidence as they navigate the services they need. Our vision is ‘to provide excellent customer service to the residents and visitors of Oxfordshire’.

In this role, you’ll be part of a team supporting individuals in sensitive and sometimes complex situations, ensuring they receive the right help, first time. You’ll be part of a team that’s always learning and improving, and open to doing things differently. Better outcomes for our residents start with better ways of working.

At Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), we care deeply about how we work, not just what we do. Our core values shape our culture and guide how we lead, collaborate, and grow together:

• Always learning
• Be kind and care
• Equality and integrity in all we do
• Taking responsibility
• Daring to do it differently

If you're ready to contribute to meaningful work and share our values, we’d love to hear from you.

What You’ll Do

As a Specialist Customer Service Officer, you’ll be the first point of contact for adults seeking support. You’ll offer a welcoming voice and a steady hand, responding to enquiries from the public and partner agencies including health professionals, police, and fire and rescue services.

Main daily duties will include:

• Responding to customer enquiries via phone, email, and web referrals
• Making outbound calls to follow up on enquiries and referrals
• Reading reports and identifying safeguarding concerns for appropriate escalation
• Processing referrals for Adult Social Care (ASC) and partner services, assessing needs and identifying the priority of cases for onward referrals
• Using ASC databases to retrieve and update information, resolve queries, or signpost to other services in line with The Oxfordshire Way: Oxfordshire Way strategic vision
• Working closely with Team Leaders, colleagues, and external agencies to progress cases through to resolution.

You’ll navigate a range of health and social care systems to ensure every person receives the right support, first time.

What We’re Looking For

• Minimum of 5 GCSEs (Grades A*-C / 4 or above), including Maths and English, or equivalent. Relevant knowledge and skills gained through work experience are welcomed.
• Confident using Microsoft Office and digital communication tools.
• Previous customer service experience is essential, particularly in handling challenging conversations by phone and email. Experience in social care or supporting vulnerable people is desirable.
• Ability to manage your own workload and priorities across multiple channels (e.g., email, phone).
• A genuine interest in helping people, with the ability to actively listen and communicate clearly - both verbally and in writing.
• Excellent communication, patience, and professionalism are key, especially in sensitive or emotionally charged situations. You should be confident making decisions independently and know when to escalate more complex enquiries.
• An interest in social and health care services is important. Familiarity with social care systems (e.g. LiquidLogic or LAS) would be an advantage.

Additional Information

• This role requires a Standard DBS check with Barred List clearance.
• You’ll need to be able to travel across the county and work from various office locations as needed.
• The role involves working with vulnerable adults and regular use of computers and telephone systems (often health and social care systems and databases).

Before applying, we recommend reviewing the attached job description. It includes more details about the role and clear guidance on what we’re looking for in your application and beyond.

Our Rewards & Benefits

• Culture of flexible working
• Hybrid working – typically three days per week in our Oxford office for team collaboration, reducing to two days per week following induction.
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your growth
• Technology to support agile working where role permits
• Employee Assistance Programme: health and wellbeing support
• Generous annual leave: 28 days plus bank holidays, with option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contributions up to 19.9%
• Discounts: local and national offers for shopping and travel

Ready to make a difference? Apply now to join a team that puts people at the heart of everything we do!

Application Process and Next Steps

• If you are interested in this role, please submit your application as soon as possible, as there is no official closing date. Early applications are encouraged and the vacancy may close when sufficient suitable candidates are identified.
• When applying, please upload a current CV and a personal statement: CV – include your employment history and relevant experience; Personal Statement – describe how your skills and experience align with the role, referring to the essential criteria and person specification.
• The job description sets out our ideal, but we value diverse strengths and potential. If your experience aligns with much of what we’re looking for, please consider applying.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with the panel aiming to respond within 1–2 weeks of submission. Incomplete applications will be rejected if not completed within 2 weeks.
• Interviews will take place in person at our central Oxford office, including a short role play exercise. Shortlisted candidates will receive full details in advance. The exercise will reflect a realistic workplace scenario.

For informal enquiries or further information about the role, please contact Remziye UlasCevahir – Social Care Lead on [e-mail]

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, full time and part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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