Job title: Customer Relations Advisor

Salary: C1 £27,711 - £30,060

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Hybrid working, expectation to work from Merrion House twice a week

As a Customer Relations Advisor you’ll thrive on working in a fast-paced environment, providing excellent customer service to the general public, service managers, executive leaders and external partners. You will be the first point of contact for customers wishing to raise a complaint and will provide high quality administrative support to the service. You will be confident to make decisions, based on statutory frameworks, and have experience of handling sensitive and confidential information.

Complaint handling is not about negativity, it’s the opportunity to be part of resolving problems for children and families in Leeds and contributing to real service change and development.

About you

As a Customer Relations Advisor you will bring to the role:

• An ability to interpret and communicate information effectively, accurately and concisely
• An ability to respond in a sensitive manner to often irate complainants
• Experience of a customer-facing role
• General knowledge of complaint procedures
• The ability to work under your own initiative and be flexible and adaptable

About the role

The role is integral to our Children and Families Customer Relations Team’s main duty which is to be responsible for the good administration of compliments and complaints received about any service within the children and families directorate.

We liaise with services and external partners to ensure complaints are answered in a timely way and in line with the council’s complaints policy or, for social care complaints, the statutory procedure. We act as the point of contact between LCC and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and take a lead on promoting learning from complaints and compliments across the directorate.

We also have a traded offer of support to schools in Leeds who need help navigating their way through the complaints they receive.

Good complaint handling leads to resolution and relationship building and so you’ll join a small and busy team of likeminded people working towards the same goal.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• 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

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people. -

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

Job Description

Job purpose: Work as a member of the customer relations team providing a frontline service to customers by telephone, email and face to face, providing administrative support to the service, managing the effective and efficient planning of work of the team. The role involves hybrid working – with a minimum of two days per week in Merrion House, potentially working face-to-face with customers and working within the council boundaries as required.

Responsibilities

• Respond effectively to telephone and other enquiries including receiving and responding to complaints.
• Screen incoming correspondence, log on system, allocate to an appropriate investigating officer, send acknowledgement and allocate to a member of customer relations team.
• Deal with sensitive and confidential information in line with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Liaise with customer relations officers and team managers regarding case updates.
• Maintain effective relationships with other Leeds City Council staff, Elected Members, members of the public and other partnership organisations, including schools, as appropriate.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
• Use and maintain Microsoft packages and case management systems.
• Establish and maintain records, accurately entering and retrieving information.
• Compile simple weekly statistics reports.
• Assist with the presentation of a variety of information in a clear and concise way with high attention to detail – through both written reports and verbally.
• Retrieve and interrogate data, ensuring appropriate information is provided to relevant people.
• Maintain all appropriate staff and service information where required.
• Work flexibly to manage own workload and meet targets whilst maintaining quality as part of a team.
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• 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

Qualifications - Qualifications demonstrating ability in numeracy and literacy or equivalent knowledge

Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.

• Able to pass information effectively, accurately and concisely between service users, carers, colleagues and other agencies using a variety of formats.
• Able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people including sensitive and complex information using a variety of formats
• Able to work effectively as part of a team and demonstrate initiative, organisational and time management skills prioritising own and team’s work to meet conflicting deadlines
• Able to use a variety of computerised systems/packages, including word, MS Teams, spreadsheets and databases and maintain accurate records.
• Able to accurately enter and retrieve data and information from digital and manual systems producing routine reports and data for senior managers
• Able to work within and interpret financial policies and procedures ensuring value for money
• Able to interpret and apply code of practice, guidance, policies and legislation consistently.
• Able to provide an empathic and non-judgemental service and be responsive as service needs change.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, policies with ability to interpret and apply them consistently.
• Understand responsibilities in terms of Health, Safety, Wellbeing, security, confidentiality and data protection.
• Understand the importance of confidentiality and the needs and wishes of individuals.
• Understand diversity issues within local communities.
• Experience of providing excellent customer services and dealing with queries from a range of people.
• Experience of dealing with sensitive and confidential information.
• Experience of communicating clearly and effectively with a wide range of people and being able to develop strong working relationships.
• Experience of general office work/ procedures including telephone call handling.
• Experience of maintaining computerised record systems.
• Experience of dealing with constant and conflicting demands in a fast paced environment.
• Experience of working on your own and using your initiative to adhere to timescales and deadlines.

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics

• A commitment to working with people restoratively
• A commitment to the development of personal skills and competence.
• Understand and embrace
  Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours
  and codes of conduct
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the
  Best City Ambition
  of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
• Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

• Able to make decisions based on limited information.
• Aware of the needs of children, young people and families from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Understanding of ‘Getting the Best from Complaints’ (a guide to the Children Act 1989,complaints procedure).
• Knowledge of Safeguarding procedures and the problems of children, young people and families.
• Experience of providing responses to service users and colleagues.