Customer Service Officer

Role Purpose :

The Customer Service Officer (CSO) will take the lead in handling all contact on behalf of Surrey Highways including but not limited to enquiries, complaints and Freedom of Information requests and ensuring accurate record keeping. Proactive engagement through wirtten, verbal and digital media will be and important aspect of the role to deliver high quality customer service to customers both internally and externally.

Work Context:

The Highways & Transport service within the Directorate is responsible for ensuring the effective management, maintenance and improvement of all highway and transport assets. The highway is the most valuable asset managed by Surrey County Council with a replacement value of approximately £7.5bn and is critical to the economic growth of the County. It is regarded by Members and residents as one of the most important services provided by the Council. As such, the service manages significant financial, health and safety, and reputation risks.

The service operates in an environment with significant political and resident engagement, and has daily contact with MPs, Cabinet members, backbench Members and residents. Excellent customer service is standard and the post holder will be expected to embrace this in their approach, ensuring the team put the customer at the heart of everything they do. The team are responsible for managing a range of varied tasks. Excellent organisational management skills are needed to achieve the team's objectives of high quality service delivery, improved public accessibility, and customer care.The team leads in delivering the Corporate Directorate engagement strategy and the challenge of opening up the accessibility of our services to all of our customers, particularly through e-service strategies.

Representative Accountabilities:

Analysis, Reporting & Documentation

* Prepare reports/statistics/briefings to meet statutory/management information requirements.

* Recommend improvements and support implementation to systems, processes and procedures, ensuring best practice is shared across the team. Service Delivery

* Deliver a range of administrative and/or customer/consultancy services in support of existing systems or processes to agreed standards, to maximise service quality and continuity. May authorise transactions where appropriate.

* Respond to and resolve enquiries and problems, judging when to pass on complex queries or involve others, to provide an effective service and clear advice to colleagues and customers.

Planning & Organising:

* Provide comprehensive support to a group of senior staff, ensuring confidentiality, effectively organising internal and external activities/events to support the delivery of efficient services.

* Plan and prioritise own work activities for the weeks ahead, to ensure operational efficiency. Respond effectively to changing demands, adjusting priorities as needed. Finance/Resource Management

* Maintain financial, and/or stock records, and review data to contribute to resource planning.

Work with others

* Maintain a network of contacts, drawing on support and advice from others to resolve problems.

* Communicate and liaise with service users and/or external contacts, representing the team/service as required.

* Support, coordinate and undertake research into a variety of projects in the defined area of activity to support achievement of team's objectives.

People Management:

* May guide and/or supervise junior staff in their duties to facilitate their development and ensure service quality standards are maintained.

Duties for all Values: To uphold the values and behaviours of the organisation.

Equality & Diversity: To work inclusively, with a diverse range of stakeholders and promote equality of opportunity.

Health, Safety & Welfare: To work alongside colleagues in the maintenance of a safe working environment reporting incidents, accidents, repairs and maintenance promptly and taking appropriate action as required. Adherence to safe working under the health and safety policy is required. To have regard to and comply with safeguarding policy and procedure as appropriate.

Personal Characteristics:

* Relevant HR, Management, business administration or financial qualification to NVQ Level 3/4, or able to evidence knowledge and understanding of relevant disciplines. Willingness to study for a relevant professional qualification if appropriate.

* For some roles a relevant degree may be required.

* Good IT skills.

* Ability to work with others to achieve objectives and improve customer service.

* Good written and oral communication skills with the ability to build sound relationships with customers to improve customer service.

* High level administrative/organisational and analytical skills.

* Ability to prioritise and plan own workload in the context of conflicting priorities and work on own initiative.

* A methodical approach to information gathering, recording and reporting.

* Previous relevant work experience.

Role Summary:

Roles at this level provide a comprehensive business support service in a defined service or functional area, or provide specialist support services. Many will possess technical rather than professional expertise in the main disciplines, or have substantial experience of administrative procedures to enable them to guide and advise others. There will be minimal day-to-day supervision, but clear guidance is available. The roles will plan for the weeks ahead and prioritise to accommodate non standard work.

Connect2Surrey, part of Surrey County Council & Kent Commercial Services LLP, is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business and positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.