Address
Form of work
Salary The starting salary for this role is GBP40,296 per annum for working 36 hours per week.
This is a 12–month fixed term contract/ secondment opportunity.
If you'd like to be part of a team that makes a tangible difference to the communities we support, and you enjoy the challenges and rewards of empowering families to feel heard, then we have a great opportunity waiting for you in our Customer Relations Team.
Rewards and Benefits
26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year Paternity, adoption and dependents leave A generous local government salary related pension Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources The team
Our aim is to promote good working practice and deliver continuous improvement for our children and families. We work with young people and their families or carers to resolve concerns about the support they receive from children's social care and education services.
We appropriately challenge and are professionally curious. We not only listen to families but work with them to identify areas that may need improvement and share this intelligence with Practitioners and Senior Leaders to affect change.
Together we are working to:
Support families to navigate the complaint process and empower them to feel heard
Identify themes and trends arising from complaints and concerns
Report and share case studies and data compilation reflecting these same themes and trends to improve frontline services for children and young people in Surrey
Your role
As a Customer Relations Officer you'll play a pivotal role in the team, managing a diverse caseload of complaints and contacts. Your day–to–day responsibilities will include addressing escalation requests, supporting colleagues in responding to concerns, and identifying emerging trends and themes.
Collaborating closely with the Assistant Customer Relations Manager, you'll contribute to independent investigations and outcome reporting, ensuring that we provide value for money. Additionally, you'll liaise with County Councillors, Members of Parliament, Ofsted, and the Local Government Ombudsman to promote effective communication and resolution.
What we're looking for
An outstanding communicator who can engage confidently, sensitively, and courteously, both verbally and in writing. Given the nature of our work, experience in handling difficult situations is essential. You should be comfortable working at a fast pace to meet time–critical deadlines while maintaining a high level of effectiveness.
Here are the qualities, skills & experiences we are looking for in our Customer Relations Officer:
Experience working in a targeted and pressurised environment, demonstrating the ability to prioritise effectively Excellent customer service skills with a strong command of written and verbal communication Ability to work autonomously and take ownership for own workload Strong analytical skills to identify trends and draw meaningful insights Experience in drafting high quality customer facing correspondence An understanding of issues relating to confidentiality and the management of sensitive issues An awareness of the Children Act Representation (England) Regulations, associated guidance in Getting the Best from Complaints 2006 and the SEND Code of Practice This is a complex and challenging area of work, but the impact we have is significant. Join our team and help us create positive change for those who need it most.
Please note, the contractual location for this role is currently Quadrant Court, however it is our intention to move within the local area to Victoria Gate in Central Woking later this year.
The job advert closes at 23:59 on 7th July 2024 with interviews to follow.
An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.
Our Commitment
Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:
The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.
