Service Development Officer - Req24645

Internal vacancy. Applications will only be considered from existing Leeds City Council employees.

The Business Support Centre (BSC) customer services team is looking to appoint a permanent Service Development Officer to our  Service Development and Customer Services. The BSC is part of the wider Shared Services which includes the Business Administration Service (BAS).

About the team

The team are responsible for ensuring we provide excellent, cost effective services to over 40,000 customers across the region. The team have a wide range of responsibilities such as:

• Supporting Shared Services with project developments to improve the ways in which we work
• Delivering successful change management activity to support Service Developments and improvement
• Undertaking process reviews and manage and deliver customer focussed activities including workshops, briefings, communication and training activities
• Marketing and promotion of Shared Services
• Managing service level provision and customer liaison
• Managing traded service arrangements for customers
• Organising and running events to showcase and promote the work of Shared Services
• Providing important news and information to our staff and customers in a variety of different ways
• Designing training and communications relevant software
• Ensuring that Shared Services provides a modern, efficient, competitive, cost effective service

About the role

We need someone who can work as part of our team to contribute to supporting us with our existing workloads and who can help us to support Shared Services in moving forward with further developments in terms of more online, modern ways of working that will improve our customer’s experience of working with us.
We’re looking for someone to join our team who:

• as experience of supporting processes for delivering change
• understands the need for business improvement
• can support colleagues in managing resistance to change
• can deliver effective communications
• has experience of producing training material or user guidance
• can deliver excellent customer service and provide customer focussed solution
• can produce and manage data for reports that inform decision making

We would like an individual who:

• can work as part of our team
• has a very customer focussed approach
• has a positive outlook on change and understands the benefits of modern processes and
• finding solutions through new technology
• has experience of meeting deadlines and  can work accurately under pressure
• has excellent working knowledge of IT applications used in an office environment such as Microsoft Excel, Word, outlook and Teams.  
• has excellent communication skills

In return, we can provide:

• Experience of working on high profile council wide projects
• Experience in working in a fast paced varied team
• Support and training on all key elements of the role

If you have any queries or would like to have an informal discussion about the role, please contact Sue Petty on 0113 3787863 or email sue.petty@leeds.gov.uk

Job Description 

Job purpose

Shared Services consists of over 1,000 employees in the Business Support Centre and Business Administration Service. Both of these services provide administration support activities to a wide range of teams and services across the council.

We help the council to streamline operations by redesigning processes, reviewing models of delivery to enable better sharing of resources and exploiting existing or introducing new technology to modernise the way we work.

Our staff use a range of computer programmes and systems to support services which include those working with teams based across the council in a number of different administration roles.

This role is working in the Service Development team which is responsible for ensuring we provide excellent, cost effective services to over 40,000 customers across the region. This includes manging data breaches, complaints, compliments and FOI’s. You will support Employment Services teams and service users with access issues and requests for new user accounts, produce routine and ad hoc reports managing actions arising from them, resolve queries from within the service and from customers in relation to the BSC’s processes. The role also involves supporting Senior Service Development Officers to undertake process reviews to deliver successful change management activity in support Service Developments and improvement across Shared Services, along with managing and delivering customer focussed activities including workshops, briefings, communications and training activities.

Responsibilities

Support teams and service users with access issues and requests for new user accounts.

Produce routine and ad hoc reports, action items arising from them.

Manage the processes for data breaches, complaints, compliments and FOI’s.

Support the development and delivery of new projects and work streams across the BSC and Shared Services via training and communications and the production of associated materials to meet the needs of the customer.

Resolve customer queries, including those of a complex nature.

Support the delivery of an effective and efficient customer service to ensure customer needs and service standards are met proactively and assist in driving customer focussed improvement initiatives.

Manage own workload and meet targets whilst maintaining quality as part of a team.

Present a variety of information in a clear and concise way both written and verbally with high attention to detail.

Undertake administration to support the team and service, follow procedures relating to confidential information and financial regulations, adhere to legislative business, financial, audit and operational requirements of the service and understand the impact of these on the day-to-day work.

Manage sensitive and confidential information accurately and effectively.

A commitment to the continuous improvement of quality standards, business procedures and processes through continuous review and development.

Provide suggestions to management for the improvements of processes and services.

Attend service relevant meetings and take minutes when required.
Work flexibly and move within service areas – working at different locations depending on service demand

Willing to abide by the Council’s Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety Policies.

Willing to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development.

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.

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Skills Required

Able to communicate clearly and effectively with a wide range of people and being able to develop strong working relationships.

Able to work with, and within, multiple teams of staff and contribute to its development with suggestions for new ways of working.

Able to work on your own and using your initiative to adhere to timescales and deadlines.

Able to provide and present clear, accurate, and timely information to agreed standards.

Able to prioritise work to meet conflicting deadlines and work flexibly to deliver desired outcomes.

Able to demonstrate excellent numeracy & literacy skills, including ability to analyse data in order to produce high quality reports and correspondence.

An ability to respect sensitive and confidential work and behaving ethically in all instances.

Able to use standard Microsoft office products such as Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook and present information using these effectively.

Able to display a responsible and co-operative attitude to working towards the achievement of the service’s aims and objectives.

Able to display a commitment to personal development and to keep informed of legislative and policy changes.

Experience

Of providing excellent customer services, dealing with queries from a range of people managing people and people issues effectively and positively.

Of the applications, systems and IT programmes utilised by the service and being able to accurately record and retrieve information.

Of adhering to financial management procedures.

Of identifying actions to improve performance, process and procedure.

Of working flexibly as part of a team and using initiative to solve issues.

Knowledge

An understanding of the Data Protection Act 2018 (GDPR) in relation to the recording, retaining and maintenance of personal data.

An awareness of relevant financial regulations.

An understanding of customer management.

Essential Behavioural and other Characteristics

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 equality and diversity policies.

Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.

Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.

Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.

Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.

Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.

Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies 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.

The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post.  Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

Experience

Experience of working in a payroll or finance based environment.

Knowledge

An understanding Council Traded Services or experience of working within a traded services team.