Head of Customer Contact

£80,398 per annum

Grade | SM4a

Directorate | Finance & Investment

Accountable to | Chief Operating Officer

Purpose

To lead on the development of the customer experience across the Council’s mixed economy of service provision. Taking action where necessary to ensure that Council operations work holistically and in a joined-up manner

To work across a broad range of operational and strategic stakeholder relationships, making decisions on delivery and providing guidance to key strategic decision-makers to secure the successful delivery of customer service.

To champion the customer, proactively identifying areas for customer service improvements and developing a continuous cycle of improvement.

To ensure customers have a strong voice in leading our customer service delivery across the Council, developing a customer centric approach throughout the organisation.

The Head of the Customer Contact has the responsibility and authority to work with the Senior Leadership Team and challenge programme delivery and intervene / provide support or escalate where necessary.

Specific Accountabilities of the Role

To act as the Customer Champion and to develop and deliver an excellent response to residents through a range of channels and facilities, including online, telephone and face to face services.

To develop the Council’s customer services by delivering continuous improvement through developing key projects/programmes to improve residents’ experience of service.

To develop and promote a customer centric culture across the whole organisation, ensuring that all staff are aware of their role in delivering and improving customer service.

To identify opportunities to make customer services more effective and efficient through the use of channel shift

To undertake assigned projects, ensuring that agreed outcomes are delivered on time, within budget and to the expected standard and to be flexible in approach.

To Identify any current, potential problems or areas could be made more efficient and propose solutions along with any associated costs.

Developing relationships and exerting influence across all levels of stakeholders

To obtain service feedback and analyse the results to make improvements accordingly

Remain compliant with all relevant policies and regulations, including but not limited to; GDPR, H&S, Equality & Diversity and all council regulations.

Promoting and demonstrating council values

To develop and prioritise a work against the capacity and capability of the team.

To play an active role in sharing your learning and celebrating success made within the council and other local authorities

General Accountabilities and Responsibilities

People management

Ensure that staff assigned (directly and indirectly), understand the priorities, objectives and policies of the Council, Service and Division and are able to successfully implement decisions.

Responsible for setting clear objectives for these staff, and annually review performance against these objectives.

Responsible for staff management and supervision including recording absence and carrying out return to work interviews, employee appraisals, and managing performance etc

Ensure that staff are updated on matters that may affect them, including Council policies etc and that they comply with it’s requirements including the completion of mandatory training an in relation to. managing information and data protections.

Make sure that full confidentiality is respected by all staff.

Management / Supervisory responsibility for your team.

Ensure that staff assigned (directly and indirectly), understand the priorities, objectives and policies of the Council, service and division, and can successfully implement decisions.

Responsible for setting clear and fair objectives for employees and others assigned and to review employee’s performance against these objectives.

Responsible for staff management and supervision including recording absence and carrying out return to work interviews, employee appraisals, and managing performance etc.

Ensure that staff are updated on matters that may affect them, including Council policies etc and that they comply with its requirements including the completion of mandatory training in relation to information management and data protection.

Customer Care

Provide services that are fair and accessible to all, challenging existing practices that support the traditional culture and promote the Customer First proposition across the Council.

Ensure compliance with appropriate legislation, Council Policies, the Council Constitution, Financial Rules, Employees Code of Conduct and other requirements of the Council.

Promote the development of a high quality individual need led service, to comply always with the Council’s policies and procedures, particularly those regarding Data Protection, Equalities and Diversity and Health and Safety.

Ensure compliance with and actively promote the Council’s Equalities and Diversity policies and strategies.

Ensure compliance with and actively promote Health and Safety at work legislation, Council and Service H&S policies and procedures.

Comply with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) (all employees of the Council will not disclose or make use of, for their private advantage, any information held on manual or computer records, which are not available to the public, however acquired).

Ensure compliance with appropriate legislation, Council Policies, the Council Constitution (including Contract Rules, Financial Regulations and Rules, Employment Procedure Rules, Employees Code of Conduct), Information Security Policies, Social Media Policy and other requirements of the Council.

Comply with the competencies and standard requisites agreed by the Council as relevant to your post.

Take responsibility for continuing self-development and participate in training and development activities.

Ensure high standards of record management and assume responsibility for all information assigned to the post

Person Specification

A = Application Form I=Interview T = Test P = Presentation R = References

Education Qualifications

Educated to degree level, or extensive relevant experience. [ A ]

Knowledge

Knowledge and experience of high value complex project and programme management. [ A, I ]

Thorough knowledge of transformation delivery and good practice. [ A, I ]

Extensive knowledge at strategic / board level of business planning, service improvement, performance management and quality assurance. [ A, T ]

Desirable - Detailed understanding of the information technology environment and issues of a complex organisation [ A ]

Experience

Experience of change management with a passion for evolving customer services by leading a multidisciplinary team. [ A, I, R ]

Experience of engaging with users and using feedback to make improvements [ A, I, R ]

Familiarity with setting, monitoring and reporting measurable performance targets [ A, I ]

Familiarity with liaising with stakeholders at all levels of seniority [ I ]

Proven experience balancing multiple priorities and dealing with ambiguity [ I ]

Proven track record of improving service [ I, R ]

Personal Qualities, Skills and Abilities

Passionate about delivering high calibre customer service [ I ]

Have strong verbal, written and visual communication skills that you can tailor to the needs of the audience [ I, P ]

Competent with data, collation, interpretation and presentation [ I ]

Deliver [ A, I, R, T ]
- I know what’s expected of me as a Barking and Dagenham leader and manager
- I take responsibility and ownership for creating the right conditions for my team to follow my example

Respond [ A, I, R, T ]
- I am relentlessly reliable. I set high standards, encourage improvement and support my team to achieve high levels of performance

Inspire [ A, I, R, T ]
- I understand how the council is working to change the borough for the better and communicate this with my team in a meaningful way so that they understand the part that they play

Value [ A, I, R, T ]
- I encourage my team to learn, grow, develop and collaborate with others to achieve their potential
- I take pride in my work, am a role model to others and lead my team

Engage [ A, I, R, T ]
- I am visible and accessible. I listen and recognise a job well done
- I empower my team to challenge the way we do things, so we improve services and new kind of relationships with our residents and customers.

This is a politically restricted post in accordance with Section 2(1) (b) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

The above mentioned duties are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and the postholder may be called upon to carry out such other appropriate duties as may be required by the Line Manager within the grading level of the post and the competence of the postholder.

Apply

Benefits