Customer Service Advisor

What will you be doing?

During initial training, customer contact will be mainly over the phone. You will be part of a welcoming and supportive team who will be on hand during your initial induction and beyond. As your knowledge increases, the role evolves to include face to face services at our Forum office in Towcester and across the district as required. Duties will also include email and written correspondence and working at our local community hubs, which encompass a variety of interesting work whilst supporting the local community. You will be the first point of customer contact, processing and resolving enquiries covering a wide range of council services. Candidates are required to seek and interpret complex information, provide advice, and be willing to research when necessary to resolve challenging problems.

About you

We are looking for candidates who are well organised, and have a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude. Previous customer service experience is essential, along with good communication skills and a good sense of humour. To succeed in this challenging role, you must be flexible and able to demonstrate the skills necessary to work under pressure within a team environment. You will be required to work at The Forum in Towcester and across the district from time to time as necessary.

For further details on the role, please refer to the attached customer service advisor job description when completing your application.

Interviews to take place week commencing 05 December 2022.

Our benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, these include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days annual leave per year, 28 days for senior managers (pro rata depending on how many hours per week you work), plus bank holidays. An additional 5 days, linked to continuous service and ability to purchase up to 6 weeks additional leave per year.
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Car Lease scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Ongoing training and development opportunities.
• A variety of flexible working options to support your work/life balance, including full or part time, term time, 9-day fortnight, etc. (subject to business needs).
• Our West Ways of Working –We want our workforce to thrive, and we equip our employees with the right technology to support hybrid and collaborative working, on or off site, depending on the role.
• Making a difference - If you want to use your skills and experience with an organisation that are genuinely invested in making a difference, are committed to improving people's lives, and whose success has a direct impact on the wellbeing of your family, friends and people in your local area, then West Northamptonshire Council is the place for you.

The council is in the process of implementing a new pay structure and terms and conditions which will be applicable to this role.  The outcome could result in a future variation to the advertised salary, and this will be discussed at interview.

About us

We’re a new council, following one of the largest shake-ups in local government reform in recent history. As a new authority, we’re embarking on an exciting journey to deliver exceptional services for our residents, customers and communities.  

Our vision at West Northamptonshire Council is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. 

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

When potential is unlocked, talent thrives.

Choose a career that offers you a true sense of achievement, fills you with pride and challenges you in a positive way, every day.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.