Customer Advice Officer

Contract to start ASAP until 08-12-26 with a possible extension.

Responsibilities

To provide an accurate and knowledgeable personal enquiry and advice service to customers accessing Council Services through a wide variety of channels currently available, and to be developed in the future including but not exclusively Face to Face, Telephone, webchat, social media, outreach, home visits and through assisted self service at a variety of locations across the Bradford District.

To provide the front line service to customers on behalf of Bradford Council. To deliver services for Housing Benefits, Council Tax, Debt Recovery, Planning, Visible and Environmental Services, Housing, Homelessness, Adults and Children's services and any other services which may form part of Customer Service provision in the future, signposting only where necessary to other providers, partners and voluntary agencies.

To deal effectively with customer enquiries whilst promoting alternative more cost effective methods of contact where available and appropriate.

To ensure that all documentation received is properly validated and verified

To ensure all claims, documents and requests for service are processed correctly within specified timescales and in compliance with relevant legislation, procedures and Service Level Agreements, taking payments for services where necessary.

To maintain a detailed knowledge of all relevant Legislation and Policies, as specified in the Competency Criteria.

To report suspected benefit fraud and to identify and minimise overpayment of Benefit.

To handle and manage personal, sensitive and confidential information including that that relating to income, benefits, bank accounts and debt.

To be fully conversant with and apply relevant on-line computer systems and technology, both operational and corporate, in order to provide a timely and high quality advice and referral service for customers.

To liaise with and work alongside other services, departments and agencies, as appropriate.

To participate in and promote take-up/awareness/information/user surveys/ consultation for services, departments and agencies with customers

To ensure that first stage complaints are acknowledged, recorded appropriately and directed to the correct department for investigation.

To represent the Council professionally and responsibly in all dealings with members of the public, across all access channels, working on own initiative but within existing guidelines.

To attend a variety of venues across the District during the agreed contracted hours and occasionally out of normal office hours including evenings and weekends.

Disclaimer: On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify iWork Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.

5304329-09-26