About the job

Job summary

Are you looking to enhance or gain experience in both Customer Service and Administration?  

Are you an excellent communicator who enjoys helping customers? If so, we would like to hear from you. 

As part of the Counter Fraud, Compliance and Debt Directorate (CFCD) you will be at the heart of DWP’s front line operations helping to change people lives in our communities from around the 20 million plus customer base. 

We have varied, exciting and challenging roles available within CFCD. Our aim is to help and protect those most vulnerable in our society, drive down the level of fraud, error and debt within the benefit system, and to protect the public purse.  

As a CFCD Administrative Officer your primary role will be handling contact from customers effectively and efficiently, providing a high standard of service by telephone, face to face and via correspondence. 

You will be at the heart of our front-line operations, assisting our customers by providing a high quality, empathetic service. As part of a supportive team, you will be listening to customers and agreeing suitable solutions - you’ll be able to make a real difference. 

If you want to join somewhere that recognises the importance of work-life balance, where you can learn new skills and progress your career, then CFCD is the place for you. 

Job description

What you will do  

• Demonstrate and build on strong telephony, digital and face to face communication skills with a diverse range of customers.
• Take ownership and work effectively with colleagues across the service. 
• Build positive relationships with customers that encourage, motivate and build trust by demonstrating empathy and compassion. 
• Handle sensitive and challenging situations with all customers in a positive way. 
• Dealing effectively and professionally with enquiries from customers and organisations.
• Communicating clearly and concisely, respecting diversity at all times.
• Tailor your approach to accommodate individual circumstances and ensure customers receive the correct payment amount, at the right time. 
• Be aware of DWP/CFCD policy and its impact on cases.
• Make decisions by examining the available facts and giving explanations to customers as required. 
• Ensuring information and data is recorded accurately and that case records are up to date.
• Take ownership of personal development by accessing digital learning and communications tools. 

As a CFCD Administrative Officer, you will: 

• Be able to work effectively both alone and within a team – treat colleagues with respect, display integrity, support others and act as a positive role model.
• Have effective communication skills – take personal responsibility for providing outstanding customer service.
• Be willing to learn – you will receive high-quality, tailored training in DWP’s digital systems, policies, and procedures.
• Be adaptable – have a positive and flexible attitude, able to be proactive and problem solve.
• Have good attention to detail.

Person specification

To be successful in this role you will need to be able to demonstrate the following:  

• Be competent in delivering a quality service to a diverse customer base. 
• Demonstrate effective communication skills treating colleagues and customers with respect and taking personal responsibility for customer service.
• Possess the ability to work both autonomously and as part of a team to achieve goals. Pre-empt or proactively address any potential issues that may arise, displaying integrity and support for others.
• Be able to work flexibly to meet changing priorities, managing a varied workload. 
• Be able to confidently tailor the service to meet the needs of the individual. 
• Act on feedback to enhance quality of service delivery. 
• Take ownership of complaints and support their resolution. 
• Be able to provide support where appropriate to customers who require assistance. 
• Able to comply with policy and procedures, take responsibility for security and data storage, use all relevant digital platforms and build personal capability where necessary. Undertake learning to meet requirements of the role and enhance your digital confidence.

Benefits

With great benefits including:   

• Generous annual leave – 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus bank holidays and one day of leave for the King’s Birthday. The exact number of days of annual leave will be determined by any current years of service.   
• Competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave we also recognise the importance of a good work-life balance and offer flexible working and a family friendly approach to work.   
• Training and apprenticeships and up to 5 days’ personal development & learning allowance.   
• Flexible/hybrid working.   
• Employee discount schemes.   
• Free wellbeing support.   
• Opportunities to make a real difference through joining forums, initiatives & charities.   
• Interest free travel loans.   
• Vodafone advantage discount scheme.   
• Highly sought-after civil service pension - your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package where:   
• The employer makes a significant contribution to the cost of your pension.   
• Your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken. This means, if you pay tax, your take-home pay will not be reduced by the full amount of your contribution.   
• Your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.   
• For more information, visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk   

Location   

The role will be based at: 

Brendon House, High Street, Taunton TA1 3NY. 

Applicants should apply for suitable posts where they can travel to and from their home office location daily within a reasonable time.   

Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.  

Relocation costs will not be reimbursed.   

Hybrid Working   

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home.  This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.   

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Strengths.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a short application form and a Customer Service Skills Test.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Stage 1 - Application form 

Please complete the First Stage Short Application Form. 

Stage 2 – Customer Service Skills Test

After submission of your application, you will be invited to complete a Customer Service Skills Test. 

If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. 

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 23rd April 2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

**Please note the closing date for your full application is 23:55 on 23.04.2024**   

Stage 3 - Interview 

Those who pass the Customer Service Skills Test with the required score will be invited to a blended interview and will receive an electronic notification to your Civil Service Jobs account. 

Please note that interviews will be Face-to-Face at our Taunton office. You will receive a invite with the relevant details to attend the office at the appointed time through the email account you provide us with on your application.  

Interviews are scheduled to take place from week commencing 13.05.24. Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. Interviews will be scheduled Monday to Friday, between 09:00 to 17:00.

Communications will be electronic and/or by telephone therefore it is vitally important that you check your Civil Service Jobs account regularly, as well as your spam/junk email folder. Telephone calls may show as a withheld number, it is important that you answer so that your interview can be confirmed.   

Preparing for the interview 
The interview will take approximately between 30 - 40 minutes where you will be asked a mixture of Behavioural and Strength questions.  A blended interview aims to be more of a conversation at interview offering a more inclusive approach. The Behaviour and Strength based questioning explores not only what you the candidate can and has done, but also your potential.   

Behaviours

You will be assessed against the Civil Service Behaviours listed above at Level 1.

To help you prepare and settle into the interview you will be sent the behavioural questions in advance of the interview. These questions should be treated as confidential and should not be shared. The interview panel may ask you other questions which will not be shared in advance, including follow-up questions, and those about your strengths.

An example of a Behavioural question would be “Tell me about a time when you’ve had to deal with a difficult customer.”

It may help to use one or more examples of a piece of work you have completed or a situation you have been in and use the WHO or STAR model to explain:    

• WHO - What it was, How you approached the work/situation and what the Outcomes were, what did you achieve? or
• STAR- What was the Situation? What were the Tasks? What Action did you take?  What were the Results of your actions?

Strengths

It is difficult to prepare for strength type questions. However, you can think through your answers, focus on your achievements and aspects you enjoy and decide how these can be applied in the organisation and role. 

While strengths questions are shorter and we do not expect a full STAR response, the panel is interested in your first reaction to the question and information or reasoning to support this.

If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.   

If you withdraw your application at any stage, it will not be progressed any further.  

Stage 4 – Offer

Once all interviews have been completed, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first.

The successful candidate(s) will be notified of a start date following successful security checks, which is likely to be during June 2024.

Stage 5 - Reserve List

Successful candidates, not offered a posting, will be placed on a reserve list which will be held for 6 months.

Please note:  

• If you are offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances*.  
• If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list. 

*Note - Exceptional circumstances could be when a candidate has requested a contractual Part Time Working Pattern and this pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered, or in cases of serious ill health. 

Candidates should also note that if successful in this campaign, you will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before applying for any other lateral moves within DWP.  

Some need-to-know information.      

It is important that you take time to read the Candidate Pack which can be found at the bottom of this job advert. This provides further information about the role and working in DWP.    

Important information   

Please note    

Successful part time and job share candidates may be required to work full time for specific periods to complete and consolidate training.   

Working Pattern​    

Part-time and job-sharing working patterns within working hours will be considered but must meet business needs. We will do our best to let people with existing part time contracts retain their contracted hours provided they are in line with current business needs.  

Hours of Work ​    

The full-time working week in DWP is 37 hours. You may be required to work at any time between the hours of: ​    

• 7:45am and 8:00pm on any day between Monday to Friday, and​   

• 8:45am to 5:00pm on Saturday.​   

Managers will agree working patterns with successful applicants within these business hours and review these as appropriate.  ​       

You will be given advance notice of your personal schedule.    

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk   

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.    

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.     

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.     

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.     

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.   

DWP takes development seriously. Our aim is for our colleagues in these roles to be appropriately skilled and qualified – as determined by the business. To support this aim you may be required to undertake a work-based qualification, which may be in the form of an apprenticeship, which will support you in further developing your professional knowledge and skills for this role and your future career development. The qualification can be undertaken in work time, you agree to take this job on the basis that you may be required to undertake a work-based qualification; a candidate’s failure to participate fully in the professional programme, once appointed, may be a breach of their employment contract.     

If DWP decides that it is no longer a requirement for you to undertake and attain a work-based qualification, it will release you from this obligation. Any decision to release you from this obligation will not be a breach of contract by DWP.    

Important    

If you hold a level 3 qualification (2 A levels or equivalent) then please bring your certificates with you to the interview if you have them.   

Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing.    

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.    

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.    

Reasonable Adjustments   

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.    

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.   

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dwprecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.   

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional.    

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.    

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.