About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for a Complaints Resolution Manager within Retirement Services Directorate (RSD).  Retirement Services have multiple service lines including Pension Credit, State Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Attendance Allowance, International State Pension, Bereavement Support Payments, Funeral Expense Payments, Winter Fuel and Pre-Retirement.

Job description

In the role of Complaints Resolution Manager, you will be expected to undertake the following activities across all service lines:

• Responding to complaints about service failure from customers and/or their representatives.
• Maximising use of telephony as the preferred means of resolving complaints.
• Effective drafting of letters, including to MPs, ensuring compliance with Cabinet Office and DWP communication standards.
• Delivering a high-quality service, ensuring clearance of complaints within Cabinet Office and gov.uk timeframes.
• Compliance with DWP policy and guidance. 
• Developing effective relationships with key stakeholders across the wider team and department.
• Setting priorities to meet the needs of customers whilst keeping colleagues and stakeholders informed.
• Identification and expedient escalation of particularly sensitive cases.
• Providing timely feedback on complaints to support resolution of issues identified both internally and in the wider Department.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Ability to interpret and research information supplied by technical experts and make effective decisions to fully resolve customer complaints. (Lead Criteria)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate complex information
• Ability to use the telephone to communicate complex information as the principal method of communication. 
• Experience in working with customers to resolve issues
• Experience of drafting written communications for senior stakeholders
• Ability to work to deadlines managing own workflow to achieve individual productivity aspirations. 
• Ability to identify and feedback systemic service failures confidently and concisely to improve customer service
• Ability to develop excellent, effective relationships with colleagues and key stakeholders across the wider team and department.
• Excellent IT skills using MS Word.

For jobs located in Wales, the ability to speak Welsh is desirable.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Generous annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Flexible working patterns available
• Competitive maternity, paternity, and parental leave
• Employee Assistance with emphasis on wellbeing
• Career and Personal Development through Operational Delivery Profession
• Employee discount schemes

Location

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, Strengths and Experience.

Application

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your Personal Statement (max 1250 words) should explain how your personal skills, experience and qualities make you a suitable candidate for this role. Your personal statement will be assessed against the Essential Criteria set out in the advert. 

Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. You may choose to address each criteria separately, however, one narrative example may cover and evidence several key criteria. You may not be able to meet all the key criteria, but please ensure you evidence: the key personal requirements and what have you done that relates to the requirements. You don’t have to explain the whole process, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why, what you can do and the skills you have that are transferable to the key requirements, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role. 

It is important that you take time to read the Candidate Pack which can be found at the bottom of this job advert. This gives details of working patterns, training and terms and conditions of employment as well as giving further information on what to include in your application.

The closing date for applications is 23:55 on 23rd February 2024. 

Written Sift  

The written sift will be conducted using evidence from your Personal Statement and will be assessed against the essential criteria set out in the advert.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the Lead Criteria:

• Ability to interpret and research information supplied by technical experts and make effective decisions to fully resolve customer complaints. (Lead Criteria)

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview

The interview, held via MS Teams, will last approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Further details regarding the process are available in the candidate pack.

Interviews are scheduled take place from week commencing 4th March 2024 and to be completed by 15th March.

Please note that the proposed interview dates are only indicative at this stage and may be subject to change.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Further Information

Find out more about Working for DWP

A reserve list may be held for a period of 3 months from which further appointments can be made.

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 or Disclosure Scotland 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.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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

Reasonable Adjustment

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 “Reasonable Adjustments” 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’re 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.