About the job

Job summary

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are the public sector’s property valuation experts and advisers. We offer access to a whole host of learning and development opportunities to support your career development.

We’re looking for talented people who are eager to contribute to vital public services and assist us to deliver taxation and benefits support to the government and local authorities. Your skills and experience will enable us to provide an efficient, effective service right at the heart of the public interest.

At the heart of the agency, we are committed to providing our people with a work environment which is accommodating and accessible to all and which values diversity and inclusion in everything we do.  We encourage our people to bring their whole selves to work by providing a culture that values different perspectives to help tackle complex problems, promote innovation and deliver stronger decision making in a safe and supportive environment. We therefore welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds to join our organisation and enable us to be representative of the communities we serve.

Our people have the freedom to manage their own diaries and are empowered to deliver under their own autonomy. We trust our people and look forward to welcoming your skills into the VOA community.

Job description

Customer Insight Manager- Role Overview

The Customer Insight Manager is a role within the Information Data and Analysis Directorate in the Valuation Office Agency. The Customer Insight Team is responsible for gathering a broad set of insights on our customers and using these to gain a deeper understanding of our service to customers and their experience of interacting with the agency. From this, they are responsible for identifying key business issues and opportunities to improve the customer experience.

This role plays a key part in the reporting and management of these insights, identifying opportunities to improve customer experience and working on these initiatives with colleagues. You’ll be joining at an exciting time, supporting a key strategic objective for VOA to deliver an excellent customer experience.

“We’re a small team, working collaboratively with related teams in the VOA to improve experience for our customer’s, ensuring change is data-driven, and the customer voice is represented in decision making. We’re committed to learning and development and this role can give you experience to develop your data skills but also broader, communication and stakeholder management skills.” - Lucy Robinson, Customer Insight Lead.

Customer Insight Manager – Key Responsibilities

• Leading on projects, with support of SEO, to help fill insight gaps in VOA to ensure the organisation has the information it requires to design and improve services for customers.
• Creation and sharing of customer insight reports and products with stakeholders in the Agency, analysing and theming customer data and feedback.
• Managing a ‘front door’ process for organisational customer insight and research requests, engaging with internal stakeholders to understand and scope out business issues.
• Ongoing management of the Insights Library and document repository: ensuring library is up to date, keeping track of and requesting research outputs, ensuring documentation is saved.
• Analysing customer data and research outputs to produce insights, consolidating information to develop stories to illustrate customer experience.
• Acting on tactical issues stemming from insights reporting, working with stakeholders across the Agency to report and track on their impact.
• Support in the dissemination of customer research, engaging with stakeholders to empower them to understand and use the findings.
• Management of a Customer Insight & Research knowledge sharing community within VOA: setting agendas working with stakeholders and managing a forward look.
• Keeping an overarching view of insight and research activity across the Agency.
• Monitoring of the Customer Insight Mailbox.
• Ad-hoc support to the wider Customer Research team (part of the VOA’s social research function) and directorate when required.

Person specification

We are looking for someone who will have excellent analytical and critical thinking skills and have the ability to analyse information and draw effective insights to inform change initiatives.  The successful candidate will have excellent communication skills and be confident at presenting and reporting information using different methods to have maximum impact. To be successful in this role you’ll have strong interpersonal skills to work with a range of stakeholders, collaborating and influencing to reach common goals. You’ll be an organised individual, able to work independently and committed to see through positive outcomes for customers.

This is a unique opportunity where an individual can shape the role dependent on their skills and experience. For an individual experienced in data analysis, this would be an opportunity to gain broader skills in stakeholder management, data visualisation, communicating insights and identifying problems to improve customer experience. For others, this would be an opportunity to develop their analytical skills with the support of colleagues from the wider profession. We want to hear from people who: are curious, comfortable working with data and other information sources, and are passionate about improving services for customers.

Essential Criteria

• Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to influence a range of stakeholders.
• Able to present complex information and data clearly and effectively, empowering stakeholders to use the information.
• Strong analytical skills and experience of using a range of insight and evidence to make recommendations for improvements to customer experience.
• Working proactively to identify problems and ensuring that the business has the information required to improve customer experience.
• A self-motivator with the ability to work independently and effectively manage conflicting priorities.

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,036, Valuation Office Agency contributes £9,190 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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.

If you can meet our person requirements above we are keen to hear from you. To apply for this post, you must complete an online application with the following:

A Personal Statement - In no more than 750 words, please outline your suitability for the role. Please pay particular attention to the Essential Criteria.

1 Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing  - maximum 250 words. 

Sift 23 January - 31 January 2024 . Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change.

We will assess you on your Personal Statement and the Behaviour listed above. 

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to interview.

Interviews 21 February 2024  Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change. These will be confirmed should you be invited to interview.

Interviews are currently taking place using Microsoft Teams Video. We will provide more detail if you are shortlisted for interview. 

We will assess you on the Behaviours listed in the job description, strengths and an In-Tray exercise .

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills.

Behaviours

The distinguishing Behaviours (the required skills, knowledge and behaviours) for this role are set out in the Civil Service Behaviours Framework 2018 (Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and should be referred to when making this application.

You are required, under the Behaviours approach, to describe how you have dealt with a specific situation.

You must give evidence of your knowledge, skills and behaviours and how you have applied this, such as what you did or said and how you interacted with other people.

When you are giving your examples, do not spend too many words on description and background information. Avoid using general or unspecific statements. Instead say what the situation was, what you did what your thought process was and so on.

In-Tray exercise 

The interview will be followed by an in-tray exercise based on examples of the work you might be expected to carry out in the role. Further details will be provided if your are selected for interview.

Further Information.

If you are wishing to work an alternative working pattern you are welcome to apply. The preferred working pattern may or may not be available. Please discuss with the vacancy holder. 

If you are wanting to work Compressed Hours there is a requirement for this to be a minimum of 3 days across the week. Please discuss with the vacancy holder. 

Any move to VOA 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

VOA employees only:  If you are currently in receipt of DTA as a result of a VOA office closure/restructure and it is agreed for you to take up this role in your current location, you may continue to receive DTA for the remainder of the period you can claim for.  Please check with the Vacancy Holder on preferred locations for this role before you apply.

The VOA is an office-based organisation, however as all of our roles have aspects which can be completed from home, all colleagues have the ability to work a hybrid working pattern. The amount that colleagues work from home or office is defined by several factors including the nature of the work they carry out, the needs of their stakeholders, their development needs and personal circumstances such as caring responsibilities. To learn more about the hybrid working arrangements that could be available in this role, please contact the vacancy holder.

Pre-employment Checks

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.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:  Contact Government Recruitment Service via voarecruitment.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 an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Terms & Conditions

Voluntary terms apply.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 3-month reserve list as standard.

During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order.

Starting Work

The successful candidate will normally take up duty within one month from notification of successful completion of pre-employment checks.

Applying

All applications for these vacancies must be made online. There are limited exceptions to this. Paper applications will only be considered if you have a disability that will prevent you from applying online. If this is the case, please email voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Once you have submitted your application it cannot be amended; only submit your application when you have completely finished and answered all the relevant questions.

Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

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

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

Concerns/Complaints

The Valuation Office Agency’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the Central Recruitment Team at the following address  resourcingteam@voa.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint you have the right to complain to the Civil Service Commissioners.

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.