About the job

Job summary

he Role

This is an exciting opportunity to begin a career in Customer Service. In this role, you will work as part of a fast-paced Customer Service team and also undertake a Level 3 Customer Service Specialist Apprenticeship. This is an exciting time to join the CSC as we develop how we deliver an enhanced customer experience for our wide range of customers, alongside a highly valued procurement service for low complexity procurement activities.

An Apprenticeship provides work-based, on the job training and development. The training is fully funded so it doesn’t cost you anything – and you’ll earn whilst you learn.  They provide you with the skills, knowledge and behaviours you need to be fully effective in a designated role. With very few exceptions, you don’t need to have related work experience/ qualifications to apply.

What’s important throughout the Apprenticeship is that you put into practice what you learn, and capture evidence of this so your progress and increasing capability can be assessed. We want you to get the most out of your Apprenticeship. To help you manage your learning we’ll give you, over the duration of the Apprenticeship, a minimum of 20% of your paid working hours to focus on skills development. This means you won’t be asked to study in your own time.

However, both the role and the Apprenticeship are very demanding and you’ll need to work hard.  You will be assessed throughout, and at the end, of your Apprenticeship by submitting coursework, undertaking exams and presenting your work to others.

There is plenty of support, you’ll be part of a larger apprentice community and where possible we’ll get you involved in apprenticeship related activities, so you’ll get to know people outside of your own team or Department. 

Further information can be found in the apprenticeship standard for this Apprenticeship Standard – you should read this to see the skills, knowledge and behaviours you will need to have learned by the end of your apprenticeship:

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/customer-service-specialist-v1-0

There you can also find a link to the assessment plan. This will give you details of how the apprenticeship is assessed. 

Job description

Position:  Customer Service Senior Advisor - Apprentice

Qualification: Level 3 Customer Service Specialist

Band: 2

Salary: £27,252 - £230,295

Location: Liverpool, Norwich or Birmingham

Term:  Permanent

Closing Date: 31/01/2024

Do you want to work in a busy, successful environment and join an innovative organisation? Are you looking for a role that will support you and develop your skills within customer facing environments? Do you want to earn whilst you learn?

This Customer Service Advisor position could be perfect for you.

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to begin a career in Customer Service. In this role, you will work as part of a fast-paced Customer Service team and also undertake a Level 3 Customer Service Specialist Apprenticeship. This is an exciting time to join the CSC as we develop how we deliver an enhanced customer experience for our wide range of customers, alongside a highly valued procurement service for low complexity procurement activities.

An Apprenticeship provides work-based, on the job training and development. The training is fully funded so it doesn’t cost you anything – and you’ll earn whilst you learn.  They provide you with the skills, knowledge and behaviours you need to be fully effective in a designated role. With very few exceptions, you don’t need to have related work experience/ qualifications to apply.

What’s important throughout the Apprenticeship is that you put into practice what you learn, and capture evidence of this so your progress and increasing capability can be assessed. We want you to get the most out of your Apprenticeship. To help you manage your learning we’ll give you, over the duration of the Apprenticeship, a minimum of 20% of your paid working hours to focus on skills development. This means you won’t be asked to study in your own time.

However, both the role and the Apprenticeship are very demanding and you’ll need to work hard.  You will be assessed throughout, and at the end, of your Apprenticeship by submitting coursework, undertaking exams and presenting your work to others.

There is plenty of support, you’ll be part of a larger apprentice community and where possible we’ll get you involved in apprenticeship related activities, so you’ll get to know people outside of your own team or Department. 

Further information can be found in the apprenticeship standard for this Apprenticeship Standard – you should read this to see the skills, knowledge and behaviours you will need to have learned by the end of your apprenticeship:

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/customer-service-specialist-v1-0

There you can also find a link to the assessment plan. This will give you details of how the apprenticeship is assessed. 

Apprenticeship Eligibility Criteria:

This is a development role so to be eligible to apply, the training and development you receive during this apprenticeship must provide you with significant new skills and learning. This is an essential requirement for apprenticeship funding and means you must not already be over-qualified or over-experienced in this type of work.

In addition, you must:

• Not hold or be working towards a similar level or higher level qualification to the apprenticeship UNLESS this is in a significantly different subject/business area.

• Be aged 16 or over (there is no upper age limit).

• Have the permanent right to work in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the UK/EU/EA for 3 consecutive years before starting the apprenticeship.

• Have left full-time education by the time the apprenticeship starts and not be in receipt of funding for other learning programmes (including another apprenticeship)

• 5 x GCSES (or equivalent) including Maths and English at Grade C, 4 or 5 or above (or equivalent).

Please Note:

If you don’t meet the above apprenticeship criteria we cannot progress your application for this role.

If you are not sure whether or not you meet the criteria please contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk

Main Purpose:

The post holder will:

• Deliver low complexity procurement activities on behalf of CCS customers.

• Over time, deliver impactful coaching, performance management and day to day management of a team, deliver improving levels of productivity and high quality results (measured in improved NPS scores), reduced complaints, reduced second line enquiry transfers, increased first contact resolution and continuously improved team effectiveness.

• Act as a reliable subject matter expert within the team whilst also managing the team by example and demonstrating a demand for new knowledge that supports customer enquiry resolution.

• Develop a competent and capable team of motivated front line customer service advisers.

• Pro-actively identify trends and issues in team performance and apply managed interventions through coaching, performance management and/or training to improve delivery and customer satisfaction.

• Conduct outbound customer contact to support enquiries and develop / identify new & existing business opportunities to provide CCS services.

Key Accountabilities:

These will include:

• Contribute to the delivery of business targets through the delivery of EU compliant and commercially sound procurements 

• Providing support in translating customers commercial requirements, into a compliant procurement, which include specific and measurable evaluation criteria

• Motivate a team of advisers in a busy and challenging Customer Service Centre environment.

• Observe calls and offer impactful feedback, coaching and management.

• Resolves 2nd line enquiries by phone & email, using product knowledge in a single pillar and working across pillars to share expertise and best practice.

• Develops knowledge bank materials to support the resolution of increasingly complex and higher volumes of enquiries through the Customer Service Centre

• Conduct outbound customer contact to support enquires, resolve complex issues & develop opportunities via outbound telephony & email to promote CCS services

• Develop on-going opportunities with existing & prospective customers via inbound telephony when a business opportunity is highlighted.

• Ensure the quality of data recorded in CRM CSC systems, delivery, quality assurance reviews where and when required.

Person specification

Essential Criteria (to be assessed at application):

• Ability to identify trends and issues, understanding how to create, read and action reports and feedback.

• Ability to work as part of a team and with a customer service ethos.

• A strong communicator who can inspire people to reach their potential through holding impactful team meetings, one to ones and other forms of team contact.

• Understands, supports and is able to embrace targets, KPI’s and objectives as a standard operating tool with excellent analytical, verbal and written communication skills.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £27,252, Crown Commercial Service contributes £7,385 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.

Selection Process

Candidates who are successful at sift will be contacted as soon as possible following the closing date and advised of the interview process in more detail. The sift will commence on 1st Feb and interviews will be held either at one of our offices or via video with interview times and dates to be confirmed. (Subject to change)

To find out more about our recruitment process please click here

Please note: Applicants can make use of artificial intelligence but the information presented at application must be factual.

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitably similar vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Should you be placed on a reserve list and want to be removed please contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Complaints procedure

Our recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles details of which can be found at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk in the first instance.

If you remain unsatisfied with the response you receive you can then contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk 

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

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.