About the job

Job summary

Do you wish to join the largest, most versatile procurement Public organisation in the UK?  Do you enjoy maintaining ‘key’ customer relationships in the energy sector?

Job Summary

Following initial familiarisation, the successful candidate will be assigned circa 60 Public sector clients, each with an annual energy spend >£3M, where they will act as the primary point of contact for the CCS energy team. 

 

The job holder will be responsible for retention of all customers and spend values (£’s) whilst having oversight of query management and resolution, customer reporting and administration of the customer’s meter portfolio supported by procurement colleagues specialising in supplier management.  

The Commercial Directorate

Commercial is the largest directorate in CCS. We are responsible for the design, development, implementation and management of our commercial agreements, which are used by our customers across the public sector. Our customers rely on the deep category expertise of our specialist teams to design commercial agreements which allow them to access markets at pace while managing supply chain and regulatory risk. Our services also advise them on the best way to achieve value in complex markets. We have helped our customers:

• spend more than £34 billion through the agreements we create

• enjoy more than £3.5 billion in commercial benefits annually through our agreements

We use our deep knowledge and expertise of public sector suppliers, to create market and category strategies.

These strategies are used within CCS to create market leading commercial agreements that help shape how common goods and services are bought across the public sector. 

Our skills are also used in carrying out commercial policy, development of new products and services and supplier relationship management.

Team Summary

The successful candidate will be joining the CCS Energy Specialist Service Team (ESST)responsible for more than 1,300 Public sector customer relationships via the CCS ‘Supply of Energy 2’ Framework.

 

The ESST team was established in 2018 to specifically manage CCS Energy customer growth and retention. The team of seven specialist energy managers has delivered 45% growth in customer numbers and spend values whilst maximising customer retention to more than 99% for each for the last three years. This is a dynamic, fast paced customer service area with a high-profile track record of success.

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

The Customer Specialist Manager will be accountable for:

• In conjunction with the CCS Customer Service Centre and Customer Account Management teams, support the Customer Specialist Lead in the development of the Utilities and Fuels customer engagement and retention and growth strategy through the provision of product and customer knowledge and intelligence.  

• Supporting the Customer Specialist Lead in the delivery of specific customer engagement and retention strategies for each of the top 20 Utilities and Fuels strategic customers identified and agreed within the strategy. 

• Personal responsibility for the delivery of specific existing customer engagement strategies for a specific customer(s) or customer sector(s) identified and agreed within the strategy.

• Engaging with potential new customers in order to provide appropriate guidance, advice and support in order to convert the opportunity.  

• Building personal knowledge of the whole CCS Utilities and Fuels offering, including contractual arrangements, in order to support existing and potential new customers and the Customer Service Centre and Customer Account Management teams through the provision of in-depth guidance, advice and knowledge transfer.      

• The maintenance of collaborative relationships with the CCS Customer Account Management, Strategic Category, Procurement Operations and Customer Service Centre teams in order to deliver agreed customer strategies.

• The development of effective marketing and communications collateral based on data analysis and customer experience feedback. 

• The delivery of appropriate Utilities and Fuels knowledge share with customers and the Customer Service Centre and Customer Account Management teams. 

• Acting as a point of escalation in the resolution of customer enquiries within agreed SLAs.   

• The day to day line management and development of allocated members of the Utilities and Fuels Customer Service Specialist team.

• Contribution to the production of Utilities and Fuels category strategies and best practice. 

Person specification

Essential Criteria (To be assessed at application stage):

• An experienced customer service manager within the specific category area with a track record of delivering excellent customer satisfaction and value for money

• Technical proficiency with specific category area; sufficient to act as an intelligent client in dealings with customers and sufficient to engage in meaningful, challenging conversations with stakeholders

• Excellent communicator with the ability to engage, challenge and influence stakeholders

• Ability to implement strategy.  Able to translate strategy into practical implementation plans

• Ability to present to senior stakeholders in a variety of forums ranging from exhibitions to one to one meetings either face to face or virtually

Desirable criteria:

• Demonstrable experience in managing customer relationships within the energy sector including Consultative selling skills

In the event of a high number of applications, the desirable criteria will be used as a second sift.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,575, Crown Commercial Service contributes £11,808 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 and Technical skills.

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 WC 20th May and interviews will be held 11th & 12th June 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.

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.