About the job

Job summary

Are you looking to gain a new qualification? 
 
Have you thought about a career within an Estates focused role? 
 
Do you have what it takes to work for the biggest landlord in central government? 
 
If you’ve answered yes, then maybe our Customer Service Apprenticeship within our Cardiff Office could be the career path for you!  

As the Estates Customer Service Apprentice you will support colleagues in the onsite Estates Team with responsibility for the smooth running of our UK Government Hub (Cardiff).  
 
You will be a key figure in responding to customer queries about the building, whether that be escalating building faults, reporting Health and Safety issues, or supporting our building users to make the most of the Government Hub and it’s spaces.  

During your time with us you will gain your Level 3 Customer Service Qualification, aiding you in building strong relationships with our customers (building users, service providers, etc) and monitoring building issues. You will develop and learn to influence our customers experience with your knowledge, skills and behaviour. 
 
Whilst gaining your Level 3 Customer Service Qualification, you will also learn what Customer Service means to estates. As we look after our Cardiff Estate, the service we offer to our customers include situation, issue & escalation management. This can vary across an array of Building Management issues, supporting the Building Manager, with direct and indirect customer focused duties.  This will include day-to-day operational activity, including elements of work across building operations and procedures, building issues, customer engagement with colleagues (both planned and reactive in nature), policy implementation and management, areas of both soft and hard FM, areas of H&S etc.  You’ll be learning hands on, how we evaluate each situation and form the best possible route to a solution.

See what it’s like to work at HMRC: find out more about us or ask our colleagues a question. Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Job description

You will be visible and our available to our customers whilst carrying our regular building inspections and resolving any building queries. We are looking for you to deliver in all aspects of this role, including: 

• Significant involvement with the Estates Team communication platforms, both digital and face to face. 
• Responsible for coordinating building inductions for new starters to Cardiff.
• Plan and carry out building inspections, reporting any identified issues and ensuring risk assessments are in place. 
• Secretariat for the Building House Committee, Health and Safety Committee and other Estate Team Meetings.
• Implementing and managing building policies and processes including lockers, cycle spaces and car parking spaces.
• Provide a local interface with hard and soft FM suppliers, escalating customer feedback as necessary.
• Support the monitoring of suppliers KPI's.
• Visitor and delivery co-ordination lead for reception and security.
• Support in tracking Fire Risk Assessment / Building Risk Assessment actions and other Statutory Requirement assurance checks. 
• Procurement of stationery, health and safety stock and other misc items.
• Support the wider Workplace Operations team, and carry out other tasks to contribute towards the day to day running of the Estate as directed by the Senior Building Manager or Head of Estate.

Person specification

Mandatory Qualifications:

You must hold Maths and English GCES at grade C or above.  
 
Essential to develop towards:

If not already held, you must be willing to obtain a Level 3 Customer Service Qualification within 18 months of take up duty. This will be organised for you on take up of the role.  
 
Essential Criteria: 

• It is essential that you are organised, efficient and able to manage a varied work-load. You must have strong communication skills and IT Skills (including Microsoft Word / Excel).

Desirable Criteria:

• Previous experience of working in a building management or FM role, or in a customer services role is desirable. You must be able to demonstrate strong customer relationship skills and strong communication skills.
• The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWIFM) Level 2.  

National Security Vetting:

Once in post, the successful candidate will be required to successfully obtain National Security Vetting clearance at Security Check (SC) level. The offer of permanent employment in this role is conditional upon achieving the required level of vetting clearance.  

Working Pattern:

These posts are full time, however, applicants who wish to work alternative working patterns are welcome to apply. The preferred working pattern may or may not be available, agreement will be subject to business need, and any request to work an alternative working pattern should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.

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%

Find more about HMRC benefits in 'Your little extras and big benefits handbook' for further information or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.

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.

All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Three person panel, including one job holder, secondary Estates member and an independent individual. 

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a name blind CV and a 500-word Personal Statement.

Your CV should cover your job history, qualifications and also skills and experience. The CV will be scored against the experience required as outlined in the advert.

Your 500 word Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the essential criteria and person specification outlined in the advert.

Sift

The sift will be carried out against the CV and Personal Statement. Applicants scoring above set total score minimum will be invited to interview. 

Interview

During the panel interview, your experience will be assessed, you will be asked questions based on the behaviours listed below to explore in detail what you are capable of, and you will be asked strength-based questions to also explore what you enjoy and your motivations relevant to the job role.

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others
• Working Together

This is an example of a strengths-based question:

“It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process in order to manage numbers.

Interviews will take place face to face. Interview dates to be confirmed.

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Due to operational needs, these posts are full-time; however applicants who need to work a more flexible arrangement are welcome to apply. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.

Eligibility

To check that you are eligible to apply, review this eligibility information

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need, so please review the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you are able to travel to.   

Reasonable Adjustments 

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. 

If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application, review this information on reasonable adjustments, and contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Diversity and Inclusion

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues and creating an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We’re committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues here at HMRC. We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at HMRC.

For more information on how we make this happen, review this information on our culture and values

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible after considering operational and customer service needs. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process. 

The Civil Service runs 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. 

Locations 

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

Security Update

For more information on the level of security checks we will carry out, review this information on security checks

Further Information

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application/s will be withdrawn from the process. 

Duplicate applications for the same vacancy will also be withdrawn.

Transferring into HMRC from Civil Service If you are currently working for an ‘Other Government Department’ (OGD) and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document "Combined T&C and OGD Pay English”, found at the bottom of this advert. Further information on staff transfers can be found on gov.uk

Problems during the application process 

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

If you think you’ve made a mistake on a short application form (e.g. you’ve ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we won’t be able to reopen your application.   

Please use the subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application - 328793 & vacancy closing date 12/01/24. Please note that we cannot amend or re-open your application if you have submitted your full application in the interests of fair and open recruitment.

For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details within reasonable adjustments section above.

Who can start an apprenticeship

To start an apprenticeship, you’ll need to be:

• 16 or over
• living in England
• not in full-time education

You can apply for an apprenticeship while you’re still at school but you’ll need to be 16 or over by the end of the summer holidays to start the apprenticeship. Please note if successful you must be 16 or over to undergo the relevant security checks.

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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.