Customer Services Officer – AR

Customer Services Officer

Location: Carmarthenshire
Contract: Fixed Term – 4 months
End Date: 31 January 2027
Hours: Monday to Friday, within Contact Centre hours of 8:30am–6:00pm
Reporting to: Hwb Supervisor

Carmarthenshire County Council is looking for a motivated and customer-focused Customer Services Officer to join its Customer Services team on a fixed-term basis.

You will act as a key link between residents and Council departments, providing an efficient and professional first point of contact across a range of Council services. The role is primarily telephone-based, although you may also deal with customers face-to-face, by email, digitally and through social media.

A key part of the role will be helping customers to access information and services online wherever possible, while providing additional assistance to those who are unable to self-serve.

• Deal with customer enquiries primarily by telephone, as well as face-to-face and through digital channels.
• Provide accurate information and assistance across a wide range of Council services.
• Aim to resolve enquiries at the first point of contact
  , taking ownership of customer queries wherever possible.
• Support customers with online services and encourage digital self-service.
• Assist customers with completing forms, applications, service requests and documentation.
• Process and update customer information accurately on Council systems and databases.
• Deal with enquiries relating to Council Tax, Housing Benefits, Housing Repairs, Homelessness, Debt Recovery, Blue Badges, Licensing, Refuse and Recycling and Public Protection
  .
• Identify customers who may require additional financial or wellbeing support and make appropriate referrals.
• Deal sensitively and professionally with challenging or vulnerable customers.
• Remain alert to potential fraudulent claims or documentation.
• Work within relevant Council procedures, legislation and guidelines when providing information and making decisions.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with Data Protection requirements.
• Record customer feedback, complaints, satisfaction information and other relevant data.
• Support the monitoring and response of the Council’s corporate social media account when required.
• Work flexibly across different Council sites and access channels according to operational requirements.
• Assist with the training and development of new members of staff when required.

The successful candidate will have:

• Previous customer service or contact centre experience
  .
• Experience dealing with members of the public and responding positively to their needs.
• Excellent telephone and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to remain calm, professional and empathetic when dealing with difficult situations.
• Strong IT and keyboard skills with the ability to use a range of systems and applications.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to work accurately in a busy environment.
• The confidence to explain information clearly and support customers to resolve issues themselves.
• A proactive, self-motivated and flexible approach.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a team.

• Previous Local Authority/Council customer service experience
  .
• Knowledge of Council services such as Council Tax, Housing Benefits, Housing, Homelessness or Public Protection
  .
• Experience working in a public-sector customer service or contact centre environment.
• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification in Customer Care.
• Experience retrieving information from a range of sources and presenting it clearly.

The successful candidate must be able to travel to other Council locations across Carmarthenshire
, including rural areas, when required to provide operational cover. There may also be occasions where attendance at events requires working outside normal core hours.

A Standard DBS Disclosure is required for the position, with renewal/DBS Update Service requirements as specified by the Council.

Welsh language skills: Spoken Level 4 and Written Level 2.
English: Spoken and Written Level 4.

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Customer Service or Contact Centre professional to gain or further develop experience within a Local Authority environment, supporting residents across a wide range of essential Council services.