Senior Complaints Handler

We have a brand new, fantastic opportunity for an experienced Senior Complaints Handler to join Freebridge as our dedicated lead for Stage 2 complaints. You'll have the seniority and authority to work with any part of the business to get to the heart of the issue, and the determination to put things right for customers every time.

Our Freebridge Community Housing goal is to provide affordable, safe, and quality homes for current and future generations, for those who need a place to call home. Freebridge was set up in 2006, to receive the transfer of the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk’s housing stock. We now have over 7500 properties across West and North Norfolk, in addition to building new homes for social and affordable rent, and to support those who want to move into shared home ownership.

We’ve had numerous achievements, including delivering our customers' promises and bringing homes to the Decent Homes Standard, affording our customers a much better quality of living. At Freebridge, we live by our values:
Belong, Own It, Think Customer, One Team One Purpose, and Be the Change.

Outline of key responsibilities...

• Managing Stage 2 complaints from escalation through to final response, acting as our senior caseworker for escalated complaints, with support from the Customer Complaints Manager where volumes require
• Speaking with customers directly wherever appropriate, including home visits, to understand their concerns first-hand and carry out a thorough, customer-centred review
• Reviewing the Stage 1 investigation and response in every Stage 2 case, forming an independent view on whether the original decision was reasonable and well-evidenced
• Working with colleagues across the business, with the authority to secure the evidence and remedies residents need in good time, and drawing on our legal team where a case raises legal complexity or risk
• Taking the lead on particularly complex or high-risk Stage 1 complaints in times of exceptional demand, with any that later upscale to Stage 2 handled by someone else, in line with the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code
• Working with the Customer Complaints Manager to keep up to date with Housing Ombudsman guidance, and to make sure orders and determinations are complied with, with required actions completed on time and evidenced
• Working with the Lessons Learned Group to identify the root causes of complaints, and supporting colleagues across the business to deliver the resulting recommendations
• Supporting the development of Complaint Handlers through training, induction and sharing best practice, and championing high-quality, consistent complaint handling across the team, while recording accurate case data to support complaints performance reporting

We are looking for someone who has...

• Significant experience investigating and resolving formal complaints, including making decisions on outcomes and compensation within delegated limits
• Experience case managing complex or escalated (Stage 2 equivalent) complaints
• A working knowledge of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme and the Complaint Handling Code
• A working knowledge of housing law relevant to complaints, such as landlord and tenant obligations or disrepair
• Experience supporting the development of colleagues, for example through coaching, training or mentoring
• The ability to influence colleagues and work confidently with teams across the business, without direct line management authority

What’s in it for you?

At Freebridge, we’re appreciative of our team and you can enjoy the following benefits from joining us, among many more:

• An Annual Salary of: £36,882.00
• Generous Holiday Leave: Enjoy 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays, increasing to 30 days after 5 years of service
• Excl…