Customer Service Officer

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

We are looking for enthusiastic, adaptable and customer-focused individuals to join our Core Customer Hub as Customer Service Officers. This is a varied role that may involve working directly with customers through our telephony or face-to-face services, as well as processing applications, service requests and other customer activity within our back-office teams.

The Core Customer Hub is at the heart of delivering great customer experiences across Sheffield City Council. Our teams provide high-quality support through both contact centre and back-office functions, helping residents, communities and businesses access the information, services and support they need. Working across a range of customer contact channels, including face-to-face, telephone and digital services, we help people reach the right solution at the right time.

Through a responsive, accessible and customer-centred approach, our colleagues play a vital role in improving outcomes for customers and supporting our communities across Sheffield.

Whether you are helping someone at a reception point, responding to an enquiry over the telephone, reviewing evidence or progressing a service request behind the scenes, you will help ensure customers receive a responsive, accessible and joined-up service. You will be involved in delivering services in a multi-channel environment, which could include face-to-face, back-office, telephone or online services. You will be supporting a broad range of enquiries and progressing medium-complexity requests within established procedures, recognising when specialist advice or escalation is required.

Our Teams are varied including supporting Licensing and Environmental Regulation activities, Building control and Planning services, Fulfilment processes, and Notice Processing tasks on behalf of Parking Services and Customer Service and Contact Centres.

• Responding to a broad range of customer enquiries across telephone, digital, written, back-office and face-to-face channels.
• Resolving straightforward and medium-complexity enquiries, using your knowledge and judgement to select from agreed options.
• Processing applications, service requests, submissions and supporting evidence accurately.
• Using service-specific systems to update records and progress cases.
• Providing clear information, guidance and signposting, aiming to resolve enquiries at the first point of contact wherever possible.
• Triaging enquiries and making effective handovers to our Linked Services
• Handling financial transactions and supporting relevant appeals or enforcement processes.
• Managing challenging interactions professionally, using appropriate communication and de-escalation techniques.

• Can demonstrate clear and confident verbal and written communication.
• Shows active listening, effective questioning and the ability to summarise information accurately.
• Has sound problem-solving skills and the ability to make appropriate decisions within agreed guidance.
• Has confidence using digital systems and maintaining accurate customer records.
• Has the ability to organise and prioritise your workload, follow tasks through and meet service standards.
• Shows accuracy, attention to detail and an understanding of confidentiality and data protection.
• Demonstrates positive teamwork and the ability to build effective working relationships.
• Shows a commitment to providing courteous, inclusive and customer-focused services.

As you will be required as a regular and intrinsic part of your role, to speak to members of the public in English, you must be able to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English.

Previous experience within a council or regulatory service is not essential where you can demonstrate relevant transferable skills, experience and a willingness to learn.

As a Customer Service Officer, you will also contribute to the ongoing development of the Core Customer Hub. You will take part in team learning activities, share customer insight and identify recurring issues or avoidable customer contact. You may suggest improvements to processes and knowledge resources and support colleagues as a…