Customer Contact Centre Advisor

Independent Office for Police Conduct

Sale, UK

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 2 weeks

Customer Service

Full time

£28,665 per year

Job summary

The Independent Office for Police Conduct exists to investigate complaints fairly and thoroughly. The IOPC has the power to initiate, carry out and oversee investigations. It is also responsible for monitoring the way complaints are handled by local police forces.

As Customer Contact Centre Advisor within the IOPC you can expect to work in a progressive and dynamic organisation with declared and strong core values. The work will be fulfilling and offer considerable opportunities for personal growth and satisfaction.

Job description

As a Customer Contact Centre Advisor, you will be welcomed into a dynamic and inclusive customer focused team working representing the IOPC as the first point of contact to the organisation, presenting a professional image providing accurate advice and information to a range of external customers and stakeholders. The IOPC is on a journey to develop its culture, perspectives and ethos to support the organisation’s core outcomes and this is your opportunity to enter into the varied world of IOPC customer service, allowing you to develop your mindset and approaches to contribute to improving the police complaints system in England and Wales.

Working as part of the Customer Contact Centre you will have a spectrum of responsibilities that encompass all elements of the contact centre. This will include providing a responsive telephone information service, responding to correspondence and complaints received from a range of external parties, including members of the public, police forces, MPs, solicitors and other agencies.

You will be expected to support the delivery of excellent customer service, providing the best possible experience with the approach of ‘getting it right first time’ to manage customer expectation and to reduce avoidable contact. The complexity of enquiry or complaint will vary as will the demand of work at any one time. You will work within a defined framework and fulfil individual targets to maximise contribution to team and directorate performance.

Main Responsibilities

Provide a responsive service to a range of customer queries and complaints ensuring prompt resolution of issues received by phone/email/letter/online form.
Process direct complaints received from members of the public to the appropriate police force or authority with minimal handling and representation.
Be alert to and identify high profile matters and matters of public interest, and direct complaints that it may be appropriate not to forward to the force because of exceptional circumstances, and draw these to the attention of the Customer Contact Centre Manager.
Establish customer needs and provide appropriate information - which may range from advising on the role of the IOPC, the process for making a complaint or appeal to more general requests for information or signposting to other agencies
Respond to comebacks, complaints, MPs’ letters and other correspondence.
Take ownership of calls, queries and complaints, seeking to resolve issues to reduce subsequent contact providing the best possible experience for the customer

Please refer to the Job Description for full role responsibilities.

Person specification

Essential

Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills
Confidence and ability to communicate with people at all levels
Ability to be patient, resilient, sensitive and diplomatic when dealing with the public and stakeholders
A capacity to conduct enquiries, obtain information and to use sound judgement to reach conclusions

Experience

Proven relevant experience of working in a customer focused advice or information handling environment
Experience of dealing with challenging people over the phone
Experience of responding to customer queries and complaints in writing

Skills and Abilities

Good organisational skills and ability to manage own workload
Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and database systems

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,665, Independent Office for Police Conduct contributes £8,304 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

27.5 days paid annual leave (increasing with service to 32.5 days)
Options to carry over, buy or sell annual leave
Voluntary Health Cash Plan provided by BHSF
Civil Service pension
Civil Service maternity leave package
PAM employee assistance programme
Access to Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) membership
Cycle to work scheme
Opportunity to enjoy the latest home and electronics in a more affordable way provided by Vivup
Car Leasing Scheme
Staff Networks focussed on each of the protected characteristics - run for staff, by staff: Enable Network, Age Network, Welsh Network, Pride and LGBTQ+ Network, Sex and Family Network, Race, Religion and Belief Network
Learning and development tailored to your role.
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

We'll assess you against these Executive Officer (EO) Level behaviours during the selection process:

Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, to find out more, please click here.

Throughout the recruitment process we will also assess your Experience, Strengths, Technical Skills and Values.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete 4 Sift Questionsbased on the essential criteria.

If successful following sift, you will be invited to attend a 2 stage process, including a written assessment and a Success Profiles interview. Anticipated assessment and interview dates are estimated to take placeW/C 16 + 23 March 2026.

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

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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Contact point for applicants

Salary range

£28,665 per year