Customer Contact Centre Advisor – Welsh Language Essential

Main Responsibility

• Provide a responsive service in Welsh and English to a range of customer of 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 
• Where appropriate, liaise with internal and external stakeholders regarding complaints and information received and recognising where information is significantly complex or sensitive and handling the information as appropriate.  
• Identify and collate trends data information on potentially high-profile issues 
• Deal with customers that can often be angry, distressed, and sometimes challenging but remaining courteous and have the ability to see things from the customer point of view to ensure a consistent and fair service is provided to all
• Alongside signposting complainants to advocacy and advice services where they can receive assistance in making a complaint, the post holder may need to take down the details of complaints and appeals over the phone in accordance with the IOPC Reasonable Adjustment policy. This relates particularly to callers that may have an access or communication needs. 
• Keep up to date with organisational issues and events, including press releases, report releases, changes to organisational practices to ensure knowledge is current in order to provide appropriate advice.
• Resolve queries first time to reduce subsequent contact providing the best possible experience for the customer.  
• Record accurate enquiry and complaint information on relevant case and customer relationship management systems.  
• Process and respond to Report Line contacts from serving Police Officers.  
• Deal with whistleblowing allegations and liaise with the internal department regarding any whistleblowing. 
• Any other duties suitable to the grade, which may include administrative support, assisting more senior staff with face-to-face interactions with member of the public, switchboard cover, post. 
• Train and assist new members of the team where appropriate.
• Considering the validity of reviews received out of time and communicating the decision to the service user and force, using clear guidance and standard template letters. Identifying any unusual, contentious or difficult cases and seeking appropriate advice to enable a sound decision to be taken.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential 

• Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills  
• Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills using the Welsh language   
• 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 customers using the Welsh language, both verbally and in writing
• 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  

The role requires clearance to BPSS

National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Reasonable Adjustments

The IOPC is a diverse and inclusive workplace and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. We are open to providing you with the tools you need to succeed. Whilst this list is not exhaustive, please see potential reasonable adjustments below that we can provide:

• Extra time for presentations or interview questions
• Formatting changes such as colours for text or background on written assignments
• Questions presented in writing during interviews

If you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process, please email Recruitment@policeconduct.gov.uk

Package Description

• 27.5 days paid annual leave (increasing with service to 32.5 days
• Options to carry over, buy or sell annual leave
• 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 focused on each of the protected characteristics – run for staff, by staff: Enable Network, Welsh Network. Pride and LGBTQI+ 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 behaviours

Additional Information:

The IOPC is not eligible to participate in the Civil Service transfer process, therefore successful candidates will not be able to transfer to the IOPC on their existing terms and conditions.

The IOPC does not participate in the UK Visa Sponsorship Scheme therefore, candidates will have to provide evidence of their Right to Work in the UK if offered a role with us.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, therefore a standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out for the successful candidate during the pre-employment process.

 Any move to the Independent Office for Police Conduct from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Emotional Consideration:

In performing this role, you will have regular exposure to distressing material which will likely be impactful, traumatic and challenging. Given the nature of the work, you will have contact with individuals who are experiencing extreme distress. The IOPC recognises this and offers all staff a range of wellbeing provisions, including TRiM (Trauma Risk Management) peer-to-peer support, a dedicated Wellbeing Advisor, and access to free confidential counselling. All staff are strongly encouraged to proactively access and engage with the support available. If you would like to speak about this element of the role with somebody already doing similar work at the IOPC, please contact Recruitment@policeconduct.gov.uk and this can be arranged.

Positive Action:

Positive action as detailed in the Equality Act 2010, allows us to use measures designed to help improve equality in the workplace, and create a level playing field for all, whilst still employing everyone based on merit. Our workforce profile data shows that people who identify as black, Asian and minority ethnic are under-represented at the IOPC. 

For this role – should we have a situation where multiple candidates have achieved the highest score and one identifies as black, Asian or minority ethnic, by using positive action, we can select that candidate for the role, therefore improving this area of under-representation at the IOPC. We will only use positive action in this way where the highest scoring candidates have all scored equally, at the final assessment stage, and above our required threshold.

Rydym yn croesawu ymgeiswyr i ymgeisio am rolau trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg fel eu dewis iaith.

#IND

About the Company

As a completely independent organisation, the IOPC seeks to uphold the rights of the public and investigate the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, to promote learning and influence change in policing. The IOPC is an organisation steeped in history, influenced by significant figures such as Stephen Lawrence and Sir William Macpherson. We are looking for people to uphold our core values, and in return we will give you a supportive and inclusive work environment to flourish in.

Be yourself

The IOPC is committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity in everything we do. Our vision is to be, and to be seen as, a leader in inclusive employment and services, demonstrating this ethos in everything that we do.

• As a silver standard Stonewall employer, we continue to commit to being a LGBTQ+ employer through the work of our Pride LGBTQ+ Staff Network, creating welcoming environments for lesbian, gay, bi and queer people.
• We are pleased to share that we are a signatory of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. The Charter is composed of five calls to action for leaders and organisations across all sectors. 
• Being a Disability Confident employer, the IOPC is dedicated to removing the barriers for disabled people to thrive in the workplace.
• Our Staff Networks are constantly working to make the IOPC the leaders of inclusive employment, from our Allyship Programme to Welsh Language Standards and our Know the Line Policy, we are constantly seeking new ways to create an environment for all to develop and thrive.