Apprentice Customer Support Officer

Summary

To put into practice the Council’s vision for a digital first approach to service delivery, encouraging and supporting customers to self-serve from our suite of quality online services. To provide first point of contact resolution for routine enquiries across all service areas and all access channels.

Annual wage

£22,366 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Apprentice will stay aligned to SCP 2 for the duration of the apprenticeship.

Training course

Business administrator (level 3)

Hours

Monday to Friday, 7.24 day hours. Shifts to be confirmed.

37 hours a week

Possible start date

Thursday 10 October

Duration

1 Year 6 Months

Positions available

1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

This is an exciting opportunity to undertake a course of studies and work-based training within our Customer Support team. The apprentice will undertake a range of activities and will complete studies over an 18-month period.

We have:

A generous flexi scheme with up to 2 days flexi per month that can be taken
Agile working – however it's expected the apprentice will be mainly office/district based to gain experience
A newly refurbished zero carbon emissions office space
Generous annual leave and wellbeing package
Generously discounted gym membership at Teignbridge District Council Leisure Centres
Opportunities for career and self-development

The ideal candidate will:

Enjoy solving problems. You love taking on challenges and finding creative solutions. You don’t get flustered easily. If you don’t know the answer, you’ll dig until you find it.
Like helping people. You are patient, level-headed and cool under pressure.
Pay attention to details. As far as you’re concerned, anything worth doing is worth doing right, every single time. You stay focused and nothing falls through the cracks on your watch.
Communicate clearly. You can explain just about anything to anyone, and comfortable communicating in writing and on the phone.
Think on your feet. You like learning new things, and you can learn quickly. When things change you flex.
Be self-motivated. You volunteer for new challenges without being asked. You’re going to take ownership of the time you spend with us and truly make a difference.

Daily Duties

Respond with courtesy, understanding and sensitivity to a wide range of queries received across all access channels.
Use initiative and problem-solving skills to correctly identify and resolve customer enquiry at first point of contact. Handing off only where query is overly complex and requiring of specialist support.
Work flexibly to meet demand, covering all aspects and roles of the Customer Support function, including that of floorwalker, call handler and face to face adviser.
Operating contact centre technologies, and other systems, to ensure customer enquiries are handled effectively, are properly recorded, and monitored in line with agreed business processes, data management and quality standards.
Maintain positive working relationships with colleagues, and other services and co-located organisations adopting an ethos of mutual support and shared best practice.

Read the job description and person specification - it will help you understand whether your knowledge, skills and experience match the job requirements. In your supporting statement please tell us how you meet each of the essential criteria we ask for in the person specification.

For an informal discussion please contact Emma Ingle 01626 215999 emma.ingle@teignbridge.gov.uk

Where you’ll work

Forde House

Brunel Road

Newton Abbot

Devon

TQ12 4XX

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

SOUTH DEVON COLLEGE

Your training course

Business administrator (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Skilled in the use of multiple IT packages and systems relevant to the organisation in order to: write letters or emails, create proposals, perform financial processes, record and analyse data. Examples include MS Office or equivalent packages. Able to choose the most appropriate IT solution to suit the business problem. Able to update and review databases, record information and produce data analysis where required.

Produces accurate records and documents including: emails, letters, files, payments, reports and proposals. Makes recommendations for improvements and present solutions to management. Drafts correspondence, writes reports and able to review others' work. Maintains records and files, handles confidential information in compliance with the organisation's procedures. Coaches others in the processes required to complete these tasks.

Exercises proactivity and good judgement. Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way. Seeks advice of more experienced team members when appropriate.

Builds and maintains positive relationships within their own team and across the organisation. Demonstrates ability to influence and challenge appropriately. Becomes a role model to peers and team members, developing coaching skills as they gain area knowledge.

Demonstrates good communication skills, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing or on digital platforms. Uses the most appropriate channels to communicate effectively. Demonstrates agility and confidence in communications, carrying authority appropriately. Understands and applies social media solutions appropriately. Answers questions from inside and outside of the organisation, representing the organisation or department.

Completes tasks to a high standard. Demonstrates the necessary level of expertise required to complete tasks and applies themself to continuously improve their work. Is able to review processes autonomously and make suggestions for improvements. Shares administrative best-practice across the organisation e.g. coaches others to perform tasks correctly. Applies problem-solving skills to resolve challenging or complex complaints and is a key point of contact for addressing issues.

Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks, manages priorities and time in order to successfully meet deadlines. Positively manages the expectations of colleagues at all levels and sets a positive example for others in the workplace. Makes suggestions for improvements to working practice, showing understanding of implications beyond the immediate environment (e.g. impact on clients, suppliers, other parts of the organisation). Manages resources e.g. equipment or facilities. Organises meetings and events, takes minutes during meetings and creates action logs as appropriate. Takes responsibility for logistics e.g. travel and accommodation.

Uses relevant project management principles and tools to scope, plan, monitor and report. Plans required resources to successfully deliver projects. Undertakes and leads projects as and when required.

Your training plan

Training will be provided on the technical knowledge to enable efficient handling of first point of contact across all council services to enable you to follow policy and procedure. Ongoing feedback through observation and monthly one to ones regarding your skills and behaviours, enabling access to further training and support to enable continual improvement and ensure you benefit fully from this opportunity.

More training information

You will attend weekly college days at South Devon College's Vantage Point campus in Paignton. You will be undertaking the Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship that will link back to your job role.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4)
Maths (grade 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Team working
Initiative

Other requirements

Occasionally you may be exposed to difficult or challenging customers with complex issues.

About this company

Teignbridge District Council is a local government in Devon, based in Newton Abbot. Teignbridge contains part of the south Devon coastline, including the Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve. Some of the inland western parts of the district lie within the Dartmoor National Park. It is named after the old Teignbridge hundred. We are a values-based organisation all working together to achieve our vision of “Making Teignbridge a healthy and desirable place where people want to live, work and visit”. We do this by taking personal ownership for the quality of the work we do, the quality of the relationships we develop and for driving improvements in our services.

https://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

By completing this apprenticeship, you will form the foundation of a career within the profession, giving the base for further development. Please note upon completion of the apprenticeship, a role with the Council is not guaranteed. If a role is vacant, it will be advertised, and the apprentice would need to apply as per our normal fair recruitment and selection process.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SOUTH DEVON COLLEGE

Caroline Field

carolinefield@southdevon.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000270965.

Apply now

Closes in 4 days (Monday 23 September at 11:59pm)

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