Job Description

Position:
Location:
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Job ref: 4720
We regret to inform you that Advance is unable to accept any sponsorship requirements.
About the Role:
Would you like to work somewhere where you get to make a real difference every day?
We have an exciting opportunity for a Customer Service Advisor at Advance. Advance is a specialist supported housing association that is on an exciting journey to deliver more services and develop more housing for people with learning difficulties, disabilities and supporting people towards greater independent living.
The role of Customer Service Advisor will include:

• Provide support and assistance to customers who are reporting housing repairs, ensuring that the correct diagnosis is given and the job is logged to the appropriate contractor.
• Ensure that all calls are answered within appropriate timescales and either dealt with to satisfactory conclusion or passed through to the appropriate department/representative.
• To answer housing enquiries of a wide range in nature. Where support cannot be given immediately, ensure that the customer is informed of the actions taken and how they will be contacted regarding their enquiry and within what timescale.
• Provide a range of appropriate assistance to customers in accordance with policies and procedures to ensure they receive accurate, up-to-date information.
• Filter mail, email and telephone calls and deal effectively and professionally check and provide relevant information.
• Liaise with other teams or external service providers if required to respond to customer repairs and queries and/or signpost customers to other appropriate agencies/departments.
• Accurately record actions taken and/or decisions made and maintain records as required to provide an auditable advice trail that ensures regulatory and procedural compliance.
• Maintain professional awareness of all developments, changes in law and Advance policies which may affect the service to ensure the team provide up to date advice.
• Assist staff members by providing coaching, shadowing and system training to support team members in their role to meet targets.
• Carry out a range of customer satisfaction surveys.
• Reactive or responsive repair ordering and processing including diagnosis and invoicing.
• Taking initial aids and adaptation enquires, offering guidance, and acting on the enquiry.
• Ordering of furnishings, flooring, window coverings, white goods, cleaning, gardening, pest control and other services where Advance are responsible.
• Processing requests for rent statements and dealing with basic rent enquires.
• Initiation of process for responding to complaints and compensation claims.
• Initiation of process for reporting and recording Antisocial Behaviour (ASB).
• Undertaking a range of administrative duties within the Customer Services department, including but not limited to invoicing, updating the system and processing recharges.
• Responsible for managing and directing the use of resources effectively and efficiently to deliver team objectives, conscious of the financial implications of these decisions
• Actively promote team working within own department and across Advance to meet operational and corporate objectives.
• Actively participate in the system administration of Open Housing and any new system implemented in the future.
• Assist colleagues and departments within Advance as required to meet customer expectations. This will include providing administrational support, operating within the demands and constraints of all customer contact points

Please refer to our job description for further details of the role.
For more information about the role please contact, Daniel Ryan on daniel.ryan@advanceuk.org
About the organisation:
Advance is a national, not-for-profit provider of housing and support services for people with disabilities and mental health conditions. Our vision is to transform lives; providing the best quality housing and support services so that people can live the lives they choose, achieve their personal goals, feel valued and know their voices are heard.
We recognise that our people are our greatest asset and we're passionate about making Advance a great place to work. We invest in our staff, providing the training and support you need to succeed in your role, gain industry-recognised qualifications and realise your career aspirations.
We are an equal opportunities employer who values its staff and the difference they make to their customers. There is no place for racism or discrimination of any kind in Advance. As an organisation, we will not tolerate it. We are firmly committed to recruiting the best colleagues regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and to supporting customers from similarly diverse backgrounds.
All newly appointed staff receive an induction, during which they will learn about our PRIDE values, our expectations of how they should treat our customers and our commitments in relation to how they will be treated as a member of staff.
Benefits of working for Advance:
We value our staff and the difference they make to the lives of our customers, which is why we offer the following benefits:

• Paid holiday (from 25 days up to 30 days with long service in addition to bank holidays, pro rata for part time hours)
• Sector specific training is provided as part of induction plus opportunities for professional development
• Access to Perks at Work where you can obtain great discounts of cinema tickets, shopping vouchers and much more
• Long service awards payable in 5 year increments
• Golden Hello/refer a friend receive up to 500
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Free DBS (Disclosures and Barring Service)
• Excellent opportunities to progress your career within Advance
• Enrolment in a pension scheme with matched contributions above the statutory minimum (if you work enough hours to meet the threshold for enrolment)

Advance is regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing and the Care Quality Commission and we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the people we support. You will be required to provide evidence of right to work. An enhanced DBS disclosure will be required for this role, the cost of which will be covered by Advance.
Safeguarding:
At Advance, Safeguarding is embedded in our organisational culture - it's reflected in our values, our behaviours, and the way we work together. We believe that creating a safe environment is not just about compliance, but about cultivating trust, openness, and accountability at every level.
As the organisation's Safeguarding Lead, Ryan Brummitt, Executive Director of Support, oversees our safeguarding arrangements and ensures that concerns are acted upon quickly, sensitively and in line with national legislation and local safeguarding procedures.
We believe that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Whether you are a customer, family member, colleague or partner organisation, if you have any concerns about the welfare or safety of someone we support - or of any member of our team - please don't hesitate to get in touch.
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Together, we can ensure that Advance remains a safe, supportive and inclusive organisation for all.
We value diversity and therefore welcome applications from everyone interested in working at Advance. We are a Disability Confident Leader.
Advance Housing & Support Ltd reserves the right to close this job once sufficient applications have been received.
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Skills Required