Job Description

POST TITLE:

Customer Service Advisor

SECTION:

Customer Services

SALARY:

Grade 3 (23,074 - 24,469 pa pro rata)

Location:

Sittingbourne, Kent

Contract Type:

Part time/Permanent

Part time post: 19hrs

(Monday/Wednesday/Thursday 9am-2pm & Friday 9am-1pm)

Are you a great team player and confident communicator? If so, we want to hear from you!

We have an exciting opportunity for a Customer Service Advisor to join our team on a part time basis, helping the people of Swale access the services we deliver. We do this over the phone, emails, through promotion of our online services, social media, and face-to-face.

Are you...?

- Articulate and a good communicator with interpersonal skills
- Computer literate and experienced in providing a confident telephone service in a contact centre or similar environment
- Able to effectively listen, showing patience and empathy
- Adaptable and calm under pressure
- Able to work alone but also work as part of a team
- Able to demonstrate a positive approach to understanding the customer experience
- Driven and committed to providing excellent customer service

About the Role

Being the first point of contact for the council, you will be providing a professional interface between the customer and the organisation by way of active listening and empathy responding to a variety of enquiries on behalf of different services through the differing contact methods. Experience delivering Revenues and Benefits services would be advantageous but not essential.

With supporting customers at the heart of the job, in what at times be a fast-paced role, you will need to have great communication skills as well as a respectful approach at all times.

This is a part time position and with the nature of the role, resource is required to support the business needs in accordance with the council's opening times and peak periods of demand, so the working pattern is as follows:

Part time post:

19hrs per week

(Monday/Wednesday/Thursday 9am-2pm & Friday 9am-1pm)

About Swale Borough Council

Swale Borough Council is a progressive and ambitious Local Authority, located less than an hour from Central London in an attractive and diverse part of Kent involving urban, rural, and coastal areas. We believe that staff are our most valuable asset and we're committed to attracting and retaining the very best. In recent times, we have adapted and evolved to meet the current world by introducing a highly flexible hybrid working policy, along with a 34-hour week, recognising that staff wellbeing and work life balance is high on our agenda.

Our Offer

A range of benefits including:

- Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years' LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave.
- Additional 3 days' leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year.
- Free parking
- Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
- Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family
- Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
- Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
- Annual flu vaccine
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
- Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
- A professional fee payment, if required for the role

About You

Key requirements:

- Relevant experience in an office-based customer service environment, with experience in a contact centre or dealing with challenging customers over the telephone and in person
- The ability to work on various computer systems at the same time. You will need accurate keyboard skills with the ability to talk and type at the same time (a quick typing speed would be ideal)
- Excellent communication skills, including listening and using simple language with the ability to remain calm and professional at all times
- Educated to GCSE standard (or equivalent, including English & Maths at a grade 4 or above)
- Revenues and Benefits knowledge would be an advantage but not essential

The Council considers these to be customer focused roles and the ability to converse at ease with customers adapting communication style to suit differing audiences and provide advice in accurate spoken English is fundamental to the role.

Selection Process

Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment by telephone followed by an interview for successful candidates.

Swale Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to discuss this position, please contact

Carol Sargeant, Customer Service Manager

by phone.

To apply for the position please visit our website and complete the online application form or contact us by phone.

Closing Date:

Sunday 29 June 2025

Telephone Interview Date:

Thursday 3 July 2025

Interview Date:

Wednesday 9 July 2025

Job Types: Part-time, Permanent

Pay: 23,074.00-24,469.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Sittingbourne ME10

Reference ID: ACERH2906/RB