Full Time 37 hours per week

Are you passionate about delivering excellent customer service and helping to improve public services? Devon County Council is looking for a proactive and organised Customer Relations Officer to join our Customer Relations Team.

The Customer Relations Team manages customer feedback, compliments, comments and complaints from across Devon County Council. As a Customer Relations Officer, you will play a key role in ensuring that customers receive a timely, professional and compassionate response, while supporting services to learn and improve from feedback.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a friendly and supportive team that works with customers, senior managers, and partner organisations across the Council.

Main Responsibilities

Customer feedback and complaint coordination:
You will coordinate customer feedback and complaints throughout the complaints process, ensuring cases are accurately recorded, monitored and progressed in line with relevant procedures and statutory requirements. You will support complainants, managers and investigating officers to achieve timely and high-quality outcomes.

Customer contact and advice:
As one of the first points of contact for the Customer Relations Team, you will provide advice, information and support to members of the public, their representatives, partner organisations and Council staff. You will handle a wide range of enquiries with professionalism, tact and sensitivity.

Case management and administration:
You will maintain accurate case records and electronic files, monitor key timescales, issue acknowledgements and reminders, and ensure that all information is properly recorded and managed. You will also support the administration of more complex complaint investigations where required.

Data, reporting and performance monitoring:
You will use customer feedback systems and Microsoft Office applications to record, retrieve and analyse information. You will contribute to the production of management information, performance reports and statistical returns, helping the organisation understand trends and improve services.

About You
You will be an organised and customer-focused professional with experience of working in a busy customer service environment. You will be able to manage competing priorities, work accurately under pressure and demonstrate a commitment to delivering high-quality services.

You will have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and be confident dealing with a wide range of people, including those who may be distressed, frustrated or dissatisfied. You will be able to build positive working relationships and handle sensitive situations with empathy, tact and professionalism.

Strong IT skills are essential, particularly in Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook, Word and Excel. Experience of working with customer feedback, complaints or case management systems would be advantageous.

Benefits and Working Environment
This is a varied and rewarding role where you will have the opportunity to make a real difference to the experiences of Devon residents and service users. No two days are the same, and you will work alongside a dedicated team committed to improving services through learning from customer feedback.

We offer a supportive and collaborative working environment, opportunities for learning and development, flexible and hybrid working arrangements, and excellent local government benefits.

This position is offered as a hybrid role, providing flexibility to work remotely; however, the successful candidate will be expected to attend County Hall in Exeter at least once a week. Regular in-person collaboration is important for maintaining team cohesion, sharing knowledge and ensuring customers continue to receive a high-quality service.

If you are looking for a role where your organisational skills, customer focus and attention to detail can have a meaningful impact, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion, please contact CRTManager@devon.gov.uk.

How to apply
Please ensure when completing your application form that you provide a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the essential and desirable criteria as described in the person specification of the job description. Applications may not be taken forwards if the supporting statement is not adequately completed.

Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.

Please click Apply Now to see further information.

• DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on our Equality and Diversity webpages. 
• For details on the use of AI in applications and Devon County Council’s use of AI in Recruitment please see Use of AI in Our Recruitment Processes - Working for Devon | Devon County Council
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working - The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work e.g. hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.  
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English. 
• Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with the Applicant privacy notice. 
• For more information about Working for Devon please visit our Working for Devon page. 
• We cannot consider visa sponsorship at this time. UK Right to Work is required. For further guidance on right to work in the UK, please visit: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). 

Reference: REQ010158

Pay: £26,824.00-£28,598.00 per year

Work Location: In person