Customer Services Officer – AR

Customer Services Officer

Location: Carmarthenshire
Contract: Fixed Term – 4 months
End Date: 31 January 2027
Hours: Monday to Friday, within Contact Centre hours of 8:30am–6:00pm
Reporting to: Hwb Supervisor

About the Role

Carmarthenshire County Council is looking for a motivated and customer-focused Customer Services Officer to join its Customer Services team on a fixed-term basis.

You will act as a key link between residents and Council departments, providing an efficient and professional first point of contact across a range of Council services. The role is primarily telephone-based, although you may also deal with customers face-to-face, by email, digitally and through social media.

A key part of the role will be helping customers to access information and services online wherever possible, while providing additional assistance to those who are unable to self-serve.

Key Responsibilities

• Deal with customer enquiries primarily by telephone, as well as face-to-face and through digital channels.
• Provide accurate information and assistance across a wide range of Council services.
• Aim to resolve enquiries at the first point of contact, taking ownership of customer queries wherever possible.
• Support customers with online services and encourage digital self-service.
• Assist customers with completing forms, applications, service requests and documentation.
• Process and update customer information accurately on Council systems and databases.
• Deal with enquiries relating to Council Tax, Housing Benefits, Housing Repairs, Homelessness, Debt Recovery, Blue Badges, Licensing, Refuse and Recycling and Public Protection.
• Identify customers who may require additional financial or wellbeing support and make appropriate referrals.
• Deal sensitively and professionally with challenging or vulnerable customers.
• Remain alert to potential fraudulent claims or documentation.
• Work within relevant Council procedures, legislation and guidelines when providing information and making decisions.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with Data Protection requirements.
• Record customer feedback, complaints, satisfaction information and other relevant data.
• Support the monitoring and response of the Council’s corporate social media account when required.
• Work flexibly across different Council sites and access channels according to operational requirements.
• Assist with the training and development of new members of staff when required.

About You

The successful candidate will have:

• Previous customer service or contact centre experience.
• Experience dealing with members of the public and responding positively to their needs.
• Excellent telephone and interpersonal skills.
• The ability to remain calm, professional and empathetic when dealing with difficult situations.
• Strong IT and keyboard skills with the ability to use a range of systems and applications.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to work accurately in a busy environment.
• The confidence to explain information clearly and support customers to resolve issues themselves.
• A proactive, self-motivated and flexible approach.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a team.

Desirable Experience

• Previous Local Authority/Council customer service experience.
• Knowledge of Council services such as Council Tax, Housing Benefits, Housing, Homelessness or Public Protection.
• Experience working in a public-sector customer service or contact centre environment.
• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification in Customer Care.
• Experience retrieving information from a range of sources and presenting it clearly.

Additional Requirements

The successful candidate must be able to travel to other Council locations across Carmarthenshire, including rural areas, when required to provide operational cover. There may also be occasions where attendance at events requires working outside normal core hours.

A Standard DBS Disclosure is required for the position, with renewal/DBS Update Service requirements as specified by the Council.

Welsh language skills: Spoken Level 4 and Written Level 2.
English: Spoken and Written Level 4.

Why Join?

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Customer Service or Contact Centre professional to gain or further develop experience within a Local Authority environment, supporting residents across a wide range of essential Council services.