Salary £28.142-£32,061 per annum |37 hours per week | Permanent, Full time | Preston, Lancashire

 Job Purpose 

To investigate and resolve Highways corporate complaints thoroughly and fairly; liaising with other Highways teams, where appropriate. This may include providing general and specific feedback and technical support to other team members.

The role holder will use their practical and procedural knowledge, along with their analytical and judgmental skills, to interpret and reply to complex Highways complaints. We expect role holders to work independently and to conduct complaint investigations to a high standard. Role holders should also act on feedback and escalate complaints where necessary. 

The role is key to improving the experience of highway users by highlighting trends and areas for improvement. The role also ensures that we comply with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman's complaint handling code.

There will be an expectation for the Complaints Enquiries Officer role to also support the wider Highways Enquiries team in their roles, assisting with Highways Enquiries from County Councillors and MP's, covering annual leave and assisting the team with correspondence during busy periods when the volumes of enquiries are high, ensuring the objectives of the team are met and maintained on a daily basis.

We are looking for someone with strong organisational skills and attention to detail, to ensure they can communicate effectively with key stakeholders. This is a demanding, diverse, and busy post.

Excellent communication skills are essential as there is an expectation to interact with internal and external 'customers' regularly as well as senior stakeholders.

 Accountabilities/Responsibilities 

• Exercise judgement to ensure our replies reflect the council's policies and procedures

• Administer and reply to Corporate Highways complaints and Highways enquiries

• Draft high-quality responses to complex correspondence, ensuring they are fair and accurate and written to the highest standard ensuring complete record keeping on all the relevant systems when required

• Exercise judgment to ensure our replies reflect the policies of Lancashire County Council

• Provide complaints data and feedback to support service improvements

• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external partners to ensure joined-up service provision

• Provide guidance on complex issues and escalate problems when necessary

   

Skills, Knowledge and Experience 

• Extended experience (or the ability to demonstrate aptitude) in written complaints resolution 

• Excellent written communication skills

• Working knowledge of the varied practices, processes and procedures relevant to the role

• The ability to forge and maintain good relationships with stakeholders at all levels

• Skills and experience appropriate to the job discipline, including GDPR and Data protection knowledge. 

    In addition to the skills, knowledge and experience described above, you may be required to undertake a lower graded role as appropriate.

Due to the changing nature of the business, this job description serves as a framework to outline the main areas of responsibility.  It is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive and will inevitably change. You may be required to undertake other activities of a similar nature that fall within the remit of your area of work, as directed by service management, and this may entail working from other locations.

In return Lancashire County Council offers a range of benefits, which can be found on LCC Vacancies website.

We reserve the right to close down a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.

Job description

Person specification