To manage and respond to Chief Executive Stage complaints, Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and Housing Ombudsman cases, ensuring the target timescales are met and appropriate remedies and redress are identified and implemented.
To provide comprehensive resolution to customer complaints, through effective identification of the root cause of issues and promoting a suitable remedy either through written or verbal formats.
To monitor the quality of contacts received via all access channels; telephone, online (Web) emails, face to face and letter through the service area that result in complaints, ensuring the learning from complaints is used to support a cycle of continuous improvement.
To assist in the managing of Stage 1 complaints received across the service area in addition to providing professional advice and support on all aspects of managing complaints and responses for other council departments and partner organisations until completion.
Principal accountabilities
To investigate and respond to corporate enquiries and complaints relating to Chief Executive stage complaints, Members Enquires, Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and Housing Ombudsman matters received by the Service area, either directly or via other council departments in line with current legislation and council policy.
As directed, to investigate stage 1 and other complaints and enquires received by the Service area, providing detailed and comprehensive responses within the council’s timescales. In addition, to make recommendations to resolve matters and support service development.
To coordinate Chief Executive, Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and Housing Ombudsman enquires and investigations and supervise those which have implications for more than one council department, liaising as necessary with councillors and officers ensuring professional standards and timescales are met.
To assess all types and stages of complaints in accordance with the work allocated and input, maintain accurate records on the councils Customer Relationship /Complaints system.
To provide training and guidance to complaint leads and officers on the use of the Customer Relationship Management /Complaints System for the purpose of data entry and reporting.
To identify and provide professional advice on issues relating to service delivery, policy and/or procedures. Where there is a particular cause for concern produce reports for Senior Managers.
To assist Senior Management in ensuring the upkeep and compliance to the Councils Complaints Policy and Unreasonable Behaviour Policy and to indorse policies and information provided by the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and Housing Ombudsman.
To undertake an ongoing analysis of trends patterns in terms of the complaints received and the outcomes and ensure this is reported to Senior Management in order that lessons are learned that may identify necessary improvements to working practices within the Service area and the wider council and partner organisations.
To organise and manage the complaints customer satisfaction surveys ensuring the surveys are sent out on time and the results recorded and shared with senior management, complaint leads and across the wider council.
To be responsible for providing complaints data and updating information for the service area, corporate reports and for the contribution to any adhoc reports as directed by the Senior Managers.
To manage the recharge system for Chief Executive stage complaints investigations ensuring that departments are provided with the accurate ledgers and correctly recharged.
To facilitate internal and external liaison groups, complaint lead meetings and meetings with members of the public on behalf of the corporate complaints service, forming effective and positive views and working relationships.
To work with internal and external individual complaint leads, departments and service areas to ensure that effective organisational learning takes place as a result of customer complaints, comments and other feedback, including the results of customer consultation surveys.
To maintain an up to date and in-depth knowledge of the statutory functions and services including legislative and policy provided across the Service area and the wider council with the ability to interpret and convey this to the public, officers’ councillors the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and Housing Ombudsman as necessary.
To keep abreast of new developments and changes in the Service area and wider council and be aware of best practice amongst other local authorities and the service sector generally and share any relevant information using our internal and external lines of communication including the council’s web pages.
To undertake other duties commensurate to the grade of the post.
General
Use and assist others in the use of information technology systems to carry out duties in the most efficient and effective manner.
Undertake training and constructively take part in meetings, supervision, seminars and other events designed to improve communication and assist with the effective development of the post and post holder.
To achieve agreed service outcomes and outputs, and personal targets, as agreed by the line manager.
At all times carrying out responsibilities/duties within the framework of the Council's Dignity for all Policy. (Equal Opportunities Policy).
