Customer Relations Officer

Location: Chelmsford
Contract: Interim

About the role

Our client is a county council in the East of England, looking to appoint an Interim Customer Relations Officer to join its customer relations function. The role is based in Chelmsford and supports the council in responding to residents, service users and other stakeholders who contact the organisation with enquiries, feedback and complaints.

The successful candidate will manage cases from first contact through to resolution, investigating concerns, liaising with service areas and preparing clear, accurate responses. Much of the work involves balancing the needs of the customer with the council’s policies and statutory requirements, so a measured and fair approach is important.

This suits an experienced customer relations or complaints professional who can start quickly and work with a good degree of independence. The rate, start date and assignment length will be confirmed with candidates.

Main responsibilities

• Manage and respond to customer complaints, enquiries and feedback in line with council procedures
• Investigate concerns by liaising with service areas and gathering the information needed to reach a fair outcome
• Draft clear, accurate and empathetic written responses to customers
• Handle contact with residents and service users by phone, email and in writing
• Record cases accurately on the council’s customer relations system and keep records up to date
• Meet response deadlines and escalate complex or sensitive cases where appropriate
• Identify recurring issues and share learning with service areas to support improvements
• Support the handling of Ombudsman enquiries and related correspondence
• Work in line with data protection, equality and local government complaints requirements

Requirements

• Experience in a customer relations, complaints or customer service role, ideally within local government or the public sector
• A good understanding of complaints handling processes and customer service principles
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to draft clear and balanced responses
• Experience of managing a caseload to deadlines
• Good investigative skills and attention to detail
• The ability to deal with sensitive or challenging contacts in a calm and professional way
• Good IT skills, with experience of using case management or customer relationship systems
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

The offer

This is an interim position based in Chelmsford. Rate, start date and assignment length will be confirmed with candidates. You will join an established team within a large county council and take on a clear remit from the outset.

If you are an experienced Customer Relations Officer looking for an interim role in local government, this assignment offers a defined scope and a supportive working environment. Apply below.