Chilton- Didcot (Scientific Campus)
Job Summary
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Personal Dosimetry Service (PDS) is a commercial service, approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), that measures and reports the radiation doses to employees working with ionising radiations in various sectors, such as industrial, research and medical. PDS uses passive personal dosemeters, which are worn by the workers and then sent back to PDS for analysis. PDS also contributes to UKHSA’s expertise and advice on radiation matters and generates a significant income for UKHSA. PDS has a staff of around 35 people and serves over 90,000 workers in the UK and abroad.
The Customer Services Supervisor is required to lead a team which is responsible for managing the accounts of all PDS customers. This involves dealing with new and existing customer enquiries for quotes, orders, invoicing and general queries. This administrative/management role is set in a scientific environment and requires a good understanding of business and customer care.
The Customer Services Supervisor will have line management responsibility and will also be responsible for supervision of office duties, including allocating resources, prioritising work, staff development & training, maintaining documentation and efficiency by liaising with other teams within PDS, UKHSA Finance and our customers.
Job Description
The Customer Services Supervisor is required to work as part of a small team which is responsible for the customer services function within PDS.
The Post Holder’s Main Duties Will Involve:
- Responsibility of the day-to-day work of the office, maintaining a high level of accuracy in accordance with standard operating procedures.
- Prioritising workloads and work patterns as necessary to meet requirements
- Liaising regularly with other Office/Lab Supervisors and staff for effective communication within PDS and with finance colleagues
- Liaising with customers; responding to their queries and complaints in a timely manner
- Supporting Senior Management with monthly financial income and credit information
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Managerial
- Fully supporting your team, by holding regular meetings, support training and development, ensure that procedures are reviewed/updated regularly, and problems are resolved quickly
- Managing resources to ensure that Customer Services team functions efficiently
- Ensuring that working practice instructions and user manuals are updated
- Taking responsibility for overseeing the account maintenance of several special customers
- Giving feedback in regular office meetings and raising suggestions for improving working practices
- Managing testing and changes to the PDS bespoke database, including suggestions for improvement to the tasks and a proactive approach in ensuring an excellent service is provided to all customers.
Customer Service
- Ensuring that the Customer Services team always delivers an excellent level of customer service i.e. reliable, prompt, courteous and clearly communicated
- Liaising with customers; responding to their queries and complaints in a timely manner and providing guidance to your team
- Maintaining a professional business approach, and establishing continual lines of communication with existing and potential customers by telephone, correspondence, newsletter etc.
- Building business relationships with clients to understand their needs by attending online/in-person meetings, and occasional attendance at conferences and exhibitions
- Ensuring that all staff in the Customer Services Team are sufficiently trained to provide good customer service
This role requires a high level of thoroughness, concentration and checking to ensure orders and financial details are accurate. Full on-the-job training will be provided. There will also be close contact with other teams within PDS as well as other UKHSA groups such as Finance and on-site Facilities etc.
The work is carried out to tight deadlines specified in regulatory requirements, in QA documentation or by line managers. The Customer Services Supervisor will be responsible for his/her own work and that of the team to fulfil the required duties effectively and efficiently by prioritising workload. This will be carried out by accurately interpreting both customer requirements and reviewing these against business capabilities.
Emergency Response
Occasional participation in the UKHSA response to radiological emergencies when the need arises may be needed, in accordance with the roles described in the RCCE Emergency Plan. These roles will be appropriate to the post holder’s level of knowledge and experience.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The Customer Services Supervisor will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include: -
Internal
- Customer Services team (i.e. line management of team members)
- Administration staff in the PDS group
- Other Supervisors within the PDS group
- Specialist staff in other groups/departments (including Finance)
- Scientific/Senior staff in group up to Group Leader
- Head of Department
- Scientific staff in other Departments up to Group Leader (including Radiation Protection Advisors)
External
- Commercial customers (several times daily). This is mainly by phone or e-mail contact with customers at a wide range of levels, up to senior management. It will involve provision of invoicing information, unreturned dosemeter data, and responding to financial queries
- Customer contacts range from radiation specialists (RPAs and wearers of dosemeters) to those who have little knowledge of radiation (administrators and receptionists), at both senior and junior levels
- Occasional liaison with customers during visits to PDS or at conferences and exhibitions
- Customers’ specialist Radiation Protection Advisers
- PDS Service Suppliers, such as Conference & Exhibition organisers
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attend internal / external training events.
- Participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.
The Customer Services Supervisor is required to work as part of a small team which is responsible for the customer services function within PDS.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Managerial
- Fully supporting your team, by holding regular meetings, support training and development, ensure that procedures are reviewed/updated regularly, and problems are resolved quickly
- Managing resources to ensure that Customer Services team functions efficiently
- Ensuring that working practice instructions and user manuals are updated
- Taking responsibility for overseeing the account maintenance of several special customers
- Giving feedback in regular office meetings and raising suggestions for improving working practices
- Managing testing and changes to the PDS bespoke database, including suggestions for improvement to the tasks and a proactive approach in ensuring an excellent service is provided to all customers.
Customer Service
- Ensuring that the Customer Services team always delivers an excellent level of customer service i.e. reliable, prompt, courteous and clearly communicated
- Liaising with customers; responding to their queries and complaints in a timely manner and providing guidance to your team
- Maintaining a professional business approach, and establishing continual lines of communication with existing and potential customers by telephone, correspondence, newsletter etc.
- Building business relationships with clients to understand their needs by attending online/in-person meetings, and occasional attendance at conferences and exhibitions
- Ensuring that all staff in the Customer Services Team are sufficiently trained to provide good customer service
This role requires a high level of thoroughness, concentration and checking to ensure orders and financial details are accurate. Full on-the-job training will be provided. There will also be close contact with other teams within PDS as well as other UKHSA groups such as Finance and on-site Facilities etc.
The work is carried out to tight deadlines specified in regulatory requirements, in QA documentation or by line managers. The Customer Services Supervisor will be responsible for his/her own work and that of the team to fulfil the required duties effectively and efficiently by prioritising workload. This will be carried out by accurately interpreting both customer requirements and reviewing these against business capabilities.
Emergency Response
Occasional participation in the UKHSA response to radiological emergencies when the need arises may be needed, in accordance with the roles described in the RCCE Emergency Plan. These roles will be appropriate to the post holder’s level of knowledge and experience.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The Customer Services Supervisor will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include: -
Internal
- Customer Services team (i.e. line management of team members)
- Administration staff in the PDS group
- Other Supervisors within the PDS group
- Specialist staff in other groups/departments (including Finance)
- Scientific/Senior staff in group up to Group Leader
- Head of Department
- Scientific staff in other Departments up to Group Leader (including Radiation Protection Advisors)
External
- Commercial customers (several times daily). This is mainly by phone or e-mail contact with customers at a wide range of levels, up to senior management. It will involve provision of invoicing information, unreturned dosemeter data, and responding to financial queries
- Customer contacts range from radiation specialists (RPAs and wearers of dosemeters) to those who have little knowledge of radiation (administrators and receptionists), at both senior and junior levels
- Occasional liaison with customers during visits to PDS or at conferences and exhibitions
- Customers’ specialist Radiation Protection Advisers
- PDS Service Suppliers, such as Conference & Exhibition organisers
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attend internal / external training events.
- Participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- 5 GCSEs (or equivalent qualification) including Maths and English or equivalent relevant experience
- Extensive experience of working in a commercial environment to include direct contact with customers
- Good understanding of business functions and financial processes
- Experience of supervising and working as part of a team in a customer-oriented environment
- Good understanding of computer record functions and processes
- Excellent customer care skills, which includes the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
- Ability to form good working relationships with customers, staff and suppliers; working flexibly within the PDS team
- Attention to detail, ensuring accuracy – including data entry and quality assurance checks
- Excellent organisational and planning skills; including prioritization and time management
- Competent computer skills (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel and web-based products), including a good understanding of computer record functions and processes.
Desirable Criteria
- General awareness of the hazards and uses of ionising radiation
- Understanding of Data Protection legislation
- Good analytical and decision-making skills with the ability to assess complex situations, investigate queries and interpret results
- Good degree of self-motivation and the ability to motivate others, work on own initiative, organising workload to set deadlines
Alongside your salary of £30,441, UK Health Security Agency contributes £8,818 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Selection process details
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and/or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Competency-based
You Will Be Required To Complete An Application Form. You Will Be Assessed On The Listed 10 Essential Criteria, And This Will Be In The Form Of A:
- Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- 800 word supporting statement.
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
The Application form and supporting statement will be marked together.
Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we may longlist into 3 piles of:
- Meets all essential criteria
- Meets some essential criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
If longlisting is used, the pile 'meets all essential criteria' will proceed to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the lead criteria of:
- Extensive experience of working in a commercial environment to include direct contact with customers
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/large amount of successful candidates.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment
Please
do not exceed 800 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
Competency based
You will be invited to a single face to face interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.
Interviews dates to be confirmed.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Selection Process
Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.
Location
This role is being offered as office/lab based at our Scientific Campus in Chilton (Didcot). Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check. If based at one of our scientific campuses, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Eligibility Criteria
External: Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).
Face to Face Interviews
In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Salary Information
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
Future location
UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK. The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs. You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Link below: Artificial intelligence and recruitment , Civil Service Careers
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Careers website
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : Lisa Tweedie
- Email : lisa.tweedie@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
http://www.healthjobsuk.com/vacancy/7621117
