Head of Customer Services Transformation

Full Time – Fixed Term for 23 Months

It’s an exciting time for our Council, we’re developing a vision to transform the way we interact with and serve our residents and businesses.

This includes developing a Customer Fulfilment Centre to bring together all initial contact with customers, introducing a new Customer Relationship and Case management IT system and further developing our digital offering, alongside a revision of our customer experience model and related channels.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the role

Working effectively with senior officers and Members you’ll help us to change the way that we interact with our customers, adopting a best practice customer service model and making full use of digital and technical systems.

Key responsibilities:

• Direct the Customer Experience programme to successful delivery including the associated savings
• Lead the introduction of the Case & Customer Management system including related customer journey reviews
• Lead on the development of the front of house for the Civic Centre re-design
• Support the continuing development of the Customer Fulfilment Centre
• Support the introduction of a system of continuous review, with the customer at its heart, is embedded across the Council so that ‘traditional thinking’ is challenged, and that best practice and innovation pursued.

• Support the development of Modern Workplace 2 to develop the Council’s new Civic centre offices and the next steps for hybrid and agile working.

Working arrangements: Hybrid – mix of office remote working.

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - champion and inspire a culture which ensures that all employees across the organisation work together to provide excellent outcomes for Reading

Drive Efficiency - create an environment in which resources are used efficiently and employees’ skills are developed and used effectively

Be Ambitious - aspire to deliver excellence and inspire and support others to reach their potential

Make a Difference to Reading - inspire a culture in which the customer is the focus and where change is welcomed as an opportunity

About you

We’re looking for a highly experienced customer services leader to lead our transformation, you’ll need to be comfortable working at a senior level and able to champion customer service excellence across a large, diverse organisation.

Critically we’ll need you to have a deep understanding of customer service models, related technology – and the ability to deliver complex projects on time and to budget.

Key skills and experience:

• Significant experience of leading a large customer services team at senior management level
• Demonstrable experience of engagement with high profile stakeholders in a political environment, including politicians and unions.
• Experience in the formulation of policy, analysis, advice and implementation to senior managers and Members.

• Excellent judgement and analysis with the ability to broker solutions to complex problems.
• Knowledge and understanding of large and complex public service organisations.

Our offer

• A competitive salary
• Generous holiday entitlement - 30 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)

• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted, and a salary sacrifice scheme to help lower the cost of your nursery fees
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

For more information on this position, please contact recruitment@reading.gov.uk

Closing Date: 28th April 2023

Interview Date: w/c 8th May 2023