• Welcome
• About Waltham Forest
• About Ascham Homes
• The roles
  • Job Description and Competency Deputy Chief Executive
  • Person Specification - Deputy Chief Executive
  • Job Description and Competency Head of Asset Management
  • Person Specification - Head of Asset Management
  • Job Description and Competency - Head of Customer Services
  • Person Specification - Head of Customers Services
  • Terms and Conditions of Service
• Recruitment Process
• How to apply

Job Description and Competency

Job Title: Head of Customer Services


Responsible to: Deputy Chief Executive – Service Delivery


Responsible for: Complaints / Service Improvement Manager
Senior Customer and Support Officers x3


Job Purpose: The Head of Customer Services is responsible for providing strategic leadership to direct reports and team members ensuring delivery of a first class customer focused service meeting all performance and operational targets.


Ascham Homes has the following Visions and Priorities.


Vision: Working together to provide quality homes in a thriving community


Priorities:
People: Listening and responding to needs
Resources: Making the best use of money – doing more for less
Improvement: Achieving very high resident satisfaction through service improvement
Development: Rewarding the can do attitude & commitment of our staff
Environment: Community impacts through joint action


Key Responsibilities (Corporate):


• Contribute to the strategic development of Ascham Homes.
• Develop key communication channels with management colleagues and business partners.
• Negotiate and work with business partners as required and strive to understand the perspective of others in such situations.
• Take a lead role in managing change including challenging processes, empowering people and developing decision-making.
• Ensure best value is obtained in all work undertaken and value for money achieved
Take a lead role in effectively implementing the REFOCUS programme and other key components of continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the delivery and implementation of Ascham Homes Business Plan.
Ensure that the Company implements it’s commitment to delivering an excellent customer focused service, has awareness of the sector and its challenges and promotes customer involvement. Look for ways to exceed customer expectations and invite feedback.
• Ensure compliance with Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Statutory Health and Safety and other related regulations including compliance of all contracts.
• Ensure sound financial management systems in Customer Services, controls and information systems are in place so that all money is spent properly, recorded appropriately and all costs are effectively controlled and demonstrate good value for money.


Key Responsibilities (Functional)


• Manage, motivate and inspire direct reports and team members to deliver outstanding services and activities to all customers.
• Define customer care strategy with Deputy Chief Executive - Service Delivery.
• Proactively operate and manage Customer Services budgets and financial requirements to ensure budget allocations are not exceeded.
• Maximise use of resources so that customer waiting times are minimised and overall experience enhanced.
• Instil a culture of training and development throughout Customer Service which enables team members to become highly skilled and proficient in their customer service role and to maximise their potential and aspirations.
• Incorporate performance management as an embedded principle within Customer Services to meet targets and deliver KPIs and ensure that the framework used is clearly understood by all staff.
• Actively involve Staff in interpreting and applying plans to improve levels of Customer Service.
• Treat all customer complaints as priority and provide timely and appropriate responses to such complaints and other normal enquiries, meeting targets and indicators set.
• Utilise all complaints as valuable learning material which is then used to increase knowledge, awareness, understanding and competence within Customer Services and its staff.
• Keep up to date with technical advances and developments within telephony and associated IT and be familiar with general trends and developments within the customer service industry generally. Initiate and/or recommend improvements, changes and different approaches.
• As a line manager, to ensure that the organisation’s health & safety, equality, diversity and inclusion policies are fully implemented at all times and in all aspects of service delivery and employment. Create a working environment where staff feel valued, motivated and safe.
• In all aspects of the company’s work, to promote effective communications, excellence in customer service, a focus on continuous improvement and a proactive approach to all best practice; and legal and compliance matters.
Undertake regular 1 to 1 supervision through performance management regime of all direct reports, provide effective review and appraisals ensuring SMART objectives are in place, and delivered linked to the business and delivery plans.
• Ensure effective management of the performance management scheme throughout areas of responsibility.
• Ensure regular training needs assessment is carried out for team and put in place effective training and support to address needs.
• Effectively manage sickness and absence in division to achieve top quartile outcomes.