Head of Customer Service Help Desk - British High Commission

Section: Joint Corporate Services, Nairobi

Grade: B3 (L) (Full Time/Permanent)

Salary Ksh 192,867 Per Month

A vacancy has arisen at the British High Commission for a B3 (L) Head of Customer Service Help Desk (CSHD). The British High Commission Nairobi and British Embassy Mogadishu (Nairobi Office) consist of 350 employees with a wide variety of experience and job roles, representing 10 British government departments working within Kenya and Somalia.

The position is graded at B3 (L) for which the starting salary is Ksh. 192,867 per month before deduction of tax. Where the jobholder is not liable to Kenyan tax the scale will be abated under HM Treasury rules and starts at Ksh. 141,135 per month to take account of the tax they would have paid.

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the front line of Joint Corporate Services Team (JCST) activity. The successful candidate should have a good track record of Customer Service Management – including managing expectations and delivering difficult messages - and will need to demonstrate that they can work as part of a team, manage and motivate staff, delegate responsibilities and meet tight deadlines and targets. We will expect the successful candidate to become the Customer Service champion for the Mission. Outreach to the wider HMG Nairobi platform will be a key part of the job. The successful candidate will work closely with partners across government and should expect to spend a significant amount of their time helping them meet their corporate service requirements.

Key responsibilities

Working closely with the Section Heads within JCST, the successful candidate will need to deal with a range of contacts – both inside and outside the High Commission. S/he should therefore be able to provide support to the wider JCST while demonstrating excellent organisational skills. The key responsibilities are:-

• Leading a team of 3 Customer Service Officers that provide a first class customer experience by communicating quickly and efficiently, and by seeking and acting upon constant feedback while adhering to HMG Nairobi policy;
• Defining and delivering a JCST customer service strategy to ensure an excellent level of service is experienced across a diverse customer base, including staff coming to live and work in Kenya, and those locally employed;
• Collation of qualitative and quantitative service performance data, and analysis of it to inform continuous improvements to the way services are delivered across JCST.
• Duties and Responsibilities:
• Responsible for the management, organisation and co-ordination of the day to day work of a team of customer service officers on the CSHD to deliver the highest standards of services to customers. Ensure the CSHD is adequately resourced by liaising with relevant staff and planning resources effectively;
• Ensure that customer enquiries are dealt with in accordance with the performance and service standards as laid down by the Network Committee and Corporate Services charter, and any new Service Level Agreements between UK Government Departments. Personally deal with more complex enquiries, including complaints;
• Maintain effective relationships with service colleagues (Technical Works Group and other JCST teams), key stakeholders (User Group, Network and People Committees), contractors (local and UK), hard to reach groups (spouses and new arrivals), the wider community (including responsible Departments in the Foreign Office and regional posts) and other organisations to ensure the effective delivery of customer services;
• Challenge current methods of service delivery and identify, recommend and implement improvements to better meet agreed standards. Keep up to date with customer services best practice to improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs;
• Ensure allocated jobs are tracked and that the team follow-up to ascertain jobs are completed within agreed service times. Ensure that customer service officers achieve the required performance targets and standards. Monitor and report progress and performance, provide feedback and take appropriate corrective action;
• Maintain and develop a thorough and up-to-date working knowledge of all JCST services including procedures and guidance to deal with customer enquiries. Implement any changes to procedures, business processes and technology. Continually assess the effectiveness of the team, especially in terms of quality of service, and ensuring all guidance on SharePoint and on the DFID equivalent is kept relevant and up to date by the Customer Service teams and amended to cover new, regularly raised questions or concerns;
• Monitor and co-ordinate management information relating to the work of the teams. Undertake an annual JCST customer survey, consultation, exit surveys and elicit feedback on services with a view to improving service delivery. Critically analyse information, monitor performance, identify trends and make recommendations for continuous improvement to meet targets. Prepare and present reports and management information relating to performance and any other aspect of the team’s work;
• Ensure all relevant correspondence is answered within service targets. Ensure all complaints are answered in accordance with set procedures and guidelines. Monitor, track and analyse complaints making recommendations on trends and improvements that will reduce volume and pattern of complaints and improve quality of service;
• Motivate, develop, coach, train, induct and formally appraise employees to set performance standards, recognise achievement and deal with performance;
• Monitor and achieve appropriate customer outreach – by holding briefings with new arrivals and existing customer groups on different aspects of service offered and managing customers’ expectations, working closely with the CLO for UK-based staff. Liaise with teams across the mission to maintain an up to date list of arrivals and departures and coordinate a joined up Corporate Services response to ensure a positive customer experience.
• Manage the handover of HR and Finance enquiries to Regional hubs, helping to ensure continuity of service while easing the resource burden on those teams.

Required Skills

• Excellent communication skills, both spoken and written English
• Strong IT skills (a working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Word is essential)
• Previous staff management experience
• Customer service management experience
• Strong team working skills

Key Competences

• Seeing the Big Picture - having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs;
• Making Effective Decisions - being objective; using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert and professional advice;
• Leading and Communicating - leading from the front and communicating with clarity, conviction and enthusiasm;
• Collaborating and Partnering - People skilled in this area, creating and maintaining positive, professional and trusting working relationships with a wide range of people within and outside HMG Nairobi to help get business done;
• Managing a Quality Service - being organised to deliver service objectives and striving to improve the quality of service, taking account of diverse customer needs and requirements;
• Delivering at Pace - focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes

NOTE:

• The British High Commission in Nairobi is an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to inclusivity, a diverse workforce and valuing difference.
• Staffs recruited locally by The British High Commission in Nairobi are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local Kenyan employment law.
• All applicants must be legally able to work in Kenya with the correct visa/status/work permit.
• The successful candidate will be subject to reference checking and security clearances checks.
• If you have not heard from us 3 weeks after the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful. Note: Any questions you may have about this position will only be answered during interview, should you be invited.

Application

All applicants should submit a short (1 page maximum) covering letter stating why they are a suitable candidate for the position along with a copy of their CV in English, by email to: Recruitment.Africa@fco.gov.uk