Location
Croydon

Hours
36 hours per week

Salary
Grade 9 (£42,060 - £43,680 per annum) plus fantastic benefits

About the Role
Are you passionate about delivering excellent customer service, resolving complex issues, and driving organisational learning? We are looking for an experienced and motivated Complaints Resolution Officer to join our Corporate Complaints Team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in ensuring that customer complaints are investigated fairly, thoroughly, and in line with Ombudsman requirements while helping services learn and improve.

You will lead on the management of complex Stage 2 complaints across a wide range of council services, coordinate responses to Ombudsman enquiries, and work with senior managers to embed a positive complaints culture across the organisation. Your work will directly influence service improvement and help ensure that residents receive the high standards of service they deserve.

Key responsibilities include managing and coordinating complex Stage 2 complaints for non-statutory services, supporting the management of Statutory Stage 2 Children's Services complaints, investigating complaints through evidence review, interviews, site visits and engagement with customers and staff, producing clear, balanced and customer-focused responses on behalf of senior leaders and directors, managing enquiries and investigations from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and Housing Ombudsman, identifying risks, trends and learning opportunities from complaints and escalating issues where appropriate, supporting services to improve complaint handling, customer experience and service delivery, developing and delivering complaint handling training to officers and members, building strong relationships with stakeholders across the Council, partner organisations and external agencies, and promoting a culture of ownership, accountability and continuous improvement.

Experience
- Experience of complaint handling or the ability to demonstrate highly relevant transferable skills
- Experience of working with stakeholders at all levels, including senior managers
- Experience of dealing with customers in challenging or sensitive situations
- Experience of reviewing information, gathering evidence and producing clear recommendations

About You
- Committed to ensuring customers are heard and treated fairly
- Demonstrates empathy and professionalism, particularly when dealing with vulnerable customers and complex situations
- Manages expectations honestly and works proactively to achieve positive outcomes
- Takes ownership of complex work and sees tasks through to completion
- Uses evidence, sound judgement and analysis to reach balanced decisions
- Effectively manages competing priorities while maintaining high standards and meeting deadlines
- Embraces new ways of working and seeks opportunities to improve processes
- Resilient and able to remain calm and effective under pressure
- Learns from feedback, complaints and organisational learning to drive improvement
- Builds productive relationships with colleagues, managers and external stakeholders
- Works across organisational boundaries to achieve the best outcomes for residents
- Contributes positively to team success and shares learning and best practice
- Communicates clearly, confidently and professionally, both verbally and in writing
- Explains complex issues in plain English
- Influences and challenges constructively at all levels of the organisation
- Positive and proactive approach to change and continuous improvement

Qualifications
- Knowledge of complaint handling principles, legislation and relevant guidance
- Understanding of best practice in customer complaints and customer feedback management
- Awareness of service improvement approaches within local government
- Understanding of the wider context in which local authorities operate
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
- Excellent investigation, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong written communication skills, including report writing and drafting responses on complex issues
- Excellent presentation and facilitation skills
- Sound judgement when handling sensitive or high-profile cases
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality outcomes
- Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
- Confidence to influence, challenge and engage with senior leaders
- Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail