At a Glance
- Tasks: Support the public and local network with enquiries, ensuring smooth operations and effective communication.
- Company: Join Citizens Advice, a vital organisation making a difference in people's lives every day.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working arrangements, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace committed to equity and social justice.
- Why this job: Be the first point of contact for those in need and help them navigate their challenges.
- Qualifications: Strong organisational skills and experience with ticketing systems or collaborative technologies.
The predicted salary is between 31500 - 38500 £ per year.
Location: Blended between office and home (England and Wales). Time in office negotiable.
Salary: £28,671 plus £3,612 London weighting if applicable.
Hours Per Week: 36 hours and 15 minutes.
Employment type: Fixed Term. Contract Duration: 1 year.
Citizens Advice offers confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free. Through our national network of charities, we give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.
As a Network Support Assistant, you are National Citizens Advice’s first point of contact for the public and the local Citizens Advice network, delivering a high-quality, multi-channel enquiry and support service. You will triage and resolve foundational enquiries while ensuring complex matters are seamlessly escalated to subject matter experts. In response to support requests from the network, you manage essential operational workflows—from publishing recruitment adverts to coordinating prestigious Royal visits and helping to maintain the integrity of the national member register.
- Ability to work within a team responsible for supporting local offices in the delivery of high quality multi-channel enquiry services across multiple locations.
- Understanding of how contact centres and/or advice centres operate and performance is measured, including the management of services in accordance with set Key Performance Indicators.
- Strong organisational skills, with proven ability to plan and organise your own work in a busy environment, working accurately to agreed deadlines.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills and an ability to build and maintain effective working relationships internally and externally.
- Experience of using ticketing systems, and Google apps or other collaborative technologies to support teamwork and management.
Do you want to work for an organisation that makes a difference, every single day, to people from all walks of life? The people that turn to Citizens Advice need help overcoming an obstacle in their lives - from debt to evictions to trouble at work – and you can be key to them getting the support they need in the quickest, easiest, and most effective way.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is of strategic importance within the organisation and recognised as integral to all we do as a service. Central to pursuing our EDI mission is building diverse and inclusive teams in which everyone has a sense of belonging. We believe inclusion is a social justice issue - a principle that underpins our all EDI work. To that end, we particularly welcome applications from people we would like to see better represented in our organisation and sector - people of colour, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people.
We follow the social model of disability. We will offer an interview to disabled candidates who indicate they wish their application to be considered under our Disability Confident Interview Commitment where they meet our selection criteria in their application. Some of our roles attract a high volume of applications and in some circumstances where it is not practicable or appropriate, we may limit the number of interviews offered to disabled and non-disabled candidates. We will provide reasonable adjustments as needed.
We’re a flexible employer, so this role may suit anyone who’d prefer a flexible arrangement to help their work/life balance, many of our colleagues spend most of their time working remotely. Whilst we prefer a blended approach between a local office, if one is near you, and home we’re open to being flexible on location, occasionally a role may require you to be based in a certain location if that’s the case it will be detailed in the advert or job description. This can be discussed in more detail during your interview.
The National Citizens Advice operates from offices in England and Wales, with 4 regional offices based in Cardiff, London, Birmingham and Leeds, therefore all successful applicants must be based within England or Wales.
Please be aware that Citizens Advice is not a sponsoring organisation. Therefore the successful applicant must already possess the right to work in the UK or be able to secure the right to work in the UK independently.
Network Support Assistant in Birmingham employer: Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice is an excellent employer that values flexibility and community impact, making it an ideal place for the Wales Insights & Engagement Specialist role. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and communication, employees are encouraged to grow their skills while contributing to meaningful initiatives that shape the future of support services in Wales. The supportive work culture fosters professional development and offers unique opportunities to engage with diverse communities across the region.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Network Support Assistant in Birmingham
✨Get Social with Customer Support Communities
Join customer support groups on platforms like Facebook or Reddit. They often share job openings or temp opportunities. Engaging with these communities can help you learn more about the specific skills and experiences employers are looking for, plus you'll meet folks who might know about openings at companies like Citizens Advice.
✨Leverage Seasonal Hiring Trends
Since customer support roles can spike during busy seasons (think holidays and sales periods), keep an eye out for timelines when companies ramp up hiring. Make sure to apply early and stay active; sending a quick follow-up a week after applying can show your enthusiasm for the role.
✨Flex Your Communication Skills
In customer support, communication is key! Prepare for hypothetical scenarios that test your problem-solving and customer interaction skills. Practising answers to common role-play questions can really help you shine in interviews—trust us, it makes a difference!
✨Make the Most of Job Boards
Use industry-specific job boards like Glassdoor or Indeed to find temporary roles. Don’t forget to set up alerts for customer support positions at companies like Citizens Advice. The earlier you apply, the better your chances, so keep your finger on the pulse!
We think you need these skills to ace Network Support Assistant in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Communication Skills:In customer support, top-notch communication is key. Make sure your CV showcases any previous experience where you’ve had to clearly convey information or resolve issues. If you’ve handled customer queries via email or chat, mention it! Let’s see those strong verbal and written skills shine through.
Showcase Problem-Solving Experience:Employers love to see how you've handled tricky situations. Include examples in your application where you’ve tackled customer concerns or had to think on your feet. It's all about proving you can keep cool under pressure and find solutions—something super important in a temporary customer support role!
Tailor Your Approach for Temporary Roles:Since this is a temporary gig, make sure your cover letter emphasises your flexibility and eagerness to dive right in. Mention that you're ready to hit the ground running and are adaptable to new tools or systems—this shows that you understand the urgency often needed in temporary positions.
Proof of Customer Satisfaction:If you’ve got any quantifiable achievements from past customer support roles, like improved customer satisfaction scores or successful project completions, make sure to include them. Numbers speak volumes! This not only shows your capability but also gives us a reason to believe you'll bring that same success to Citizens Advice.
How to prepare for a job interview at Citizens Advice
✨Master the Customer Interaction Game
In customer support, we need to showcase our people skills. Prepare for role-playing scenarios where you'll demonstrate how to handle difficult customers or resolve complaints. Think about the types of issues common in Citizens Advice's industry and how you can respond empathetically and effectively!
✨Know Your Products Inside Out
For a temporary role, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the products or services Citizens Advice offers. Brush up on key features, common issues, and FAQs. This knowledge will enable you to respond quickly and confidently to customer queries, showing you’re ready to jump in at a moment’s notice!
✨Flexibility is Key - Emphasise Your Adaptability!
Since this is a temporary role, we're looking to convey how quickly we can adapt to new systems or processes. Be ready to share examples of how you've quickly learned new tools or adjusted to changing environments in past roles. Show them you're the go-to person when the pressure's on!
✨Prepare for Quick Conversational Q&A
You might face a rapid-fire round of questions about customer service principles or how you'd handle specific situations. To ace this, think through different customer scenarios ahead of time, and practice your responses to ensure they're concise and impactful. The aim is to demonstrate your quick thinking and problem-solving skills!
