Senior Customer Experience Specialist in Braintree

Eastlight Community Homes is proud to be the largest community gateway social housing provider in the country. Together with our residents and communities, we create safe, affordable homes and neighbourhoods that people are proud to live in. We are seeking a Senior Customer Experience Specialist to join Eastlight Community Homes on a permanent basis. You will be responsible for leading high quality complaint resolution and help drive service improvement across the organisation.

In this role, you’ll handle Stage 1 complaints, support Stage 2 colleagues, oversee Ombudsman cases, and ensure full compliance with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code and Tenant Satisfaction Measures. You’ll also step in to support and lead the Customer Experience Team when the Manager is absent.

• Lead Complaint Handling
  • Lead Stage 1 complaint investigations from start to finish, ensuring responses are clear, fair, evidence based, and fully compliant with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
  • Support and guide Stage 2 handlers, offering expertise to ensure investigations and responses remain compliant and robust.
  • Oversee Housing Ombudsman cases, ensuring evidence submissions are accurate and timely, and applying learning to prevent repeat findings.
• Drive Insight & Service Improvement
  • Identify themes, trends, repeat service failures, and root causes across complaints and feedback.
  • Work with service areas to embed learning, improve processes, and reduce recurrence of issues.
  • Support the organisation’s annual self assessment against the Complaint Handling Code and contribute to regulatory compliance, including Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs).
• Strengthen Resident Experience & Early Resolution
  • Contact residents proactively following negative feedback to resolve concerns early.
  • Provide clear, empathetic communication so residents feel heard and supported.
  • Identify any vulnerabilities or reasonable adjustments and ensure they are recorded and acted on.
• Monitor, Report & Maintain Accurate Records
  • Maintain accurate, high quality complaint records in all systems, ensuring GDPR compliance.
  • Contribute to performance dashboards, management reports, and statutory reporting.
  • Track outcomes, improvement actions, and follow through on commitments made to residents.
• Lead & Support Team Operations
  • Provide day to day leadership, acting as team senior in the absence of the Customer Experience Manager.
  • Allocate workloads, support team members with complex cases, and ensure consistent service delivery.
  • Lead the development and rollout of regular complaint/learning clinics to support capability building across the organisation.
• Manage High Profile & Sensitive Enquiries
  • Oversee the CEO/MP/Councillor mailbox, including triage, coordination, and production of high quality responses.
  • Manage housing related enquiries requiring senior level oversight or escalation.
• Support Ombudsman, Compliance & Risk Management
  • Manage Ombudsman Portal interactions and ensure updates are communicated to the CET Manager.
  • Monitor and implement Ombudsman orders, ensuring compliance and organisational learning.
  • Identify emerging risks, service failures, or safeguarding concerns and expedite escalation.
• Operational & Administrative Responsibilities
  • Oversee compensation administration, ensuring timely payments and quarterly reporting of trends.
  • Support mailbox management, triage incoming enquiries, and coordinate responses.
  • Work independently with sound judgement in a fast paced environment.
• Continuous Improvement & Professional Development
  • Stay up to date with sector guidance, best practice, and Housing Ombudsman publications.
  • Attend relevant training and briefings and share learning with colleagues.
  • Promote early resolution, improved communication, and high quality complaint handling across the organisation.

To demonstrate our commitment to you, we have developed a sector leading total rewards package: £41,033 per annum Permanent 37 hours per week Group stakeholder pension plan (Eastlight will double, up to 5% of the employee’s contribution – Employee 5% + Eastlight 10% = Total 15%) 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays Annual wellbeing grant of £200 per annum – Subject to eligibility Trailblazing family leave (Maternity, Paternity and Adoption – 12 weeks full pay/6 weeks half pay) – Subject to eligibility A healthcare cash plan, life assurance Formal qualifications and paid professional membership.

At Eastlight we support, develop, and invest in our people, together creating a culture where people love to work. There has never been a better time to join us! Click the link below to submit your CV and personal statement. Eastlight Community Homes is a disability confident leader and equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse culture, which is why we encourage applications from everyone. If you require any support with the application process, please contact recruitment@eastlighthomes.co.uk. Eastlight Community Homes are unable to provide Visa Sponsorship.

Closing Date: 5 April 2025 at 23:59 Interview Date: Interviews are expected to be held w/c 20 April 2026 in person at Braintree Hub or via Microsoft Teams. We reserve the right to close or withdraw this vacancy earlier than advertised should we receive a sufficient number of applications.