Customer Services Advisor

Job description

As a Customer Service Advisor at HMRC, you will be the first point of contact for our customers, providing essential advice and assistance, predominantly over the phone, email and web chat.

Your can‑do attitude and passion for helping people will be key, as we fully train you to navigate various conversations and provide clear, quick information.

We will invest in you by providing structured training, development opportunities, and a clear path for advancement.

You will be responsible for:

• Speaking to customers on the phone, helping them with their questions or issues.
• Helping customers to pay the correct amount of tax at the right time.
• Taking payments by phone and via our online services.
• Creating customer records and keeping them up to date.
• Using webchat and email to support our customers online.

If you are allocated to our Debt Management team your duties will also include:

• Discussing, calculating and collecting interest and penalties for late payments or late filing of tax returns.

We work a variety of shifts between 7:45 am and 8 pm, Monday to Saturday, to make sure we can help customers when they need us.

You will work a maximum of one late shift per week (ending at 8 pm) and a maximum of 6 Saturdays each year.

HMRC is an office‑based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60 % of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community.

The majority of roles within customer services allow you to work from home two days a week if you choose, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time). This includes Saturday and 8 pm shifts.

On the days you attend the office, you will be working in the Regional Centre location shown in the title heading of this advert that you are applying for.

As a flexible employer, we will consider part‑time requests. Part‑time is a minimum of 25 hours per week covering a variety of shifts. All shift patterns, working days and hours will be discussed with your manager when you join us. Pay and annual leave will be pro‑rata if we can agree your request.

During your induction training programme, which will last between 6 and 12 weeks, you will be expected to work full time 37 hours per week, and your working pattern will be Monday – Friday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. All training will take place in your designated Regional Centre and further details will be confirmed once you start your employment with HMRC. Time off or annual leave is not normally allowed during the first 6 weeks of training.

Person specification

No experience is necessary as you will be fully trained, but we would like you to be comfortable talking on the phone and discussing debt with our customers.

You will also need to be comfortable writing up notes, as this is mainly a phone‑based role.

We are looking for individuals with the drive and passion to make a difference to people’s lives, and need people:

• With great verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Dedicated to providing brilliant customer service.
• With a can‑do attitude and passion for supporting people.
• With resilience to work in a demanding and rewarding environment.
• With the ability to provide information quickly and clearly.
• Comfortable in handling various types of conversations.
• To have basic maths skills.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found.