At a Glance
- Tasks: Deliver exceptional customer experiences and handle complex queries across multiple channels.
- Company: Join Vanquis, a caring bank recognised as one of the UK's Best Employers 2025.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25-30 days holiday, workations, birthday leave, and access to LinkedIn Learning.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive culture that values your growth and wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by supporting customers and building strong relationships in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and experience in sales or telephone-based roles.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Chatham, Petersfield
Working Pattern: Hybrid (usually a couple of days a week in the office).
What We Offer
- Holidays: 25 days (rising to 30) + buy/sell up to 5 days + swap up to 4 bank holidays.
- Pension: Up to 10% employer contribution.
- Enhanced Leave: Enhanced maternity (post-probation), 4 weeks' paternity, and paid neonatal & carers leave.
- Workations: Work abroad for up to 20 days a year in approved countries.
- Birthday Leave: Your birthday off paid.
- Volunteering: 2 paid volunteering days.
- Learning: Access to LinkedIn Learning for all colleagues.
- Financial Wellbeing: Free Snoop Premium subscription.
- Healthcare: Self-pay Denplan & optional Private Medical Insurance.
The Role You and your Team
As a Customer Operations Advocate, you'll play a key role in delivering exceptional experiences for our customers by handling complex queries across multiple channels. You'll specialise in a dedicated product area, developing deep expertise that enables you to confidently guide and support customers throughout their journey with us.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives on problem‑solving, enjoys building strong customer relationships, and is passionate about providing outstanding service through objectives and regulatory expectations. You'll champion best practice, support continuous improvement, and help shape a customer-first culture across the operation.
As a Customer Operations Advocate, you will:
- Deliver exceptional customer experiences by using your product expertise and journey‑moment knowledge to engage across telephony and non‑telephony channels.
- Take full ownership of customer situations, exploring individual circumstances and making fair, case‑by‑case decisions—even when these fall outside standard processes.
- Support customers in vulnerable or financially difficult circumstances, ensuring risks are identified, controlled, and any detriment is quickly recovered.
- Work confidently within policy, process and regulatory requirements, maintaining a strong understanding of customer touchpoints and SLAs.
- Collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders to enable first‑contact resolution and informed future customer decision‑making.
- Embrace a flexible, continuous‑improvement mindset in a fast‑paced environment, staying proactive in learning and keeping up to date with operational changes.
What We're Looking For
- A confident communicator with strong written and verbal skills, able to adapt to a wide range of customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances.
- Skilled in analysing data, interpreting facts and figures, and using insights to make well‑informed decisions.
- Proven ability to build and maintain professional relationships with both internal teams and external partners.
- Strong commercial awareness, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to follow processes accurately while maintaining organised, accessible documentation.
- Experienced in sales and/or telephone‑based environments, with desirable experience using First Vision and CRM systems.
- Familiarity with working in regulated industries, demonstrating an understanding of compliance and governance expectations.
Our average process takes up to 4 weeks, but we'll work around your availability. You'll also have access to our Talent Acquisition team throughout. Offers are subject to standard background checks (credit, fraud and employment references).
Who we are
At Vanquis, our purpose is simple: to deliver caring banking that helps people make the most of life's opportunities. Founded in 1880, we're now a FTSE All Share specialist bank supporting over 1.7 million UK customers with responsible, tailored lending.
We're proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work and recognised by the Financial Times as one of the UK's Best Employers 2025 — ranked top 50 nationwide and seventh in Banking & Financial Services. We're also proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, actively supporting veterans, reservists and military families.
Guided by our values — caring for people, pulling together, finding better ways and getting the right things done — we're building a workplace where colleagues feel connected, valued and empowered. Alongside competitive pay, we offer meaningful benefits, salary reviews, a discretionary bonus scheme and continued recognition.
We're invested in your development too. With the right support and hands-on learning, you'll grow your skills, shape your career and realise your ambitions.
How We Hire
We use AI to help organise applications and surface early matches, but all decisions are made by humans. Please apply authentically — especially during interviews. If you need assistive technology or reasonable adjustments (including the use of AI tools), please let the Talent Acquisition team know in advance and we'll be happy to support you.
Equal Opportunities
Vanquis Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value everyone's unique background, identity and experience, and we're committed to a workplace where all colleagues can thrive. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please contact and we'll be happy to help.
Customer Service Advisor in Chatham employer: Vanquis
At Vanquis Bank, we prioritise your wellbeing and professional growth, offering a supportive work culture that values flexibility and inclusivity. With generous benefits such as enhanced family leave, workations, and access to continuous learning through LinkedIn Learning, we empower our employees to thrive both personally and professionally. Join us in Bradford, Chatham, or Petersfield, where you can make a meaningful impact in the Modern Workplace Solutions team while enjoying a balanced work-life experience.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Customer Service Advisor in Chatham
✨Get to Know the Company Culture
Before jumping into applications, it’s super helpful to understand the vibe at Vanquis. Check out their social media, read reviews on sites like Glassdoor, and see how they engage with customers. It'll give you clues on their values and help tailor your conversation during interviews.
✨Join Customer Support Communities
Dive into online communities like those on Reddit or LinkedIn where customer support pros hang out. Participating in discussions or asking questions can make you more visible to potential recruiters and help you learn about job openings at companies like Vanquis before they even post them.
✨Attend Job Fairs or Networking Events
Look out for local job fairs or events specifically for customer support roles. This is your chance to meet hiring managers face-to-face, and you might even get the opportunity to interview on the spot!
✨Show Off Your Skills with Customer Interactions
In the customer support world, showcasing your communication skills is key. Consider creating a short video introducing yourself or even doing a mock call to showcase your abilities. It's a memorable way to stand out, especially if you can share this during your interview process!
We think you need these skills to ace Customer Service Advisor in Chatham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Communication Skills:In customer support, clear communication is key. Make sure your CV highlights any experience you've had in customer-facing roles and your ability to resolve issues. Don't shy away from including specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond to help customers – this really shows your potential in the role.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Vanquis:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Tell us why you want to work at Vanquis specifically. Mention any unique aspects of our company that resonate with you and how your skills can enhance our customer support. This personal touch will set your application apart from the rest!
Highlight Any Relevant Tools or Tech Skills:If you've used customer support software like Zendesk or Freshdesk or have experience with CRM systems, make sure to mention these in your application. Being familiar with industry-standard tools can be a big plus for us when we’re reviewing applications, as it shows you can hit the ground running!
Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills:Customer support roles often require a knack for problem-solving. In your application, share examples of past experiences where you've tackled tough situations or resolved conflicts effectively. This will give us a good sense of how you handle challenges—an essential skill for success at Vanquis!
How to prepare for a job interview at Vanquis
✨Show Off Your People Skills
In customer support, it's all about communicating effectively. Prepare to share instances from your past experiences where you handled difficult customers or resolved conflicts. We want to hear how you empathised and found the best solutions, so think of specific examples to back up your stories!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with common customer support tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk, and make sure to review how you’ve used any similar systems in the past. During the interview, being able to discuss your hands-on experience with software or ticketing systems can really set you apart from the competition, so don’t skip this prep!
✨Show Genuine Enthusiasm
As this is a full-time role, employers want someone who isn’t just looking for any job, but wants to grow within customer support. Make sure to express your enthusiasm for helping customers and your desire to develop your skills. Show them why you're passionate about this field!
✨Practice Common Scenarios
Be prepared for role-playing scenarios where you might have to reassess a solution with a frustrated customer or explain a complex process in simple terms. Practising these common scenarios can help us feel more confident and demonstrate our practical skills effectively during the interview.