Fixed Term Contract for 6 months initially
Here at Stonewater, we're proud to make things personal. If it matters to our customers, it matters to us.
We're now recruiting for a Senior Homes Complaints Officer to work within our Customer Relations Team. The role is a pilot scheme to increase the satisfaction and quality of our responses and the successful candidate will have responsibility for the investigation and resolution of complex stage two complaints received in connection to our repairs and planned investment services. Critically, you'll have a strong understanding of social housing providers' repairs obligations and experience of resolving complaints in line with the Housing Ombudsman Service's Complaint Handling Code.
Your passion for customer service will ensure you put our customers at the heart of your investigation, working hard to understand their concerns and how they'd like any problems to be resolved. You'll then liaise directly with contracting partners, utilizing systems as well as building positive relationships, to identify service failure and to resolve any outstanding issues.
You will have a keen attention to detail and be a very effective communicator verbally and in writing, including drafting letters communicating complex responses to customers in a clear and easy to understand style. You'll prioritise customer satisfaction, working to improve our customers' experience of our complaints service. This will include working with our Homes service to identify and share learning from complaints, supporting service improvement.
The ideal candidate will:
- Have significant experience of complaint handling in social housing, including investigating and responding to complex stage two cases.
- Demonstrate an understanding of repair obligations for social housing providers, Housing Health Safety Rating System (HHSRA), Awaab's Law, Legal Disrepair and Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act and Tenant Satisfaction Measures
- Have experience of critically analysing cases in order to negotiate with contractors and stakeholders as part of resolution
- Be able to constructively lead cross departmental and external meetings to present complex cases and solutions.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Homes team and contracting partners to prioritise complaints within their own caseload, and the wider workflow, and act as a champion for complaint resolution.
- Be able to coach and upskill colleagues
- Have excellent communication and written skills, utilising Stonewater's 'tone of voice'
- Be able to work in a very fast paced environment, managing competing priorities and deadlines
- Committed to customer service and Stonewater's Customer Promise
- Able to use and interrogate housing and repairs management systems, CRM and other IT systems to inform and fully document complaint investigations
- Able to use a range of IT system to produce and create documents, such as SharePoint, Excel and PowerPoint for internal and external use
- Have experience in dealing with complaints about equality, diversity and inclusion
- Have experience of peer reviews and delivering feedback and coaching
Appointment to this role will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check, satisfactory references and possession of a valid Right to Work document.
Discover Stonewater:
Stonewater is a leading housing provider. We manage around 39,000 homes, serving 82,000 customers across our portfolio of affordable properties for general rent, shared ownership and sale, alongside specialist accommodation, with an ambitious house-building programme.
Our mission is to provide quality homes and services for people whose needs are not met by the open market.
We're looking for like-minded people to join our team of over 800 talented colleagues who embody our values of being ethical, ambitious, passionate, agile and commercial, as well as people who want to make a difference and transform people's lives.
Stonewater supports equality of opportunities and are dedicated to being a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace. We are a Disability Confident employer.
Are you ready to #DiscoverStonewater?
Stonewater reserve the right to bring the closing date forward should enough quality applications be received prior to the current closing date.