Job description

Role purpose

The Helpline Adviser is to support the delivery of the following strategic priorities of Scope. 

Goals

• Transform attitudes
• Closing the disability employment gap
• Ending the disability price tag

Story of change, vision

• Insights and impact driven
• Known for what we do
• Confident colleagues

The Helpline Adviser will provide exemplar information and support to disabled people, their families, and professionals who work with them, covering all issues around disability. To provide excellent customer service with a friendly and empathetic manner to all of Scope’s internal and external customers. 

Main responsibilities – what you are responsible for   

• To provide consistent high-quality responses to enquiries received at Scope’s Helpline via telephone, email, live chat, our online community, and social networking channels, within set turnaround times.

• To ensure that customers feel valued and are provided with information that is tailored to meet individual need, is accurate, up to date and accessible to them.  

• To provide excellent customer service with a friendly and empathetic manner. 

• To continually update your knowledge around disability issues and to share learning across the team, to offer an expert service to Scope’s customers.

• To identify the correct person/department and efficiently transfer calls internally when customers ring with general enquiries.

• To ensure that details of all enquiries are logged accurately on the customer database in a timely manner and that quality data and information is maintained.

• To work within Scope’s policies relating to customer confidentiality and data protection.

• To follow Scope’s policy and process around safeguarding and to make decisions regarding relevant customers as appropriate.

• To promote Scope and its values around equality, inclusion and the social model of disability and to present a positive image of the organisation in all aspects of work.

• Any other task as directed by Manager.

• To contribute to team meetings and discussions and to proactively contribute to the continued improvement of the service.

 Mandatory for all staff

• Work seamlessly across department or team boundaries in a collaborative and constructive manner to implement Scope’s strategic direction.
• Demonstrate a commitment to customer service excellence and deliver against the requirements of Scope’s quality framework.
• Work within Scope’s policies and procedures.

Main relationships, internal and external stakeholders

Internal

• CSE Senior Team 

• Helpline Manager

• National Delivery Managers

• Local Delivery Managers

• Extended Customer and Strategy team 

• Human Resources/Finance/IT and other support teams as required

• Corporate and Fundraising teams

External

Customers and third-party contacts

• Organisations - private, public and third sector who can support and enhance the delivery of the National Service

Person specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Strong experience working in a telephone-based customer focused environment. 

• Demonstrable experience of collecting customer details and data on a database or CRM.

• Experience of communicating difficult and complex information via telephone.

• Knowledge of at least one of: benefits, disability rights, social care, inclusive environments or housing.

• Ability to handle cross functional enquiries (Helpline, reception, Supporter Care.)

• Emotional resilience and demonstrable experience of handling sensitive and/or safeguarding telephone calls.

• Understanding of the importance and application of Plain English.

• To be flexible with training and rota requirements. Rota is published up to 3 months in advance, subject to change in line with business needs. We will try to give 48 hours’ notice for shift changes.

• Highly Computer literate especially on Microsoft applications.

Desirable

• Lived experience of disability.
• Demonstrable knowledge of more than one of the following areas relating to disabled people: benefits, disability rights, social care, enabled environments, housing, government policy relating to benefits and disability.

Skills and competencies

• Demonstrable understanding of the social model of disability and clarity about the contribution of information and advice to achieving social change.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of customers with an understanding of different needs and ability to respond to these.
• Effective person-centered listening and probing skills to respond to underlying issues and assist customers to make informed choices.
• Effective interpersonal skills and a positive and collaborative approach to work.
• Ability to be flexible, respond positively to change, work effectively under pressure and deal with conflicting priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in order to be able to communicate with customers and colleagues in a clear, meaningful and effective way
• Excellent IT skills particularly Microsoft Office and experience of using databases.
• Ability to organise workload, prioritise effectively and use own initiative.
• Excellent written English, spelling and grammar
• Methodical, with excellent attention to detail

Desirable

• Experience of using social networking platforms to respond to customer enquiries and provide information.