Salary: Band 6, £30,276 - £32,613 (Please note it is Northumbria Police policy to appoint at the beginning of the band)
Location: Agile, Forth Banks, Newcastle and homeworking
Full training for this role will be carried out at Forth Banks over a 4-week period. After training the role can be worked flexibly however up to 2 days working from the office in Forth Banks Police station is expected (can be subject to change)
Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Working for #TeamNP
Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and to fight crime. But it takes more than officers alone to do the job – and that’s where our 2,000-strong team of police staff and 200 volunteers come in.
As one of the largest police forces in England we have a huge variety of departments and specialisms offering you endless opportunities. From mentoring and coaching schemes and online soft skills courses to leadership development programmes; we’ll give you the support, training and time to carve out the career you always wanted.
As a disability confident employer, we promote a culture of respect in the workplace so everyone can feel seen, heard and valued.
Whether you’re a member of staff or a volunteer, you can also expect first-rate support to manage your health and wellbeing. With year-round events, a 24/7 welfare support hotline and a leading approach to neurodiversity, our initiatives enable you to be at your best.
Above all else, here at Team NP, we can offer you a career that is so much more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something that really matters.
Learn about our full benefits package
The role
If you share the same values as we do this could be the perfect time for you to join us in our Professional Standards Department as a Complaints Service Adviser
The Professional Standards Department (PSD) are at the centre of ensuring Northumbria Police acts with integrity and in line with the Standards of Professional Behaviour and Code of Ethics. It plays a key role in cultural and behavioural improvement, protecting the workforce against internal and external corruption and, identifying and disseminating learning, as well as responding robustly to when behaviour falls below the expected standards of the organisation.
As a Complaints Service Adviser, you will liaise with the public to identify key issues and meet a mutually agreed, timely resolution. This is an exciting opportunity which positively impacts our communities and promotes confidence within policing. You’ll need to be resilient and have a flexible approach.
What you’ll do
- Ensuring all complaints are handled in line with national guidance and legislation.
- Providing exceptional service to internal and external stakeholders.
- Using your initiative to resolve issues where you can, and escalating those that are more serious or complex.
- Communicating with senior officers and managers regularly to help resolve complaints whilst maintaining open communication with those making the complaint.
- Providing data to the Complaints Management Supervisor to support trend analysis and organisational learning.
- Updating systems and ensuring compliance across local databases.
What skills will I need?
Naturally, you’ll need to have a strong level of integrity in this role. You’ll also need the following:
- Previous experience of dealing with complaints is essential.
- The confidence to deal with members of the public who may on occasions be angry, upset, or unsure how to express their dissatisfaction. You’ll also need to be empathetic.
- A high standard of customer service skills.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- The ability to use bespoke databases and systems when required.
- Strong Microsoft Word and Excel skills in order to produce well-presented documents.
- Good decision-making skills that will enable you to resolve non-complex cases.
- Experience in using AI applications
Previous Police experience is not required.
We know it's important for you to feel that you're not only part of a great team, but part of a community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.
Interested to learn more? For further information about the role please contact Kate Soulsby by email at [email protected].
What we offer
- 26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays
- NHS Fleet Solutions Car Lease Scheme
- Enhanced maternity, shared parental and adoption leave
- Flexi time - allowing you to fit your working hours around your individual needs
- Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours)
- Agile working – option to work from home, your team zone, and spaces across the force
- Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution
- Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts
- Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers
- Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets
- We’ve invested in extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on-site, an employee advice service for the times you need that additional support.
- Access to gyms in some stations
- Sports & Social Club – join our thriving sports scene at Team NP and enjoy further exclusive discounts on days out and travel
- Cycle to work scheme
- Opportunity to volunteer in local community
We are committed to building a dynamic, agile workplace where meaningful connection are key. For roles designated as agile or home-based, employees will work from a Force site at least once a week, with two days recommended. Hiring managers will be happy to discuss how this works in practice at interview stage. This approach helps build strong relationships, supports wellbeing, and fosters collaboration across teams.
Just so you know
Candidates with priority status will be given precedence for this role over other applicants.
Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role of a Complaints Service Adviser with #TeamNP. To help support your application research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for and the values and behaviours that contribute.
The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form followed by a face to face interview. Just so you know, you can save your application and come back to it any time prior to the closing date on the advert.
We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, working together to improve the lives of disabled employees. As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to offering an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. In cases of very high application volumes, we may prioritise those who most closely meet the criteria, applying the same fair approach for all candidates.
If you tell us that you have a disability, we can make adjustments to support you through the recruitment process (for example we can arrange extra time for tests or provide a sign language interpreter) You can get in touch with us via [email protected] for any support regarding the application process. Please provide us with plenty of notice so we can ensure your visit goes smoothly.
Use of AI in Applications: At Northumbria Police, we embrace innovative technologies to enhance our recruitment process. We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While AI can be a valuable resource, we encourage applicants to ensure their submissions accurately reflect their personal qualifications, experiences, and skills. Our selection process includes thorough evaluations to verify the authenticity and suitability of all applications. We value genuine and thoughtful responses that showcase your unique strengths and perspectives.
If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Management (MV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 5 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance and medical information.
Terms of appointment
This is a permanent role subject to a six-month probationary period.
If you are successful in your application, you will have a six-month probation period with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
