SHEPWAY DISTRICT COUNCIL

OUTLINE JOB DESCRIPTION

  1. OCCUPATION

(a)Post TitleHead of Customer Contact

(b)Service Area:As allocated

(c)Post Number:TBA

(d)Grade:Revised MG5

(e)Enhancements:Leased Car or Cash Alternative, Telephone

(f)Directly Responsible to:Director

(g)Directly Responsible for:As allocated

(h)Work Base:Civic Centre or Shepway Housing Centre

(i)Other.Politically Restricted Post

  1. PRIME OBJECTIVES
  • To support the Director in determining and meeting the strategic and functional objectives for the Directorate, the Council and the service(s) for which the post holder has specific responsibility.
  • To ensure that the functions under the post holder’s responsibility are aligned to the Council’s business needs and accord with best practice in relation to service delivery.
  • To contribute to the management of the directorate as a member of the Directorate Management Team ensuring that services provide value for money and achieve continuous improvement in service delivery.
  • To manage the performance of managers assigned to them, assuring that the work areas they are responsible for achieve planned objectives.
  1. SPECIFIC AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The remit will include accountability for the effective delivery of the following service areas;

Local Taxation

Benefits

NDR

Fraud

Debtors

Customer Services

Office Management

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POST OBJECTIVES

NO / OBJECTIVE / NO. / DESCRIPTION
1. / Corporate Management
Make significant visible contributions to the corporate management of your areas of responsibility / 1.1
1.2
1.3 / In your areas of responsibility achieve the full implementation and continued development of the Council’s performance management framework.
In your areas of responsibility establish service related strategies that deliver the Council’s agreed objectives and sub-objectives and a “customer first “ outcome.
Develop service strategies and action plans within you areas and through active membership of the Service Managers Team, assist in the development of corporate plans.
2. / Project Management
Achieve the planning and delivery of specific projects as directed. / 2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6 / 2.1 Construct project implementation documents to establish projects with a full business case argument.
Construct project plans for corporate or service specific projects
Establish projects using the council’s agreed methodology (Adapted version of Prince 2 for which appropriate training will be provided where necessary).
Act as Project Manager or adopt other project team roles as appropriate for specific projects.
Deliver projects in accordance with plans.
Evaluate projects as required.
3. / Operational Management
Achieve a “customer first” approach within your area of responsibility / 3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5 / Achieve the setting of appropriate work activities by overseeing the production of service plans arising from service related strategies.
Achieve corporate and service BVPI’s and other agreed KPI’s appropriate to your areas of responsibility.
Achieve operations to agreed quality standards in your areas of responsibility.
Identify the measures necessary for the services under your responsibility to achieve excellence and provide the leadership necessary to implement a successful strategy for reaching this target.
Carry out equality impact assessments
NO / OBJECTIVE / NO. / DESCRIPTION
4. / People Management
Achieve a high standard of people management at or exceeding the standards set by the Council’s Human Resources Strategy and people management policies. / 4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4 / Ensure the creation of a climate, organisational development and working conditions within teams that facilitate the recruitment and retention of personnel required to generate excellent service delivery.
Identify and encourage the development of every member of staff in your teams.
Ensure that sound communications systems are developed so that organisational purpose and direction is clear to all staff and feed-back on organisational learning is conveyed from front-line staff to key decision makers.
Achieve self development through participation in a relevant CPD programme.
5. / Resource Management
Achieve effective planning, and use of financial and physical resources. Secure resources for planned activity. / 5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5 / Within the service area ensure that there is a sound business case for resource and service development requests.
Manage within an agreed budget parameters through best value use of resources.
Provide clear leadership to teams ensuring that relevant and stretching efficiency targets are set and achieved.
Lead the consideration of alternative means of service procurement including partnership.
Lead the Council’s preparation, submission and response to the use of resources assessment.
6. / Information Management
Achieve effective management of information / 6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4 / Ensure that there is good and sufficient consultation with appropriate stakeholders.
Ensure there is open access to relevant information within your service areas consistent with the requirements of confidentiality and data protection.
Report on and explain performance indicators for which you are responsible.
Establish effective information management and communication systems.
NO / OBJECTIVE / NO. / DESCRIPTION
7. / Member Responsibilities / 7.1 / To establish sound and productive working relationships with key members and stakeholders.
8. / Other Responsibilities / 8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6 / Adhere to all aspects of the council’s Diversity Policy and Race Equality Scheme.
Provide the highest standards of customer care to both external and internal customers and demand the same of staff within the service.
Ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy, practices and procedures.
Adhere to the Council’s Code of conduct for Officers.
Comply with agreed policies and guidelines relating to personnel, recruitment, management, discipline and dismissal.
To actively participate in the preparation, implementation and arrangements made in respect of the Council’s Emergency Plan. To respond when called upon to undertake such a role under the plan as requested in an emergency or related incident at any time including attendance out of normal working hours at the Civic Centre or as directed.

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SHEPWAY DISTRICT COUNCIL

SERVICE MANAGER – CUSTOMER SERVICES- PERSON SPECIFICATION

Candidates will be tested/asked to demonstrate their ability to meet each of these criteria. E = Essential. D = Desirable
SKILLS
  1. Able to develop service strategies that effectively respond to corporate strategic requirements. To do this post holders must have a deep understanding of the local government or similar working environment. (E)
  2. Able to effectively communicate such strategies to managers and staff and ensure that they are faithfully reproduced in service plans. (E)
  3. Demonstrate an advanced ability to performance manage staff to generate excellent standards. This includes the achievement of stretching targets, the provision of effective support including management development and the ability to utilise competency procedures in a fair and robust way. To do this the post holder must have a sound knowledge of principles, practices and theory of management and leadership. (E)
  4. Able to maintain high levels of motivation and corporate compliance in their staff. (E)
  5. Able to communicate effectively (Written and oral presentations) to a wide variety of audiences. In doing so the post holder must demonstrate the ability to influence and change opinions and behaviour. (E)
  6. Able to demonstrate IT literacy and manage information on a personal basis and also be able to lead the utilisation of leading edge technology in their service areas. (E)
  7. Have a clear understanding of equalities and diversity and the ability to advise managers on equality issues, set and monitor equality targets. (E)
/ QUALIFICATIONS
  1. Educated to degree level or equivalent (E)
  1. Post-graduate managerial qualification (D)
  1. Professional qualification relevant to the area’s of responsibility.(E)
  1. Demonstrate evidence of continuous professional development activity.(E)

APTITUDES
  • Creates an environment of trust
  • Uses appropriate interventions to develop staff
  • Sets high standards
  • Takes risks and encourages innovation
  • Organises resources to deliver high performance
  • Makes timely decisions
  • Exercises appropriate judgements
  • Role models the Core Values

EXPERIENCE
  1. Evidence of managing at a senior level in an organisation (E)
  2. Evidence of effective leadership and so-ordination of managers and their performance. (E)
  3. Evidence of working effectively within a political environment. (D)
KNOWLEDGE
Sound knowledge of;
  1. The “one stop shop” concept
  2. The principles of excellent customer service
  3. Current developments in the ICT industry
  4. Best value principles and the government’s modernising agenda
  5. The requirement s of the Data Protection Act.
  6. Best value principles and the government’s modernising agenda
  7. Budget management

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