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Are you passionate about delivering excellent customer service? Do you thrive off sharing ideas to get results? Do you want to work in an organisation which shapes the face of policing in the U.K? Are you looking to be encouraged to develop your skills?

As a completely independent organisation, the IOPC seek to uphold the rights of the public and investigate the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, to promote learning and influence change in policing. The IOPC is an organisation steeped in history, influenced by significant figures such as Stephen Lawrence and Sir William Macpherson. We are looking for people to uphold our core values, and in return we will give you a supportive and inclusive work environment to flourish in.

Our Operational Directorate are at the heart of delivering our main organisational goal of conducting robust and fair investigations into the policing system. The varied investigative work of our Operational Directorate is often high-profile and rewarding, whilst allowing for many career progression opportunities throughout the Directorate who are ready to support you on your career journey.

As a member of our Customer Contact Centre, you will be the first point of contact for the IOPC. You will work alongside a diverse team offering both verbal and written advice regarding the formal police complaints process to members of the public, the police and other agencies. You will be responsible for the IOPC switchboard, triaging incoming correspondence, checking the validity of certain appeals, signposting, raising oversight and confidence issues and identifying high profile complaints. You will deal with vulnerable callers, so ensuring we are managing customer contact in the most effective way is vital.

This is a unique opportunity to join a close-knit team within the IOPC. We recently won an internal award for teamwork. We attend the office once a week to fulfil work tasks and focus on team morale/wellbeing. We work as one to support each other. The successful candidate will be encouraged to learn and develop in a positive environment where every day is different.

We'll assess you against these Level 1 behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, to find out more, please click here.

Throughout the recruitment process we will assess Experience, Strengths, and Values. As part of the application process you will be asked to three sift stage questions based on the essential criteria.

Anticipated assessment and interview dates are week commencing Monday 24th April 2023.

*we reserve the right to close this advert early if a high number of applications is received.*

• Process direct complaints received from members of the public to the appropriate police force or authority with minimal handling and representation.
• Be alert to and identify high profile matters and matters of public interest, and direct complaints that it may be appropriate not to forward to the force because of exceptional circumstances, and draw these to the attention of the Customer Contact Centre Manager.
• Establish customer needs and provide appropriate information - which may range from advising on the role of the IOPC, the process for making a complaint or appeal to more general requests for information or signposting to other agencies
• Provide a responsive service to a range of customer of queries and complaints ensuring prompt resolution of issues received by phone/email/letter/online form and fax.
• Respond to comebacks, complaints, MPs’ letters and other correspondence.
• Take ownership of calls, queries and complaints, seeking to resolve issues to reduce subsequent contact providing the best possible experience for the customer
• Where appropriate, liaise with internal and external stakeholders regarding complaints and information received and recognising where information is significantly complex or sensitive and handling the information as appropriate.
• Identify and collate trends data information on potentially high profile issues
• Deal with customers that can often be angry, distressed, and sometimes challenging but remaining courteous and have the ability to see things from the customer point of view to ensure a consistent and fair service is provided to all
• Alongside signposting complainants to advocacy and advice services where they can receive assistance in making a complaint, the post holder may need to take down the details of complaints and appeals over the phone in accordance with the IOPC Reasonable Adjustment policy. This relates particularly to callers that may have an access or communication needs.
• Keep up to date with organisational issues and events, including press releases, report releases, changes to organisational practices to ensure knowledge is current in order to provide appropriate advice.
• Resolve queries first time to reduce subsequent contact providing the best possible experience for the customer.
• Record accurate enquiry and complaint information on relevant case and customer relationship management systems.
• Process and respond to Report Line contacts from serving Police Officers.
• Deal with whistleblowing allegations and liaise with the internal department regarding any whistleblowing
• Any other duties suitable to the grade, which may include administrative support, assisting more senior staff with face to face interactions with member of the public, switchboard cover, post.
• Considering the validity of appeals received out of time and communicating the decision to the appellant and force, using clear guidance and standard template letters. Identifying any unusual, contentious or difficult cases and seeking appropriate advice to enable a sound decision to be taken

• Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills
• Confidence and ability to communicate with people at all levels
• Ability to be patient, resilient, sensitive and diplomatic when dealing with the public and stakeholders
• A capacity to conduct enquiries, obtain information and to use sound judgement to reach conclusions
• Proven relevant experience of working in a customer focused advice or information handling environment
• Experience of dealing with challenging people over the phone
• Experience of responding to customer queries and complaints in writing
• Good organisational skills and ability to manage own workload
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and database systems

Reasonable Adjustments

The IOPC is a diverse and inclusive workplace and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential whatever type of assessment is used. We are open to providing you with the tools you need to succeed, from extra time to formatting changes, to name a mere few. If you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process, please email [email protected]

As a completely independent organisation, the IOPC seeks to uphold the rights of the public and investigate the most serious matters, including deaths following police contact, to promote learning and influence change in policing. The IOPC is an organisation steeped in history, influenced by significant figures such as Stephen Lawrence and Sir William Macpherson. We are looking for people to uphold our core values, and in return we will give you a supportive and inclusive work environment to flourish in.

Be yourself

The IOPC is committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity in everything we do. Our vision is to be, and to be seen as, a leader in inclusive employment and services, demonstrating this ethos in everything that we do.

• As a silver standard Stonewall employer, we continue to commit to being a LGBTQ+ employer through the work of our Pride LGBTQ+ Staff Network, creating welcoming environments for lesbian, gay, bi and queer people.
• We are pleased to share that we are a signatory of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. The Charter is composed of five calls to action for leaders and organisations across all sectors.
• Being a Disability Confident employer, the IOPC is dedicated to removing the barriers for disabled people to thrive in the workplace.
• Our Staff Networks are constantly working to make the IOPC the leaders of inclusive employment, from our Allyship Programme to Operation Hotton, to Welsh Language Standards and our Know the Line Policy, we are constantly seeking new ways to create an environment for all to develop and thrive.

• 27.5 days paid annual leave (increasing with service to 32.5 days)
• Options to carry over, buy or sell annual leave
• Civil Service pension
• PAM employee assistance programme
• Access to Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC) membership
• Staff networks focused on each of the protected characteristics – run for staff, by staff
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity behaviours

Additional Information:

The IOPC is not eligible to participate in the Civil Service transfer process, therefore successful candidates will not be able to transfer to the IOPC on their existing terms and conditions.

The IOPC does not participate in the UK Visa Sponsorship Scheme therefore, candidates will have to provide evidence of their Right to Work in the UK if offered a role with us.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, therefore a standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out for the successful candidate during the pre-employment process.

Any move to the Independent Office for Police Conduct from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Although we are currently unable to guarantee a longer or more permanent contract, if the role can be extended or made permanent, the successful post holder may be offered the role firstly without further interview.