Request for Support Assistant

Job Introduction

Are you passionate about delivering excellent customer service? 

Do you have a keen eye for detail?

We are excited to be recruiting a Request for Support Assistant to come and join our Team at Surrey County Council's Contact Centre. You'll be part of a team that values development and collaboration and will be a huge part of maintaining the outstanding service we offer to our residents.

Based within Surrey’s award-winning Contact Centre at Dakota, 11 De Havilland Drive, Brooklands in Weybridge. This role is based within the Request for Support Team and has a starting salary of £26,777 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week. There will be an opportunity to work from home for part of the week following induction.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days’ holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years’ service
• Option to buy up to 5 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

 About the Team

Surrey County Council’s Contact Centre provides a front door to our residents for the main services delivered by the Council, answering a wide and interesting range of enquiries. The Children’s Request for Support Team sits within the main Contact Centre, alongside non-social care teams and front door to Adult Social Care. 

With over 1.2 million residents in Surrey, it’s a complex, busy operation requiring fast reaction to changes in customer contact and service requirements. This also makes it a pressurised environment in which to operate, however team members are empowered to make independent decisions with customers and proactively contribute enthusiasm and ideas to improve the quality of the service provided.

Within the Request for Support Team and wider service, you will find a supportive and innovative culture, along with the ethos of providing an excellent standard of service to our residents and partner agencies.  

The Request for Support Team is one of the three teams that form Surrey Children's Services Single Point of Access (C- SPA), the 'front door' to Children's Services. You will be working in a fast-paced environment, where the diverse experience and backgrounds of children and families are recognised and respected. 

About the role

As the public voice of the Council, you will have an extremely important role to play, which demands a positive and proactive attitude. You will provide high quality and efficient support to enable the smooth running of the Request for Support Team.

You will handle calls from members of public and professionals who are requesting support for children. Screening calls from the public and partner agencies, to identify whether a referral is appropriate and/or signpost where necessary. 

You’ll have responsibility to safeguard confidential information and respect the privacy of families. Inputting information onto databases and providing information to professional agencies where appropriate, whilst adhering to internal data protection policies. Ensuring information is sent to Children’s Services and Early Help teams in a timely manner.

You will be operating in sometimes challenging and emotionally charged situations; therefore, you must have the resilience to cope with sensitive and at times disturbing information and be able to prioritise and remain calm whilst working under pressure.

You will be a highly organised, confident communicator with a professional and flexible approach to your work. You will have the ability to interact positively with families and professionals by putting them at ease and displaying understanding and empathy, you will show resilience when under pressure.  

You will work closely and seamlessly with Request for Support Officers and Supervisors, and natural development opportunities are available for those who are seeking to progress their career. 

Shortlisting Criteria

We’re looking for individuals with a real passion for customer service who will enjoy supporting our customers all day, every day.  

To be considered for an interview, your application (CV and separate personal statement) will need to outline and evidence your previous skills and experience with regards to the following areas:

• Experience of providing high levels of customer care and professionalism to members of the public and dealing empathically with sensitive calls/situations
• Excellent IT skills and use of databases to a high standard of accuracy
• Ability to work effectively and flexibly and as part of a team
• Effective written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Some transferable skills/knowledge of issues that affect children and families

You will need to evidence relevant experience combined with a natural capacity for empathy in dealing with sensitive and potentially distressing calls, and have keen eye for detail and accuracy when inputting information onto databases

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

 For an informal discussion please contact Penny Ellis by e-mail Penny.Ellis@surreycc.gov.uk

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 7th May 2025. Interviews to follow.

A basic DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) will be required for this role

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Our Values

At Surrey, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values we follow. 

For more information, please find the full job description below and refer to this before submitting your application. We also invite you to read our Life at Surrey handbook to see insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where: 

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application 
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form 

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.