Complaints & Service Advisor

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: C
CONTRACT TYPE: Attachment / Fixed Term Contract until 27 March 2027, Full-time
DEPARTMENT: Audiences
LOCATION: London – Hybrid
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £35,000 - £37,500 per annum depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience + London Weighting. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Complaints & Service Advisors provide the support network in Audience Services for complaints management across BBC divisions, ensuring issues are handled effectively with our outsourced partner and internal teams. You will liaise with contacts inside and outside the BBC to research and provide information and accurate data to help our outsourced partner log and respond accurately to escalated enquiries and other issues raised by audiences. You will also provide detailed advance briefing guidance to our outsourced partner and liaise with divisions and independent production companies.  You will liaise directly with people at many levels across the BBC to co-ordinate the drafting of replies to those who complain to the BBC or contact it with other issues.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM
You will work closely with other complaints staff within divisions, with Independent Productions, with On Air talent, and senior commissioners - drafting the responses for programmes, negotiating with the programmes on the right answers, and ensuring that we are all aligned with our colleagues in the Press Office and other public facing areas of the BBC. You will have a high degree of skill and understanding of the BBC Editorial Guidelines, of strong customer service, and the requirements of our regulator Ofcom. This knowledge and skill will inform your judgement when writing replies and advising programme staff. You will advise our outsourced partner, share information and offer advice on how to respond to complaints within the framework of the BBC’s complaints process.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

• Offer advice to complaint handlers and staff across the BBC and our outsourced partner to help achieve best practice, quality and consistency and to help draft responses to complaints. Where disagreements arise, you will negotiate a position across various programmes and departments to ensure a co-ordinated approach back to the public.
• Advise on the application of editorial guidelines, escalation options, ‘red flagged’ complaints, lobbies etc. and work with colleagues in divisions to ensure that significant issues are spotted and escalated.
• Research, coordinate and draft replies and guidance in response to audience issues and complaints, managing the relationships with divisional, press or other internal/external colleagues and contacts to ensure accurate and effective replies and avoid duplications and inconsistencies.
• Ensure that responses are posted on the BBC’s complaints website and information provided online as appropriate.
• Use editorial judgment and contact with BBC and external colleagues to research knowledge to help respond to issues raised by viewers and listeners.
• Help to provide information and other data as required for reports and feedback needed by the BBC, and for advance briefing research regularly provided to external partners.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in order to respond to audience contacts.
• A keen interest and good knowledge of BBC content, understanding of BBC policies, editorial guidelines, requirements to the BBC Complaints Framework and our regulator Ofcom.
• A strong awareness of issues likely to concern audiences and an understanding of changing news, political and world events.
• Excellent influencing and negotiating skills; ability to constructively challenge and influence colleagues, formulating judgements whilst being open to advice and aware of the wider context and interests.
• Experience of and commitment to an audience-focused environment, and preferably of working collaboratively with a contractor.