Vacancy Information

Division/Department - Contact and Control
Grade - Grade E
Contract Type - Permanent
Salary Grade Range - £27,545 - £31,285
Working Hours - 36.0 Hours per Week

The starting salary for this role will usually be at the bottom of the salary range and will be pro-rata if the working hours are less than full time.

Please note this vacancy is for Surrey Police and based at our Police Headquarters in Guildford. Sussex Police recruit for the same role based at their Headquarters in Lewes. For further information visit www.sussex.police.uk/careers

Contact Centre Officers serve as a vital front-line point of contact between the public and the police, responding to reports of incidents and crime from across Surrey.

The force’s mission is for people to be safe and feel safe. One moment you may be dealing with a victim of a burglary, the next you could be recording intelligence being offered by the community about a drug dealer, before then taking a call about a serious road traffic accident.

This role requires strong communication and inter-personal skills to handle a wide range of calls, including emergency and non-emergency situations, with professionalism and composure.

The Contact Centre Officer role demands a combination of interpersonal, technical, and organisational skills. Officers play a critical role in providing essential services during emergencies and require the ability to remain calm, empathetic, and methodical in challenging situations. The ideal candidate should be adaptable, a strong communicator, and committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and service.

Chief Constables' Message

We really welcome your interest in joining our Police Force. It is a privilege to lead the teams in Surrey Police and Sussex Police who continuously work selflessly and tirelessly in order to keep people in our counties safe.

We are looking for talented and inspirational people who put the needs of the public at the heart of everything that they do and who want to make a difference. If you feel you are that person then we want to hear from you.

We wish you all the very best with your application.

Chief Constable Tim De Meyer & Chief Constable Jo Shiner

The Role and Key Responsibilities

Effective Communication
The ability to communicate clearly and empathetically is essential, especially when delivering difficult messages or dealing with individuals in distress. Officers must convey information effectively and confidently, including managing expectations, and remain calm under pressure when handling emotionally charged interactions.

Resilience
The role is extremely rewarding but also comes with some challenges. We strongly encourage you to view the attached documents carefully so that you are fully informed about the role and some of the challenges that people find in this area of policing. For example, during your shift you will be taking calls from members of the public who are distressed, angry, abusive and emotional or experiencing a mental health crisis – probably contacting Surrey Police for the very first time in their hour of need. We ask you to think carefully about how this might impact on your well being and especially how you will cope in and following these types of calls.

There is plenty of support available but if you, your family or people you are close to have ever experienced suicide, domestic and sexual abuse, fear for loss of life or trauma (especially regarding children) – please do seriously consider how this will impact on you.

Empathy
Good people skills are essential. Demonstrating appropriate levels of empathy and understanding towards callers is crucial. Officers should provide reassurance and support even when immediate assistance cannot be dispatched.

Initiative
The ideal candidate should be organised, independent, and able to multi-task and work with minimal supervision when required. They must be able to work and make good decisions under pressure. The role involves reading between the lines, understanding tone and emotions to recognise when someone is not okay even if they say they are, and asking the right questions to gather as much information as possible.

IT Competency
Typing skills, including the ability to type at a minimum of 30 words-per-minute and navigate computer systems efficiently, are crucial. Information must be recorded accurately. It is essential that candidates are conversant with Microsoft Windows 10, including use of the Microsoft Office suite of packages. Being able to adapt to and learn other new IT systems is also key, as the job involves using multiple unique software systems. With the training given, recruits are empowered to risk assess and prioritise each incident, ensuring an appropriate response.

Flexibility
If shift work is new to you, please take some time to research the challenges carefully and thoroughly this presents to all shift workers and the affect this can have on relationships, health and domestic arrangements. Think about talking the practicalities and realities of shift work through with those closest to you.

Skills & Experience

While not considered critical, having a background in customer service or people-facing roles, and experience talking on the phone are qualities beneficial for the position. The ideal candidate should be able to work with people from all walks of life and have the ability to engage in conversations politely and effectively.

Being able to relate to those from different backgrounds and communities is an essential part of the role. We support victims in bringing offenders of crime to justice and work to protect some of the most vulnerable within society. This requires an open mind to be able to see things from their unique perspective, adapting communication styles, and dealing with some very sensitive and often distressing situations.

Education: There are no essential requirements, but it is desirable that candidates are educated to QCF Level 2 in English and Maths. It's also desirable, but not essential, that applicants have a typing or keyboard qualification (RSA or equivalent) or an IT qualification such as ITQ/ECDL/CLAIT.

Please make sure your CV details your qualifications, use of IT systems, experience of customer service and if you have any call centre experience.

Are you eligible?

• Not applied for this role or the role of Force Control Room Operator previously within the last 6 months.
• You must be 18 years or over on the day you submit your application – there is no upper age limit.
• You must have lived in the UK for three continuous years immediately prior to application.
• Have leave to enter or leave to remain and work in the UK. You must have a minimum of 2 years on your visa at the time of appointment.
• Not be a current or previous member of a proscribed terrorist organisation or group.
• Not have served a prison sentence.
• Not applied for the role previously within the last 6 months.

Why Work With Us?

While this can be a challenging role, there are many benefits, including the variety the work provides, camaraderie within a supportive environment, working outside the usual 9-5 and the resultant work-life balance. We strive for officers to feel valued and to enjoy a personal sense of achievement through helping people. We recognise how hard our employees work and we aim to provide opportunities for career progression as well as a competitive salary.

Our site is a former stately home which enjoys views out across the Surrey Hills. The extensive grounds allow for walking and relaxation. There is also a free on-site gym which is open 24 hours.

During office hours there is a canteen serving hot and cold food as well as a Costa Coffee outlet, outside these hours a self-service facility is available. At all times we offer a fully equipped kitchen to store or prepare meals along with vending machines.

Once out of training there is the opportunity to continue to develop, through taking on additional skills and responsibilities such as becoming a point of contact for other colleagues in a particular area of policing or becoming a coach or mentor.

• Starting salary of £33,714 (this is the salary for working a range of shifts across the 24hr period on weekdays and weekends, with a shift allowance of £6,169 built in)
• 180 hours annual leave, rising to 209 hours depending on your length of service.
• Progressive approach to flexible working, enhanced maternity and paternity leave and potential for a career break (after two years’ service).
• Great training and development opportunities that support future career progression.
• Opportunity to join various support networks, staff associations and sports clubs.
• Access to discounts / savings / cash-back rewards including the Blue Light Card which provides its members with access to more than 15,000 discounts from large national retailers to local businesses across categories such as holidays, cars, days out, fashion gifts, insurance, phones and many more.
• Access to private healthcare schemes, which attract preferential rates, including up a year’s free membership for new members (subject to terms and conditions).

The role is based at our Headquarters site which is on the outskirts of Guildford, in Artington (approx. 1.5 mile outside of Guildford Town Centre), own transport is desirable as public transport is not readily available around shift times. You’ll need to be able to work shifts, including nights, weekends and bank holidays.

Please use the following links for more information on the benefits of working with Surrey Police or Sussex Police

Further Information

On successful completion of vetting and medical clearances candidates are offered the next available space on a course.

Successful candidates will be offered a 8 weeks’ classroom-based training course. This is full time, Monday to Friday with a working pattern of the hours between 8am and 4pm. This is followed by a 16-week coaching period working the 24/7 shift pattern.

The probationary period for this role is 12 months and progress assessments take place at regular intervals during this period.

The role of Contact Centre Officer is tenured for 24 months, meaning that you will not be able to start a new position within Force during this time. You may however be able to apply for roles with longer recruitment time frames e.g. Police Constable.

The department does operate flexible part time patterns although for this campaign we are seeking full-time candidates who are able to work the core shift pattern. Should you be looking for a part time pattern you are welcome to apply but we may defer your start date.

On successful completion of vetting and medical clearances candidates are offered the next available space on a course in Spring 2025.

Diversity Statement

We are only as good as our people.  It's important that our officers and staff can be themselves in the workplace and we know that as an organisation we'll grow from the variety of thinking, approach, and the skills that diversity brings; all of which help us to deliver a better policing service. We strive to ensure how we deliver our services, provide information and how we recruit is open and accessible to all.

We have multiple staff support groups who help to improve our understanding of minority issues and ensure they are reflected in our work. We are proud members of Disability Confident, hold Race Equality Matters Trailblazer status, are a signatory of the Race at Work Charter and are aligned with the Armed Forces Covenant and the HeForShe movement.

We are committed to being an anti-racist police service. We promise to challenge injustice, ensure fairness and to uphold anti-racist principles in both our organisation and our communities. For more information, you can read our full anti-racism statement here.

We value the differences that people bring from all backgrounds and communities. Regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, social status, or religious belief, we would love to hear from you.

Please use the following links to find out more on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Surrey Police and Sussex Police

Additional Information

Following submission of your application you will receive a confirmation email with a copy of your application attached. Occasionally emails from this address can fall into spam/junk folders so please ensure this is checked regularly.  You may wish to consider adding noreply@surreysussexpolice.as.recruitmail.com to your address/contact list to ensure you receive all communications.

Attachments

• Emergency Handler Information Surrey 2 Sept
• Rota patterns for Contact Centre Sept 24