Salary: Band 5, £28,689 - £29,859 (equating to a potential £36,678 - £38,174 with shift and weekend allowances)
(Please note it is Northumbria Police policy to appoint at the beginning of the band)
Location: Ponteland (moving to Cobalt Business Park, Wallsend 2027)
Hours: Full Time, to view the shift pattern click here
we’re happy to discuss any individual circumstances if you require some flexibility
Working for #TeamNP
Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and to fight crime. But it takes more than officers alone to do the job – and that’s where our 2,000-strong team of police staff and 200 volunteers come in.
As one of the largest police forces in England we have a huge variety of departments and specialisms offering you endless opportunities. From mentoring and coaching schemes and online soft skills courses to leadership development programmes; we’ll give you the support, training and time to carve out the career you always wanted.
As a disability confident employer, we promote a culture of respect in the workplace so everyone can feel seen, heard and valued.
Whether you’re a member of staff or a volunteer, you can also expect first-rate support to manage your health and wellbeing. With year-round events, a 24/7 welfare support hotline and a leading approach to neurodiversity, our initiatives enable you to be at your best.
Above all else, here at Team NP, we can offer you a career that is so much more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something that really matters.
Learn about our full benefits package
The role
Here at Northumbria Police, we think our region is amazing! It takes a great deal of people from different backgrounds, with diverse skills and experience to serve our force area effectively, think you have what it takes to help us make a difference? This could be the perfect time for you to join us in our Communications Department as a Customer Service Specialist.
As the first point of contact for many of our customers by telephone or one of our many digital channels, and your engagement will define the service they receive from Northumbria Police. Using effective communication, the team deliver an outstanding customer service experience in response to all public interactions, acting where possible to resolve queries at first contact and providing professional advice and effective signposting. With customer service at the heart of everything we do, and using a problem-solving approach, we aim to resolve many queries during that first contact.
What you’ll do
The team receives customer contact via 101 as well as through numerous digital platforms such as web chat, online reporting forms and social media. Every contact is different, some of which will be an emergency and will require the customer service specialist to identify, assess and mitigate risk to ensure the correct response is allocated. You will handle contact from members of the public experiencing a wealth of emotions and need to be able to adapt your style to meet their needs. You will also deal with police officers, professionals, and partner agencies.
As a Customer Service Specialist, we will support you in developing an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the organisation. You will need a have a desire to resolve the customer’s query at first point of contact, ensuring excellent customer service and demand reduction to other departments.
Working within a busy department, you must be able to work well under pressure and resilient to change. We are looking to recruit candidates on a full-time 37 Hours per week basis, this will include weekend/bank holiday work. You can learn more about the proposed shift pattern here.
Our training course is full time Monday – Friday 0800 – 1600 for 9 weeks, there is a requirement that you can attend this course for the full duration and to be able to be mentored full time for a further five weeks, without any periods of leave being taken. It is likely the train course will commence 13th July 2026 therefore candidates will need to be available to start then.
Sound interesting? For further information, and to support your application, please view the job description
What you’ll bring
- Excellent communication and listening skills with the ability to build rapport quickly.
- A passion for problem-solving.
- The ability to assess and understand key information.
- Confidence to multitask, recording information accurately with attention to detail.
- IT competence across a range of applications.
- Committed to getting things right for our customer and delivering outstanding customer service.
We know it's important for you to feel that you're not only part of a great team, but part of a community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilised. Appointments are based on merit alone.
Interested to learn more? For further information about the role please contact Judith Coulter by email at Judith.coulter@northumbria.police.uk
What we offer
- 26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays
- NHS Fleet Solutions Car Lease Scheme
- Enhanced maternity, shared parental and adoption leave
- Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution
- Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts
- Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers
- Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets
- We’ve invested in extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on-site, an employee advice service for the times you need that additional support.
- Access to gyms in some stations
- Sports & Social Club – join our thriving sports scene at Team NP and enjoy further exclusive discounts on days out and travel
- Cycle to work scheme
- Opportunity to volunteer in local community
Just so you know
Candidates with priority status will be given precedence for this role over other applicants.
Our application form will help us understand how your work, education and life experience has prepared you for the role of a {Role Title} with #TeamNP. To help support your application research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for and the values and behaviours that contribute.
The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form followed by a face to face interview. Just so you know, you can save your application and come back to it any time prior to the closing date on the advert.
We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, working together to improve the lives of disabled employees. As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to offering an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. In cases of very high application volumes, we may prioritise those who most closely meet the criteria, applying the same fair approach for all candidates.
If you tell us that you have a disability, we can make adjustments to support you through the recruitment process (for example we can arrange extra time for tests or provide a sign language interpreter) You can get in touch with us via careers@northumbria.police.uk for any support regarding the application process. Please provide us with plenty of notice so we can ensure your visit goes smoothly.
Use of AI in Applications: At Northumbria Police, we embrace innovative technologies to enhance our recruitment process. We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While AI can be a valuable resource, we encourage applicants to ensure their submissions accurately reflect their personal qualifications, experiences, and skills. Our selection process includes thorough evaluations to verify the authenticity and suitability of all applications. We value genuine and thoughtful responses that showcase your unique strengths and perspectives.
If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Recruitment Vetting (RV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 3 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance, medical information, and references.
Terms of appointment
This is a permanent role subject to a six-month probationary period and a 24 month commitment to post.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
