Customer Services Representative

Role information

Role type

Pay band

Reports to

Business Delivery

Grade 4 / H

Customer Service Team Manager

Role purpose (max 450 words in total, 10 bullet points)

The Customer Service Representative (CSR) delivers consistent, high-quality experiences across all customer channels – face-to-face, phone, email, web chat, and social media. As the first point of contact, they manage enquiries, registrations, complaints, and transactions efficiently, ensuring accurate information, smooth customer journeys, and adherence to service standards.

CSRs resolve most issues at first contact, escalate when needed, and identify opportunities to promote relevant products and services, supporting both sales and retention. The role demands strong compliance, data accuracy, and effective use of systems such as CRM and registration platforms.

Offering a clear growth pathway from inductee to specialist, the CSR combines service excellence with proactive engagement to drive customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy, while contributing to revenue growth and the British Council’s mission of building trust and understanding worldwide.

Role context (max 450 words in total, 10 bullet points)

The Customer Service Representative (CSR) is part of the Sales and Customer Service function, which underpins the British Council’s mission by delivering excellent customer experiences, strengthening loyalty, and supporting business growth. As frontline representatives, CSRs interact with thousands of customers each year, ensuring professionalism, consistency, and alignment with brand values. By working across multiple channels and service types, they play a key role in connecting customers to our products and services, contributing directly to the organisation’s commercial success and its wider purpose of building trust and understanding worldwide.

Main accountabilities (max 800 words in total, 10 bullet points)

• Deliver excellent customer service across multiple channels (face-to-face, phone, email, web chat, social media), ensuring enquiries, complaints, and registrations are handled professionally, accurately, and in line with service standards.
• Maintain accurate and timely data entry on CRM and other systems, ensuring compliance with safeguarding, financial, and information security policies.
• Identify opportunities during service interactions to recommend suitable products and services, contributing to sales and retention targets.
• Provide feedback and insights on customer needs, behaviours, and issues to support continuous improvement and Voice of the Customer initiatives.
• Support the delivery of operational processes such as booking consultations, payments, refunds, and customer communications, ensuring alignment with quality audit requirements.
• Continuously develop knowledge of British Council products, services, and policies to ensure customers receive up-to-date and accurate information.

Person specification

British Council core competencies (sometimes referred to as Core Skills)

• Communicating and Influencing – Level 2
  Adapts communication for different audiences; demonstrates good listening and clear explanation skills.
• Planning and Organising – Level 1/2
  Plans and prioritises routine tasks, meets deadlines, and follows set processes effectively.
• Using Technology – Level 2
  Confident in using office software, CRM, and digital channels (e.g. web chat, social media platforms).
• Analysing Data and Problems – Level 1
  Uses available information to solve straightforward problems and escalate complex issues when required.
• Managing Risk – Level 1
  Follows safeguarding, data protection, and compliance policies consistently.
• Customer Support (function-specific skill)
  Provides clear, accurate, and timely responses to customer needs, ensuring service standards are met.

Role specific skills

Role specific knowledge and experience (max 450 words in total, 10 bullet points)

Minimum/essential

• Experience of working in a customer-facing role, delivering services to agreed quality standards.
• Strong computer literacy with the ability to use standard applications confidently.

Desirable

• Experience of supporting service-to-sales opportunities within a customer interaction.
• Proficient in using computer systems and digital tools including CRM platforms and online registration systems.

Language Requirements

• English C1 and local language

Education

 As per local requirement – no specific education or field is required

Professional Qualification and Certification

Not Required

Additional job requirements (max 450 words in total, 10 bullet points)

The text below is standard and will appear unless changed or added to.

Proof of Identity requirements/right to work in country

Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in the country in which the role is based. Given that our offices have different legal status depending on the work we do in those countries, we recommend that you contact HR in country for additional information on the likelihood of securing a visa. Only at its discretion will the British Council provide support so please check first whether visa support is offered.

Background Checks 

Initial and continuing employment with the British Council is subject to an annual background check. The job undertaken defines the nature of check(s) and assessment applied.

British Council values and behaviours

The text below is standard and will appear unless changed or added to.

British council values and behaviours are applicable across our organisation, in all roles and at all levels. They are important because they say what we stand for at the British Council and help us to deliver our strategy. We use them to guide our decision making, as well as guiding how we treat one another and the people we work with. These will be assessed in the selection process. Our values are:

Open and Committed; Expert and Inclusive; Optimistic and Bold.

The behaviours for each values pair can be found on our Intranet SharePoint site for internal staff and at our Careers portal for external applicants.

For Recruiter / Hiring Manager use only

Proof of Identity requirements/right to work in country

Candidates are expected to have researched whether they have the right to live and work in the country in which the role is based. Given that our offices have different legal status depending on the work we do in those countries, we recommend that you contact HR in country for additional information on the likelihood of securing a visa. Only at its discretion will the British Council provide support so please check first whether visa support is offered.

Shortlisting

Background Checks 

Initial and continuing employment with the British Council is subject to an annual background check. The job undertaken defines the nature of check(s) and assessment applied, please identify the one screening category considered relevant for this job:

(Further guidance here on the intranet)

Offer

Senior Manager (PB9/SMP and all head of function/business area, Director or Country Director jobs at PB7/8).

Yes /No

Enhanced (Finance people directly managing expenditure or revenue of or more than £1 million e.g. payroll, procurement, accountancy/controller).

Yes /No

Enhanced Plus (The job is considered regulated if the role holder has frequent (minimum of once a week) or intensive (more than 4 days in one month) occurs in a place giving access to children (e.g. School) or is the line manager of others undertaking regulated activity)

Yes /No

Standard Screening (If none of the above categories apply then the role is subject to standard screening)

Yes /No