Job Description

As a Support Officer within SAAS Operations, you will be part of our Contact Centre Team. Our mission is to deliver efficient and effective financial support services, ensuring students receive the assistance they need.

In this diverse and challenging role, you will handle a variety of activities, including direct student support via our Telephony and Webchat service. You will also support wider SAAS Operations by assessing and managing student applications for financial support. Our main objective is to deliver high-quality customer service while managing priorities and meeting seasonal demands in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Respond to queries from internal and external stakeholders including students, college/university staff regarding student funding in higher education via telephone, webchat or email.
• Assess funding applications to establish students’ eligibility and entitlement to financial support in accordance with our regulations and instructions.
• Respond to change in priorities and be flexible to take on additional ad hoc duties as required.
• Deliver against service levels and provide excellent customer service.

Success Profiles

Technical / Professional Skills

1. Connections and communication. Communicates and builds relationships across teams to deliver excellent service, quality and performance. Works with others in collaboration to share information constructively. Encourages feedback and creates a secure and safe environment where good communication and relationships can thrive.
2. Adaptability to change. Seeks ways to continuously improve. Identifies skills gaps and makes plans to develop these. Looks for solutions to problems and where necessary refers to others with a focus on bringing about change and improvement. Listens to and acts on feedback from colleagues to understand development areas for preparedness to change. Shares knowledge and skills with others to support learning and readiness for change. Takes into consideration ideas to deliver improved outcomes for stakeholders and/or service delivery.

3. Delivery and decision making at pace Makes timely decisions, seeking the views of others where necessary and is confident to make recommendations considering the implications. Works at pace, responding flexibly to emerging priorities and manages their own workload effectively.

   You can find out more about the skills required here

   Experience

   Experience in customer service or support, with the ability to understand complex information and explain it clearly, and the ability to remain calm and professional in difficult situations.

   Behaviours

   Managing a quality service - Level 2.

   Working together – Level 2.

   You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours, here

   How to apply

   Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 750 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the skills, experience and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

   If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and a Job Simulation exercise.

   Assessments are scheduled for w/c 10th August however this may be subject to change.

   About us

   The Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) is an Agency of the Scottish Government responsible for the assessment and payment of student financial support for Scottish Students studying within the UK.

   SAAS administer budgets of around £1.4 billion each year, making payments to both higher education institutions and over 190,000 students a year. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative of the clients we serve.

   More information on SAAS can be found on our website https://www.saas.gov.uk

   Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service, working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

   We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer

   As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules

   Working Pattern

   Our standard hours are 35 hours per week Monday to Friday. We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options depending on the needs of the role. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

   Equality Statement

   We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

   Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

   Further information

   Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on our Careers Website

   Read our Candidate Guidefor further information on our recruitment and application processes.

   For further information please contact carol.duncan@gov.scot