Office of the Customer Advocacy Champion

Description

The Office of the Customer is primarily responsible for researching, resolving, and responding to customer complaints for the Bank, while preventing and/or mitigating any harm made to the customer. The role of the Office of the Customer Advocacy Champion will entail building a strong rapport with business partners in multiple divisions and of varying levels. The Advocacy Champion will objectively investigate a customer’s complaint, challenge current policies and procedures, employ innovative, solution-oriented thinking, and ultimately provide a best-in-class Customer Experience as part of the complaint resolution process. The Advocacy Champion is a champion for the customer. This role will provide formal, written correspondence on behalf of the Bank and its executive leadership group to customers, regulatory agencies, attorneys and other third parties. The Advocacy Champion will interact with both internal and external customers via telephone to enhance the overall Customer Experience and promote an effective and efficient complaint resolution. This Advocacy Champion will understand the current regulatory environment and be expected to communicate with our regulators, attorneys, State Attorney General's offices, and other agencies daily regarding consumer complaints.  The role holder will be assigned the most sensitive, complex, high visibility complaints, including those involving regulatory (fair lending, UDAAP, discrimination, etc.), reputation, litigation, and operational risk. 

The Advocacy Champion will employ exemplary problem solving and analytical capabilities, utilizing superior knowledge of all bank products, services, and risk management which will allow the role holder to effectively resolve and respond to the most complex customer complaints within agreed upon service levels. This role will independently identify and act upon service improvement opportunities relevant to the complaint management process, including root cause analysis. Regular interaction with their management team, risk, compliance, and legal partners will ensure that the Advocacy Champion is responding appropriately to complex, time sensitive issues. The Advocay Champion will retain ownership of a customer’s complaint until it is fully resolved. 

An Office of the Customer Advocacy Champion possesses a passion for best-in-class customer service and has the skill set to deliver it. The role holder will have developed strong communication and presentation skills and advanced computer skills. A colleague holding the role of Advocacy Champion will pro-actively participate in professional development opportunities and will assist newer colleagues with on-the-job training, acting as mentor and coach under the department Supervisor’s direction.  With assistance from the Office of the Customer management team, the Advocacy Champion will understand and support the division’s long term strategic objectives and independently offer valuable process improvement feedback. This role may have the opportunity to interact with senior-level business leaders, including Executive Leadership, as the Office of the Customer refines and enhances the overall complaint management process within the company.

Key Responsibilities 

• 55% Investigate and resolve the most complex complaints with integrity and professional advocacy. Provide formal, written response to regulatory agencies (CFPB, OCC, FDIC, etc..), attorneys, consumer protection agencies, and congressional offices. Act as a single point of contact for customers and regulators and other agencies. May resolve complaints via telephone communication, if appropriate.
• 20% Work closely with senior management, legal, risk, Office of Fair Banking, and compliance partners to resolve complex complaints within acceptable service levels and in a compliant manner.
• 10% Serves as a subject matter expert within the department, assists in training and mentoring newer colleagues.
• 5% Act as a final point of escalation and resolution for the branch network and contact centers within CFG.
• 5% Partner with internal operational and servicing departments on root cause analysis and coordinate service.
• 5% Participates in or completes special projects as assigned by leadership team.

Skills & Competencies

• Senior level knowledge of products, services, and operational functions
• Ability to act as an internal expert on problem resolution best practices.
• Strong understanding of banking regulations and compliance (testing required)
• Strong knowledge of risk management principles
• Solid knowledge of financial services industry
• Strong communication and presentation skills 
• Advanced computer skills; strong, working knowledge of Microsoft Office products
• Independently prioritizes work and meets or exceeds service level agreements with meticulous quality and attention to detail
• Ability to provide guidance and feedback to functional areas on how best to improve the Customer Experience
• Best-in-class problem solving, and analytical skills. 
• Exceptional experience advocating for the customer and doing the right thing.
• Ability to multitask and work independently in a fast paced, changing environment
• Ability to work with minimal supervision to bring the most complex and sensitive issues to satisfactory resolution
• Must be comfortable being the voice of the organization and its executives

Ability to act as a subject matter expert within ad hoc projects, as requested

Strong mentoring and training capability

Best in class customer service skills (soft skills included)

Experience

High School or Equivalent (GED) required

Bachelor’s Degree Preferred or 5 year experience in lieu of

Prior banking experience preferred in addition to previous customer experience

3-5 years customer service

3 years financial industry (banking or specific banking products)

1-3 years problem resolution/complaint management/customer advocacy

1 year exposure to banking regulations or risk environment in a financial services industry 

Hours & Work Schedule

• Hours per Week: 40 
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.