Customer Service Advocate

This is a term position for up to 6 months.

What you'll do:

• Reporting to the Manager of Customer Service, this position acts as a subject matter expert and leads and supports customer service in one or more of the following program areas: AgriStability, Crop Insurance, Livestock Price Insurance, and/or Wildlife Damage and Predation Programs.

• Support customer service offices and respond to and resolve customer complaints escalated to Head Office and provide advice to field staff to ensure customer issues are corrected quickly and accurately
• Provide verbal and written responses to customer inquiries, ministerial referrals, or legal counsel.
• Research and prepare provincial appeal documentation and present the corporation’s position to the Provincial Appeal Panel for all SCIC programs.
• Investigate and resolve customer complaints, including Ombudsman inquiries and provide recommendations to management
• Assist the Customer Service Manager with mediation and examination of discovery proceedings for legal counsel.
• Collaborate with SCIC’s Research and Development team develop and revise policies and procedures and training materials.
• Work with the AgriStability Unit to calculate the deemed benefit for AgriStability negative margin producers and maintain the policy and procedure manual related to deeming practices.
• Provide the Customer Service Manager with updated and current information on issues or trends that may impact SCIC customers and stakeholders to ensure proactive organizational response.

Qualifications:

To be successful in this position you will need a diploma in Agriculture or Business supplemented by a minimum of two years relevant working experience in the agricultural industry OR a certificate in Agriculture or Business, supplemented by a minimum of three years’ relevant working experience in the agricultural industry.

The ability to develop well-structured written content is imperative to this role; therefore, all screened candidates must successfully complete a writing exercise.

Additional qualifications to be considered include:

• Working knowledge of Saskatchewan agriculture production and farming practices.

• Customer-focused, with the ability to engage producers and the public to discuss complex programs and policies.

• Organizational and time management skills to handle workload efficiently under pressure and meet deadlines while working independently with limited supervision.

• Effective written communication skills for preparing clear and concise documents, including but not limited to briefing notes, management reports and appeal materials.

• Verbal communication skills with the ability to adapt your approach when interacting with a variety of producers, stakeholders and all levels of Government.

• Mathematical skills for calculating or reviewing program benefits, ensuring data reasonability.

• Analytical and problem-solving skills to address complex challenges, develop solutions and deliver in-depth reports.

Competencies:

• Service Excellence: Delivers and provides additional information or service beyond customer expectations. Uses customer feedback to make changes in work and personally commits to resolving customer issues. Takes a variety of actions to fully understand and meet a customer’s needs.
• Personal Leadership and Development: Demonstrates integrity, openness, and inclusiveness by treating self and team members with respect and empathy. Models’ integrity and inclusiveness by being open, acting with empathy, sharing resources/knowledge across teams and being respectful of all skills and viewpoints. Seeks out continuous learning opportunities to further develop skills.
• Strategic Thinking: Prioritizes work in alignment with organizational objectives. Asks questions to gain a clear understanding. Commits to achieving success at the team and organizational level.
• Decision Making: Uses information to make timely and appropriate decisions for the position. Acknowledges personal responsibility for outcomes from decisions made. Can clearly explain their theory behind the decisions they made.
• Innovation: Adapts methodology and ideas quickly for immediate or anticipated changes in the environment. Challenges the status quo when needed and looks for ways to improve internal processes or practices. Assists in implementing changes.
• Analytical Thinking: Reflects on past experience and organizational practices and processes to develop consistent action plans. Makes suggestions at team meetings and to manager on potential/known issues and possible solutions. Asks pointed questions and does research to learn more about the issue.
• Team Collaboration: Brings forward ideas, solutions and concerns to help the team problem solve and build solutions. Capitalizes on the strengths and skill sets of team members by aligning tasks with individual strengths. Respects contributions of all team members, demonstrating cooperation and support for team decisions.
• Building Organizational Community: Works independently, interdependently and participates as a contributing member across work teams. Ensures cross-team collaboration for organizational effectiveness. Actively builds relationships by establishing respect, trust, support and understanding.
• Communication: Responds to audiences needs by modifying the approach, content or format of the communication. Anticipates and prepares for responses or reactions with sensitivity and directness. Conveys understanding and empathy from the other person’s perspective.
• Accountability: Seeks and/or provides challenging assignments as learning opportunities. Assumes responsibility for personal actions, behaviours and results. Promotes integrity in others by maintaining consistent values and performance standards.
• Performance Management: Makes timely decisions to move work forward; takes responsible risks to improve services and achieve goals. Completes all assigned duties on a consistent basis with energy and drive. Takes/provides opportunities to learn and demonstrate new knowledge and skills.
• Planning and Risk Management: Continually adapts priorities and responsibilities in response to changing needs. Organizes and prioritizes work to implement plans. Divides objectives into manageable tasks and sets deadlines to keep projects moving forward.

Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation (SCIC) is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. SCIC welcomes applications from all individuals and encourages applicants to self-identify in their application. We affirm our Commitment to Reconciliation as we continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. Please tell us of accommodation measures required to help you be assessed fairly. Please note that the information you provide will be treated confidentially.