Customer Service Assistant

Salary: £26,427 - £26,847 per year pro rata
Location: Derby Arena
Hours: 32 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday-Friday: 5:30am-10:30pm & Saturday-Sunday: 6:15am-7:30pm with some changes due to events
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 9th November 2026

The Opportunity
Are you someone who enjoys helping people, thrives in a busy environment and takes pride in delivering great customer service? As a Customer Service Assistant at Derby Arena, you'll be at the heart of one of Derby's leading sport, fitness and events venues, helping customers make the most of everything the Arena has to offer.

This Customer Service Assistant role offers a varied and rewarding working day, where no two shifts are the same. You'll be part of a friendly and supportive team, gaining valuable experience in customer service, sales, leisure operations and event support while helping create positive experiences for thousands of visitors each year.

If you enjoy working with people, take a proactive approach and want to build your skills in a dynamic customer-focused environment, this could be the perfect Customer Service Assistant opportunity for you.

What you’ll be doing
• Delivering a welcoming, professional and helpful service to customers visiting, calling or contacting Derby Arena.
• Assisting customers with bookings, memberships, activity enrolments and enquiries about the wide range of facilities and services available.
• Promoting memberships, activities and events, helping customers find the products and services best suited to their needs.
• Managing access to the facility and supporting accurate cash handling, payments and administration processes.
• Setting up, moving and storing sports and event equipment safely to support activities taking place across the venue.
• Carrying out routine checks of facilities and equipment, reporting any issues and helping maintain a clean, safe and presentable environment.
• Supporting customers with feedback, questions and concerns, taking ownership to ensure a positive outcome wherever possible.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues to deliver an excellent experience for customers attending sport, fitness, cycling and events activities.

About you
To be successful in this role, you'll have:
• Experience working in a customer-facing environment.
• Strong customer service skills and a genuine passion for helping people.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage with a wide range of customers.
• Experience working as part of a team and contributing to shared goals.
• Good organisational and administrative skills with attention to detail.
• Basic IT skills, including the ability to use Microsoft Office applications and other computer systems.
• The ability to work independently, use your initiative and remain professional in a busy environment.
• A friendly, reliable and adaptable approach to work.
• An appreciation of equality, diversity and inclusion and the ability to treat everyone with respect.
• Flexibility to work a shift pattern including early mornings, evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
• The physical capability to move equipment and support operational activities safely when required.

Desirable:
• Experience working in a sales-focused environment.
• Customer service or customer care qualifications/training.
• Experience within a leisure, fitness, sports or hospitality setting.
• Understanding of health and safety practices within a customer-facing environment.

Who We Are
At Derby City Council, we're proud to deliver over 250 essential services that support our residents, communities and businesses. Guided by our vision to create an Inclusive, Green, Growing and Vibrant City, we put people at the heart of everything we do.

Our values shape how we work every day. We believe in Great People, One Team, we're Bold in embracing change, Strong in delivering for our communities, and We Care about making a positive difference.

Join us and you'll be part of an ambitious, collaborative organisation where you can develop your career while helping to shape Derby's future.

Why join Derby City Council?
At Derby City Council, you'll have the opportunity to make a real difference while building a rewarding career in an organisation that values, supports and invests in its people. Alongside the opportunity to help shape the future of Derby, you'll benefit from a comprehensive range of employee benefits, including:

Financial Benefits
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) – a secure, defined benefit pension with life cover
• Team Derby Rewards – discounts across a wide range of retail, leisure and lifestyle brands
• Tusker Car Benefit Scheme – a salary sacrifice scheme for leasing a brand-new, fully maintained and insured vehicle
Work-Life Balance
• Generous annual leave, starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days after five years' service (plus bank holidays, depending on your contract)
• The option to purchase additional annual leave
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements for many roles
• Flexible retirement options, where eligible
• Support for colleagues with caring responsibilities
Learning and Development
• Learning and development opportunities, with regular career conversations to support your growth
• Leadership and management development programmes, mentoring and professional qualifications
• Modern workspaces designed to support collaboration, productivity and wellbeing
Health and Wellbeing
• Employee Assistance Programme, wellbeing support and a year-round wellbeing calendar
• Free annual flu vaccinations
• Cycle2Work Scheme and free cycle training
Community and Inclusion
• Up to 15 hours of volunteering leave each year
• Recognition through initiatives including the Here for Derby Awards and Long Service Awards
• The opportunity to join one of our Employee Networks, including LGBTQ+, Disabled Employees and Carers, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Employees, and Neurodiversity

At Derby City Council, we believe our people are our greatest strength. Whatever stage you're at in your career, you'll be joining an inclusive organisation where you'll be supported to develop, feel valued and make a meaningful difference to the communities we serve.

Some benefits are dependent on your role, contract or length of service.

How to apply
If you would like to apply for this vacancy via an application form, please submit an application via the Derby City Council website.

The closing date for this vacancy is specified at the top of the advert. Applications received after midnight on the closing date will not be accepted.

Interview dates: Week commencing Monday 16th November 2026
Interview location: Derby Arena

Applying using your CV
We recognise that people apply for roles in different ways and want our recruitment process to be as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you would prefer to apply using a CV rather than completing an application form, please complete the attached Declaration Form and send it, together with your CV, to Cait.Aldridge@derby.gov.uk.

When applying by CV, please ensure your CV clearly demonstrates how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the requirements of the role. We strongly recommend that you also include a supporting statement outlining how you meet the essential criteria set out in the person specification, as this will help us assess your suitability for the post.

Applications submitted by CV must include a completed Declaration Form to be accepted. The Declaration Form can be found at the bottom of this advert.

We also encourage you to complete the attached Equalities Form and return it to recruitmentteam@derby.gov.uk. This is entirely optional and will not affect the outcome of your application.

Important Information
Links to the full Job Description and Person Specification are available below.

Before submitting your application, please read our guidance on completing the application form and ensure your supporting statement clearly demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria in the Person Specification.

All employees will normally be appointed to the minimum of the grade for the role.

Where a DBS requirement is indicated at the top of this advert, the successful candidate will be subject to the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check as part of our safer recruitment process.

Where a Market Rate Supplement is indicated at the top of this advert, it is paid in addition to the basic salary and is subject to regular review. The supplement may be reduced or withdrawn and will reduce in line with incremental progression and pay awards.

The Council has a legal obligation to consider suitable redeployment opportunities for employees at risk of redundancy. Consequently, this vacancy may be withdrawn before the advertised closing date if it is filled through the Council's redeployment process.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
At Derby City Council, we're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and can thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we serve.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role can choose to apply through our Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

We are also proud to hold the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award, recognising our commitment to supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families. Members of the Armed Forces community, veterans and their close family members who meet the essential criteria are also eligible for our Guaranteed Interview Scheme.

If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, including during your application, interview or onboarding, we'll work with you to provide the support you need.

If you have any questions about this vacancy or need assistance with your application, please contact the Recruitment Team on 01332 640844 (Relay UK: 18001 01332 640844) or email recruitmentteam@derby.gov.uk.

Please see here for Job Description
Please see here for Person Specification
Please see Declaration Form for CV Applications here
Please see Equalities Form for CV Applications here