Job Role
Complaints & Customer Liaison Manager - Specialist Services Division / Quality Team
Band 7 £49,387 - £56,515
37.5 hours per week
Permanent
Responsibilities
We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Complaints & Customer Liaison Manager to lead the delivery of a responsive, compassionate and high‑quality complaints service across Locala Community Partnerships. This key leadership role ensures patient feedback—including complaints, concerns and compliments—is managed effectively, professionally and within statutory requirements. You will play a vital part in improving patient experience by embedding learning and driving service improvements across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead and manage a comprehensive complaints and customer liaison service from initial contact through to resolution
* Line manage the Customer Liaison Officer, ensuring effective administration and service delivery
* Ensure all complaints, concerns and comments are logged, investigated and responded to within agreed timescales
* Oversee robust processes for assessing complaint severity, identifying risk and ensuring appropriate escalation
* Act as the organisation’s expert advisor on complaints handling and investigation
* Support colleagues in managing sensitive cases, ensuring professionalism and empathy throughout
* Liaise with patients, carers, internal teams and external agencies (e.g. NHS England, PHSO, CQC, Advocacy Services) to achieve the best outcomes
* Embed learning from complaints into service development and continuous improvement
* Develop and maintain systems for sharing lessons learned and monitoring implementation of actions
* Facilitate triangulation of feedback data (complaints, incidents, surveys) to enhance patient safety and experience
* Champion high‑quality, meaningful responses to complaints across all services
* Monitor and review complaint responses to ensure quality, completeness and compliance with statutory requirements
* Produce regular reports for senior leadership forums, including Patient Safety & Experience Committees and the Board
* Lead the development of comprehensive complaints reports and ensure timely submission of external returns
* Oversee implementation and monitoring of recommendations from regulatory and external bodies
* Develop, review and implement policies, procedures and guidance relating to complaints and patient feedback
* Support use and development of Datix within the organisation
* Contribute to quality audits, regulatory inspections (e.g. CQC), and wider quality initiatives
* Support the Head of Independent Quality & Professional Development across local and national quality agendas
About You
* Has significant experience in complaints management, governance or patient experience roles
* Demonstrates strong leadership and people management skills
* Has excellent communication skills and can handle sensitive situations with professionalism and empathy
* Has a strong understanding of NHS complaints processes, regulatory requirements and best practice
* Is highly organised, analytical and able to produce high‑quality reports and insights
* Is passionate about improving patient experience and driving meaningful change
Right to work: This role is not applicable for sponsorship and candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK.
Benefits
* Flexible working – we support colleagues to have a good work‑life balance and welcome conversations about flexible working wherever possible.
* Generous pension – we offer a generous, defined contribution, pension scheme with matched contribution + 2% up to a maximum of 8%
* Refer a Friend Scheme – if you know a friend or family member who works at Locala on a substantive contract, you may receive a reward of £500 each after you have successfully started your role with us.
We celebrate and value inclusivity. Locala is a 'Disability Confident' employer and as such any disabled applicants who meet all essential criteria are guaranteed to be invited to the assessment process.
Closing date – 7th June 2026 at 23:55. Interviews – 15th June 2026. We reserve the right to close earlier.
For further information please contact Katie Pickles, Head of Independent Quality and Professional Development, at Katie.pickles@Locala.org.uk.
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