Office of the Customer Advocacy Champion

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 exc