Job Description
* Suffolk County Council – Beacon House, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 5PB - Hybrid
* £24,404 per annum (pro rata if part time)
* Various hours available
* Permanent
We’re passionate about improving the future for our customers, our communities and the environment. If you are too, join us as a Finance Officer and make a huge and meaningful impact. Your innovation and drive will help us to continue improving and evolving. Our opportunities and support will enable you to make a difference and leave a positive, lasting legacy
Your Role And Responsibilities
The role of Finance Officer is interesting and varied. We are currently looking for people to join the team with office skills as well as applicants with life skills in personal budgeting and finances. If you are running your own finances successfully then you will fit right in.
You may be responsible for supporting vulnerable adults with managing their finances as either Appointee or Deputy. Your role would involve making sure that the adult is getting the income they are entitled to and ensuring their bills are being paid on time. You would work closely with colleagues in social care and support staff to provide a service that best meets the needs of the individual.
Or you might be part of a team that completes financial assessments for adults getting care at home, in the community or in a Care Home setting. This would involve you collecting and scrutinising financial information to calculate the amount an adult pays towards their care. You would provide advice and support to adults to about their care charges and this often involves liaising with colleagues from other departments to assist.
You will need to:
* be willing and able to learn new skills
* be confident in delivering high standard customer service
* be able to work proactively, both as an individual and as part of a team
* have a strong understanding of IT, including Microsoft packages
* have good attention to detail
* have the ability to use your own initiative
* be flexible in your approach to work.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
The Financial Inclusion and Advice Service works with vulnerable customers who are receiving services from Social Care due to long term and complex medical conditions. The Finance Officer roles in the Financial Inclusion and Advice Service are interesting and varied.
We have a positive team culture and we maintain this by helping everyone to understand how they contribute to our team; we focus on the development of our staff and make communication a priority.
Empowering Everyone
We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report (suffolkjobsdirect.org) .
For more information
Please contact Sharon Thompson for a casual conversation. You can reach her by calling 01473 260192or emailing sharon.thompson@suffolk.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can contact Sarah Nivison by calling 01473 265198 or emailing sarah.nivison@suffolk.gov.uk
How To Apply
Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word)
Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word) .
* Question 1 - From the job description and person specification sent out, what appealed to you about this role? Tell us what experience you have that you feel would support you in this role?
* Question 2 - This role has a requirement to take a lead in organising your own workload. Can you give examples where you have had to do this and what challenges you had to overcome when working with conflicting demands or deadlines?
* Question 3 - Provide an example of when you had to use your problem-solving skills to overcome a challenge or resolve an issue related to financial assessments or customer finances.
* Question 4 - The biggest challenge in this role is managing the daily incoming workload whilst maintaining the correct benefits. Please can you arrange the list of tasks below into the order that you would start to tackle these explaining why you chose this order:
* Invoice (30 days deadline)
* Invoice (7 days deadline)
* Cash request from adult for dental treatment due to filling falling out
* Cash request from adult to get some new clothes
* Personal Independence Payment form to be filled out by adult and support worker (28 days deadline)
* Universal Credit notification asking adult to check their UC online account
* Landlord emailing to confirm he is now in receipt of housing benefit and asking for the standing order from adult for rent to be cancelled
* MOT reminder notifying the adult that MOT is due in 30 days.
* Support for adult asking for debit card to be unblocked as they have entered their pin number wrong too many times
* British Gas Statement received
Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format. If you would like an adjustment to this process due to a disability, please contact us at 03456 014412 or recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk
Closing date: 11:30pm, 21 July 2025.
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.
About Us
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you’ll enjoy:
* up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
* membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
* travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
* performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
* training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
* a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
* diverse and active staff networks
* flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
Plus lots more!
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .
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