Location: Aylesbury
Overview
Are you highly organised, financially confident, and motivated by work that truly makes a difference? Then we would love for you to join our team at Buckinghamshire Council as a Finance Deputy Officer. In this role, you will play a vital part in managing the personal finances & property of vulnerable adults to ensure that these individuals receive the financial support and protection they need, in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.
If you’re looking for meaningful work, strong values, and the chance to grow your career, we’d love to hear from you.
About us
Working in the Finance Deputy Team as part of the wider Revenues and Benefits Team at Buckinghamshire Council, we are Buckinghamshire Council’s in-house client money management team.
We are a small team responsible for managing the personal finances and property of just over 300 of Buckinghamshire Council's most vulnerable Adults. Made up of a Team Leader and what will be 5 full time Finance Deputy Officers, we are dedicated to making sure all decisions we make are always in the client's Best Interest.
No two days are ever the same on the Team. Working closely alongside colleagues in Adult Social Care, as well as care providers and support workers, we have a very varied workload where an investigative and inquisitive mind are very helpful attributes. Our duties range from paying utility bills to issuing weekly personal allowances and emergency payments, as well as maximising their income, maintaining their claims to benefits where entitled and ensuring that their needs are met within their own budgetary constraints.
The successful applicant can expect to join a close-knit team who pride themselves on excellent teamwork and constantly aim to achieve the best possible outcomes for their clients. We take a keen interest in our clients as individuals and always make sure we always put their needs first.
The team support Promoting Independence and Living Well approaches for Buckinghamshire people in the prevention or resolution of financial vulnerability through effective support, advice, and guidance.
Why Join Us:
1. Culture: Experience a fair and inclusive culture that promotes a positive work-life balance.
2. Benefits: Enjoy generous leave entitlement, competitive pay aligned with our performance pay scheme, and a substantial employer pension contribution through the Local Government Pension Scheme.
3. Development: Opportunities for career growth and development, along with various discount schemes and more.
About the role
As a Finance Deputy Officer, you will manage the financial affairs of adults who lack the mental capacity to do so, acting under Corporate Appointeeships or Court of Protection Deputyships. This role is pivotal in ensuring clients’ income, assets, and property are correctly managed, protected, and used in their best interests.
Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:
4. Gathering information and preparing applications to become a Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) Corporate Appointee on behalf of clients.
5. Acting as a DWP Appointee, managing a caseload of Appointeeship cases in accordance with DWP guidelines.
6. Maintaining a caseload of Deputyship cases as appointed by the Court of Protection and supervised by the Office of the Public Guardian.
7. Ensuring that all correct invoices and payments are made on behalf of clients in a timely manner.
8. Maintaining appropriate financial records and producing financial reports as required.
9. Liaising with health and social care professionals and any other persons involved in providing care and support to our clients.
10. Ensuring that priority is given to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and that the council’s and the service’s safeguarding policies and procedures are followed.
11. At all times working under the Deputyship Standards, DWP Appointeeship Standards and with full regard to the Mental Capacity Act in all decisions made on behalf of our clients.
12. Visiting and protecting client property under s47 of the Care Act 2014.
13. Supporting colleagues with advice on Court of Protection processes and financial safeguarding.
14. Meeting performance targets and contributing to continuous improvements across the service.
About you
To excel in this role, you should have a solid understanding of the welfare benefits system and possess relevant skills and practical experience. Understanding of the Court of Protection Property & Affairs Deputyships & DWP Appointeeships will also be extremely beneficial.
The ideal candidate will have a good knowledge of relevant processes, systems, policies and procedures, as well as a good working knowledge of other areas of the authority relevant to the service. Your ICT skills should include the use of standard packages and bespoke databases, and you should be highly numerate and accurate with attention to detail.
In addition to technical skills, you should have excellent written and verbal communication skills, including a full command of both written & spoken English language, with the ability to explain specialist information in a way that non-specialists and vulnerable Adults can understand.
Qualifications:
15. Educated to GCSE/NVQ 3 standard (including Maths & English) or equivalent
16. ICT skills, including standard Microsoft packages and AFW Financial Systems such as Liquidlogic LAS Live & Lloyds Commercial Banking Online (CBO).
For further information on this role, please see the attached job summary.