About the Role
and our Ideal Candidate
As the Client Finance Officer you will act as a corporate appointee for welfare benefits and also a court appointed deputy for certain vulnerable service users in accordance with Council procedures. Key roles will include working with service users, social workers and support workers to ensure that all service users receive their full benefit entitlement and providing training and guidance to staff on welfare benefits and financial procedures. You will work closely with the Social workers and where appropriate Housing Finance Rent Recovery Teams to ensure that appointees in owned and managed properties do not accrue rent arrears and are up to date paying any care fees.
1. To act as corporate appointee and court appointed deputy for a caseload of specified vulnerable service users and ensure that all financial arrangements are properly documented and managed.
2. Keep abreast of legislation and guidelines issued by the Department of Work and Pensions, the Department of Health and the Public Guardianship Office, and implement accordingly.
3. To provide high quality support to service users and staff on welfare benefit and client finance issues
4. You need to be able to manage your caseload well, get to know your client base and trends in their finances. You will be prioritising key tasks regularly
5. Be a team player - the team is relatively small so you should be able to be flexible enough to support team colleagues with their work and your line manager with ad hoc tasks where required.
6. Note that there are 2 mandatory office days, you will be required to work from the office every Thursday and also another day as advised by your line manager.
About you
7. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
8. Ability to deal with members of the public in a sympathetic and tactful manner, often in a stressful situation.
9. Able to prepare & present stats
10. Ability to organise and prioritise workload
11. Ability to work as part of a small team and be a team player.
12. Ability to work with multiple agencies such as Housing Benefits / DWP, to deliver services for customers
13. Ability to communicate effectively with customers and understand their needs, often in emotional and sensitive situations. Empathy & a good understanding of the issues faced by customers, e.g. vulnerable people
14. Good level of IT literacy.
15. Must be physically able to visit people in their own homes including properties that can only be accessed by stairs.
About Us
The Shared Finance Service ambition is to add value, inspire success and this role is part of the Shared Finance Service (SFS) team collectively responsible for delivering SFS activities to realise this ambition.
The Client Finance Team sits within the Adult Social Care Finance Hub. There are two other teams within this hub. The client Finance Team comprises of Appointeeship and deputyship functions, and protection of property functions. We currently have 4 staff within this team.
As the Client Finance Officer you will act as a corporate appointee for welfare benefits for certain vulnerable service users in accordance with Council procedures as well as a court appointed Deputy.
Our Offer To You
As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we’re committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We’re constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across however big or small; will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team.
Employees have access to a wide range of benefits to enable staff to achieve a work life balance, some of which include:
16. A generous annual leave entitlement of 26-31 days plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply) depending on service and grade
17. Enhanced Maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption and dependents leave
18. Two volunteering days per year
19. Flexible Working - Smarter Working Scheme (dependent on the role)
20. Adjustable and agile working arrangements using Google Chromebooks
21. Learning and development portal offering a range of courses
22. Discounts on a range of local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres
23. Interest free season ticket loans
24. Local Government Pension Scheme
25. Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme
26. Zip car scheme
27. Confidential health & wellbeing and counselling support