Finance Officer

Finance Officer (Visiting Officer)

Location: Ealing

Salary: £35,577 - £36,567 per annum, inclusive (Grade 7)

Fixed-term contract for external applicants and / or secondment opportunity for LBE employees – One year fixed with possibility of further year’s extension, if funding available.

Ealing is a highly diverse and vibrant borough in west London. Home to around 370,000 people, it is the third largest borough by population in London and is an exciting, diverse and challenging place to live and work.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join their community benefits team on a 1-year fixed term contract.

The Role

Reporting to the senior finance officer, you’ll be predominately out in the Ealing borough visiting customers face to face in their own homes, helping them complete adult social care financial circumstances forms, giving benefit advice and undertaking benefit checks.

The successful candidate will be highly organised, with the ability to pay attention to detail.  You will have proven experience and knowledge of the Department for Work and Pensions benefit system, as well as knowledge of local authority finance and adult social care charging policies and practices.

You will have proven administrative experience and will have previously worked in a customer facing environment. You will also be competent in being able to prioritise and work on your own initiative.

You will be expected to visit customers home in Ealing, as well work in a hybrid environment both from home and in the Ealing offices.

This role is customer facing and as such you must have a command of spoken English which is sufficient to enable you to effectively perform the role.  This requirement relates to Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016.

Skills and Qualifications

• Educated to NVQ Level 2 or equivalent.
• Experience of operating mainframe IT systems to manage customer caseloads to deliver services.
• Experience of working in a team, using own initiative to undertake day to day tasks in line with the team’s and the organisation’s policies and procedures.
• Experience of working in a face-to-face capacity with vulnerable customers and members of the public.
• Preferable experience of representing client’s interests in respect of negotiations undertaken on their behalf in the capacity of an advisor and/or advocate.
• To demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of local government finance, Department for Work and Pensions legislation, including an understanding of financial administration and social security administration.
• To demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of financial procedures and processes, particularly local authority managed social care programmes, adult social care charging policies and central government welfare benefits.
• To demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion, in relation to staff and service provision.
• To demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Health and Safety requirements, in relation to staff and service provision.
• The ability to receive all appropriate training and guidance relevant to the post.
• To demonstrate communicating effectively, in person, in writing and on the telephone. The ability to deal effectively with queries and to provide appropriate advice as required to staff, external agencies, clients and their representatives.
• To demonstrate dealing with high volume workloads, ensuring attention to detail and accuracy is always maintained, in particular the keeping of accurate records relating to financial and social security work undertaken on behalf of customer and the Council.

To Apply

If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for this reputable Council, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.

This post is subject to their enhanced vetting process.

The Council is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

The council follows safer recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.  The post holder will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.