Client Financial Affairs Officer

 

To arrange for the designated council officer to hold appointments for welfare benefits for service users unable to manage their own finances. The post holder will be responsible for making claims to the benefits agency to ensure full entitlement to benefits is received by the service user, and to liaise with financial institutions to open special bank accounts for all income and expenditure transactions made in the service users name, and pay debts and living expenses on a regular basis.

 

To maintain and reconcile service users bank accounts reconciling on a regular basis in line with audit requirements and where appropriate make application for a deputyship order to the Office of the Public Guardian. To support the Corporate Deputy in the management of Court of Protection cases. Liaise with care professionals across the authority, working within the boundaries set by the Mental Capacity Act (2005)

Experience

Essential

• A working knowledge of word and excel
• Working knowledge of the welfare benefits system

Knowledge and understanding of Adult Social Care

• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act (2005)
• Demonstrable ability to reconcile financial transactions
• Knowledge of Deputyship function
• Ability to complete a range of complex tasks such as report writing, presentations, detailed assessments and calculations presentations

 

In return we offer you:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Generous local government pension scheme package
• Access to wider training and development qualifications
• Flexible working scheme
• Travel plan discounts
• Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers
• The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: - https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

We're committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency.  Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a 'clean and green environment'. All Medway Council staff can access an additional day’s paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change. 

 

Our organisation:

Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula.

Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.

 

We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.

Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.

 

Interviews are likely to be held virtually via Microsoft Teams.  Full details on how this will work will be sent to you, if your application is successfully shortlisted.

Important Information-

Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile

Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement

Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction.

For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.

Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted.  All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.

Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.

 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.